Overview
This research and development project focuses on the further development of the EPU App, a digital platform designed to support sustainable tourism in a national park in Czechia. In cooperation with Czech project partner – Gatyer s.r.o., the app will be enhanced to better manage visitor flows, reduce overtourism, and encourage environmentally responsible behaviour. The project aims to deliver a smart, scalable, and user-friendly application that benefits both visitors and regional tourism stakeholders while supporting conservation efforts.
The ITM contributes its expertise in digitalisation, behavioural science, and data-driven tourism management. The ITM's task is to support data analysis related to parking lot monitoring systems and to integrate nudging-based strategies into the app's marketing and communication framework.
In terms of data analysis, the ITM will conduct a comprehensive screening and quality check of existing parking lot data, identifying inconsistencies or gaps and generating basic statistical summaries such as occupancy rates and peak hours.
With regard to nudging-based communication, the ITM's task is to support the design, implementation, and performance measurement of digital nudges within the EPU App aimed at promoting pro-environmental behaviour among visitors. This involves developing several variants of targeted messages aligned with the communication goals and specific target groups. Potential nudges include behavioural messaging, visual cues, and persuasive interface elements, with the goal of fostering sustainable practices such as staying on marked trails, using public transport, or visiting less-crowded areas.
The Project Solutions to Overtourism in the Železná Ruda Region is implemented within the framework of the Sustainable Tourism and Enhancing Biodiversity programme, funded under the Swiss-Czech Cooperation Programme.
