X. Design Week 2025 brings together tourism, tech and creative leaders to co-design the future of tourism through hands-on design sprints focused on Digital Service Design, AI Strategy, Generational Intelligence and Immersive Storytelling. With a focus on innovation and digital transformation, the event provides a platform to explore how destinations can create more connected and accessible visitor experiences.
X. Design Week 2025, taking place from June 3–6 in Newcastle, UK, is an exciting four-day event, which brings together digital, creative and strategy professionals from across the sector to explore innovative approaches and technology that are shaping the future of tourism. Set in Newcastle, a city recognised for its growing role as a hub for digital innovation and strategic destination development, XDW offers a unique opportunity to showcase how digital transformation can be integrated in destination marketing and management.
The event is shaped by four impactful design sprints — Digital Service Design, Shaping AI Strategy, Generational Intelligence and Immersive Storytelling & Spatial Computing. The sprints will be explored through hands-on and collaborative sessions where participants will prototype and ideate strategies based on them. Through these sprints, alongside other immersive activities, XDW serves as a platform for fostering collaboration and driving discussions on what the next steps are for successful and engaging digital transformations.
As technology continues to evolve, the visitor journey is becoming increasingly seamless, data-driven and personalised. With 85% of tourism professionals believing that AI and other technological advancements will boost efficiency across the visitor experience, destinations must embrace the integration of digital and physical touchpoints to stay competitive. From personalised travel recommendations to immersive on-site experiences powered by AR and VR, the shift towards digital service design is reshaping how visitors interact with destinations before, during and after their trip.
Digital Service Design invites participants to explore how to build more connected and accessible journeys by aligning digital tools, interfaces and innovations across every touchpoint. With an emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility, teams will design strategies that leverage AI, immersive technology and user-centred design to enhance the visitor experience.
Who are the speakers?
This sprint will be a platform for leading voices who bring unique expertise in product content distribution, digital storytelling, design and innovation:
Jan Hutton, CEO of the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW), will bring strategic insights into how product content is distributed across commercial and public platforms. Jan's session will explore how strategic alignment across channels can unlock collective growth through stronger product distribution.
Julie Van Oyen, Product Designer at Europeana, will explore how design and technology can breathe new life into digital storytelling for culture and heritage. Julie's session will showcase the role of user experience research in shaping interface design which makes cultural content more engaging and accessible for visitors.
Olli Ylioja, Head of Digital at Visit Turku Archipelago, will share how the destination’s brand narrative has evolved by directly linking storytelling to discoverability and booking, transforming the emotional appeal into meaningful visitor experiences.
Patrick Grey, Chief Revenue Officer at Expian, will dive into service design perspectives on how digital and physical experiences can be integrated to form connected journeys that guide travellers from curiosity to action.
How are their insights shaping the sprint?
Central to the insights explored through Digital Service Design will be a shared focus on four key themes shaping the future of more connected and accessible visitor experiences. Effective content distribution and discoverability strategies enable culture and heritage to become easily accessible across digital platforms. Simultaneously, innovative digital storytelling transforms destination narratives, creating immersive experiences which engage visitors from inspiration to on-trip exploration.
Creating a seamless journey from inspiration to experience ensures that what travellers discover online easily translates into bookable experiences, while integrating digital and physical touchpoints. Throughout these processes, user-centred design serves as a common thread, with UX-driven platform development and service design approaches both emphasising seamless interactions. Together, these themes will form the foundation for exploring how digital design can support platforms where compelling stories inspire discovery and lead naturally to action, ultimately delivering on the destination's brand promise.
With 46% of executives identifying AI as their top technology priority and over 60% expecting it to accelerate innovation, generative AI is rapidly becoming a strategic cornerstone in tourism. By 2025, nearly a third of all outbound marketing messages are expected to be AI-generated, while tools like AI-driven personalisation, chatbots and AI avatars are redefining the visitor journey. However, the rapid pace of adoption is also exposing critical challenges, including reputational risks, gaps in skills and the urgent need for ethical implementation.
Shaping AI Strategy invites participants to explore how destinations can responsibly harness the transformative potential of generative AI. From content generation across formats like text, image, video and voice, to advanced AI infrastructures, teams will co-design concepts that push innovation while staying grounded in ethical and sustainable implementation.
