Tourists 'visit' the Greek Island of Santorini without leaving home

Tourists will no longer have to leave the comfort of their armchair to experience the splendours of the Mediterranean islands thanks to an EU-funded project that has created software providing three-dimensional (3D) versions of sandy beaches, sleepy village squares and cosy local hotels. Funding for the MEDISOLAE-3D project came from the European Commission's Interreg/Archimed and eContent programmes, with overall support totalling EUR 2.7 million.

Software experts from Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus and Malta have created 3D versions of the beautiful Mediterranean islands. They believe their state-of-the-art technology will help transform the tourism sector.

MEDISOLAE-3D users will be able to 'fly over' Mediterranean islands and swoop down when something catches their attention; they could 'land' on a beach or in a village square, and move about to get a feel for the shops, restaurants and attractions. They could even make purchases, reserve tables and book hotels. Perhaps the funkiest aspect of this software is that if users don't like where they have landed, they simply 'swoop up into the air again' and try somewhere else - all without taking their eyes off their computer screen.

The project combines software designed for aircraft landing simulations with orthophotography and satellite images of the islands, as well as public data like digital terrain models, maps and tourist services to create the portal to the 3D island experience. Updates from a range of public and private databases will be made automatically, offering users only the most up-to-date information and enabling them to enjoy their virtual stay as much as possible.

News source: Cordis link: article