Page 129 - World Heritage and Tourism Innovation

Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage

Example: The Šalek Valley al reality. The village was 3D reconstructed according
Another example worth mentioning is the project of to old photos, maps and memories of former inhabit-
the Šalek Valley Tourist Board. The central premise of ants, and it visualises the village for the first time.
this project was to present and interpret a heritage lost The experience ends with a culinary conclusion
to an artificial lake and, in a site- and heritage-specif- featuring selected local treats and a view over the lake.
ic way, bring to the forefront the story of ‘Slovenian Here, guests can reflect on the bitter-sweet story of
Atlantis’. Šalek Valley.
The ongoing coal mining activities have defined Contrary to the examples of Posavje and Izola,
the Šalek Valley. Besides the mining heritage, indus- this experience is available only upon appointment
trial buildings, mining culture and traditions, another and payment. Due to its boutique nature, it is part
element stands out – the artificial lakes formed due to of a marketing theme connecting the destination’s
coal excavation. In forming new lakes, several villag- past (mining) and present (recreation and activities
ers had to relocate, and several villages were partially at the lake). The experience can be understood as a
demolished, submerged and lost. ‘showroom’ of the destination’s offer, combining sev-
The ‘Mysteries of Submerged Villages’ tourist ex- eral experiences that can be and some already are also
perience is a 4-hour exploration of this story, combin- commercialised individually. Thus, the experience is
ing guided tours, culinary experiences, picturesque mainly suitable for business partners, small boutique
views and digital media. It takes participants on a organised groups and protocolar activities.
journey where they help a descendant of the Velenje The main challenges in the development of this
miners, who mined one of the thickest layers of coal experience were posed by the several involved stake-
in the world and turned fertile fields into lakes, find a holders (the mine – management, the mine–tourist
precious item under the water’s surface. mine, the museum, the tourist board, a former mine
The experience description captures it: ‘Where employee with several data, and a boat operator …),
once were villages, now are lakes. What happened to each responsible for only parts of the finally unified
the houses, schools, and churches? Why did they sink, and coherent programme which exemplifies the in-
and where did the villagers go? What secrets can be terdisciplinary nature of such projects and especially
uncovered in the depths of the lake? Discover the bit- the importance of coordinating the contractor’s role
ter-sweet life stories of the villagers, miners, and Ve- in partnership with the client. (See 3D reconstruc-
lenje people. For their bright future, they mined coal tion: https://youtu.be/u0_4CdUafto )
but sank their past.’
The experience begins with an authentic tour of Beyond Immediate Results
The Coal Mining Museum of Slovenia in Velenje with We have generally witnessed an increased under-
heirs of mining, where the elevator lowers the visitors standing of the topics and skills among the DMO staff.
into 160-metre-deep tunnels. The mine visit is en- Through the workshops and training and primarily
hanced by a short movie showcasing the lakes’ forma- through hands-on implementation, the staff has ac-
tion. A 3D animation projects a century of the valley’s quired skills in the use of technology (familiarity with
history in a few minutes, highlighting the stark con- technological solutions – e.g. distinguishing between
trast between the past and the present. Moreover, the interactive and non-interactive media; understanding
3D animation continues and showcases the planned the technical conditions for the use of technology –
future expansion of the lakes. e.g. challenges with lightning and humidity; handling
The visit to the mine is followed by a walk to Ve- different hardware – e.g. setting up VR glasses; un-
lenje Lake, where the visitors board a boat and ride derstanding the functioning of different media – e.g.
toward the underwater village of Škale. Above the old 360-degree image vs holographic projection). Second-
Škale, visitors experience a virtual dive into the lost ly, product development skills (user-centred develop-
village – using VR glasses, one finds oneself in a virtu- ment, user experience, marketing and storytelling,

Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 125