Who are the speakers?
This sprint will be led by the insights of our expert speakers who will bring different ideas on AI strategy, product innovation and implementation in destination marketing:
Jamie Claudio, SVP of Marketing & Destination Strategy at Tiki, will bring a new perspective on how AI and digital platforms can elevate top-of-funnel engagement, helping destinations stand out in an increasingly saturated landscape.
Andrew Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer at Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, will share how Discover Atlanta is leveraging AI to evolve its content strategies and make more data-driven decisions.
Martin Howe, Founder & Visionary at Chaperone, will explore how immersive and AI technologies can be used by regional platforms to prototype and personalise visitor experiences, while addressing organisational challenges.
Eve Le Gall, Deputy Director of Marketing & Partnerships at Atout France, offers a destination-wide perspective on how AI-driven tools can be used to create personalised itineraries, which drive sustainability by managing and directing visitor flows toward lesser-known destinations.
James Berzins, Managing Director of TXGB, will moderate a panel discussion on the practical adoption of AI in tourism. The conversation will focus on how regional platforms can leverage flexible AI tool stacks and rapid prototyping to drive digital innovation, enhance personalisation and support regional economic growth.
How are their insights shaping the sprint?
The sprint will be framed by several interlinked themes emerging across all speaker perspectives. A core focus is the integration of AI into destination strategy, emphasising using AI to elevate content creation and visitor engagement. Closely tied to this is personalised engagement, with AI being used to tailor experiences across the visitor journey, sparking interest early on and guiding travellers in real time during their trip. Speakers will also surface the practical barriers to AI adoption, with organisational challenges that need to be addressed to unlock AI’s full potential.
Data-driven decisions emerge as a critical enabler, informing everything from content to itinerary suggestions, while sustainable distribution of tourism underscores how AI can also support broader destination management goals. These shared themes will guide teams as they prototype AI-powered strategies that deliver value for both travellers and destinations, balancing innovation with ethical application.
As the most digitally native and tech-integrated generation to date, Gen Alpha is already reshaping the landscape of consumer behaviour, content consumption and travel expectations. By age 10, 58% of them own a mobile device, and by age 13, they’re expected to have as many digital devices as the average adult. From streaming videos before they can read, to trusting influencers as much as family, and spending more time in Roblox than on social media, Gen Alpha’s habits signal a radical shift in how we must design, communicate and deliver travel experiences.
Generational Intelligence explores how destinations can develop adaptive strategies to meet the needs of this emerging generation. Participants will examine how technological fluency, social values and behavioural shifts are redefining travel motivation, designing new frameworks to help shape experiences that align with Gen Alpha's values and modes of interaction.
Who are the speakers?
This forward-thinking sprint is shaped by leading voices in digital transformation, immersive storytelling and destination marketing:
Elena Gonzalez de Parga, Marketing Director at Canary Islands Tourism Board, will explore the role of immersive storytelling in creating deeper emotional engagement with a destination’s values. Elena will also showcase the broader potential of gaming as a tool for engaging Gen Alpha.
Yurena Escobar Alonso, CEO of Flecher.co, will dive into a platform perspective, looking at how Roblox and similar environments open up the space for immersive storytelling, discovery and interaction, particularly for younger and digitally native audiences like Gen Alpha.
Jessika Weber, Professor of Digital Transformation in Cultural Tourism at Breda University of Applied Sciences, will bring an academic lens to how AR and immersive experiences can be designed to reflect generational values, while reinforcing authenticity in cultural heritage storytelling. Jessika will also explore how digital heritage can play a key role in enhancing accessibility.
Lobke Elbers, Theme Manager Digital Transformation at CELTH, will showcase practical insights into how technology can be used to bridge generational gaps and support more accessible, inclusive and engaging experiences for a diverse audience.
Emma Wilkinson, Deputy Director of Global Marketing at VisitBritain, will share insights on how DMOs can leverage set-jetting to drive regional tourism and engage next-generation travellers. From cinematic storytelling to creative digital marketing, Emma's expertise will shed light on how screen tourism reshapes destination appeal and promotes travel across UK regions.
How are their insights shaping the sprint?
A clear set of themes emerges from the collective insights of the speakers, that will form the foundation of this design sprint. Immersive storytelling technologies stand out as central tools for engagement, with speakers highlighting the use of AR, VR and gaming platforms to engage younger generations. Equally important is the theme of generational trends in digital design, understanding how different age groups, especially Gen Alpha, engage with content and what values shape their travel decisions.
The session spotlights cultural heritage and authenticity as speakers will demonstrate how digital tools enhance storytelling while preserving cultural integrity. Integral to this vision, inclusion and accessibility serve as essential design principles, ensuring immersive experiences reach across different generations in a seamless way. These insights will provide the building blocks for developing future-facing tourism strategies, with immersive storytelling bridging generational divides.
As immersive technologies continue to evolve, spatial computing is emerging as a powerful tool for tackling key challenges in tourism like managing visitor flows, enhancing cultural preservation as well as creating more engaging and accessible experiences. By merging the digital and physical together, spatial computing enables real-time interaction with spaces, allowing destinations to model behaviours, optimise crowd movement and craft immersive narratives that enhance the visitor journey.
Immersive Storytelling and Spatial Computing explores how integrating the two concepts can deliver meaningful value for both visitors and destinations. From 3D modelling to location-based AR experiences, we’ll examine how this technology can foster deeper visitor engagement while remaining inclusive and accessible.
Who are the speakers?
This sprint is guided by visionaries in spatial storytelling and digital heritage:
Dr. Ray Holder, Head of XR at Smartify, will offer insights into the evolving landscape of WebXR, comparing it to established platforms like Sketchfab and 8th Wall. His work focuses on making immersive museum experiences more accessible via browser-based XR, removing barriers for visitors and institutions alike.
Dr. Pauline Mackay, Co-Investigator of the Museums in the Metaverse project at the University of Glasgow, will introduce a dual-sided VR exhibition platform that allows users to curate experiences using high-resolution 3D models. Dr. Pauline will explore how this technology brings artefacts to the forefront and address questions of ownership, IP and emerging business models for digital heritage.
Michael Guerin, CEO and Founder of Imvizar, will discuss how spatial computing and location-based AR can blend technology and storytelling with physical environments to create an immersive experience. Michael will also explore the importance of reducing barriers to AR adoption and building more inclusive platforms.
Dr. Fiona Mowat, Senior Marketing Intelligence Coordinator at Europeana, will bring expertise on immersive technologies in cultural heritage. The session will explore how 3D content and user-centred design can unlock new pathways for accessibility and preservation for cultural heritage.
Dr. Beth Daley, Editorial Adviser at Europeana, will contribute her deep perspective on digital heritage storytelling. The session will demonstrate how cultural narratives can spark curiosity and deepen engagement, transforming how visitors interact with heritage content.
How are their insights shaping the sprint?
A clear set of shared themes connects the expert insights, which will form a strong basis for the design sprint. Central to these discussions is spatial computing, which helps merge digital content with real-world experiences. Across the board, speakers will explore the role of immersive technology in making cultural heritage more accessible, to reveal hidden stories and artefacts through both browser-based platforms and augmented reality in everyday environments.
A shared commitment to reducing adoption barriers will place focus on designing platforms that lower entry points and make immersive content available to broader audiences. The blending of immersive storytelling and physical environments distinguishes this sprint and will illustrate how technology can be used to bring destination narratives to both physical and digital spaces. Complementing these approaches, the concept of digital twins and virtual curation will capture the essence of physical spaces and objects through digital replication to offer new modes of interaction and discovery.
Designing the Future of Tourism
Content discoverability, digital storytelling and user-centred design are important for reaching emerging generations like Gen Z and Gen Alpha. At the same time, ethical and sustainable innovation remains a priority, ensuring that emerging technologies like AI enhance, rather than replace, the human connections in tourism. The four design sprints provide valuable insights into the evolving landscape of this digital innovation. Whether exploring emerging technologies or rethinking user experiences, each sprint addresses distinct challenges while working towards a shared vision of shaping more engaging, inclusive and forward-thinking solutions. Join us at X. Design Week 2025 in Newcastle to get the chance to shape strategies, collaborate across different teams and co-design the future of tourism.
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X. Design Week 2025, taking place from June 3–6 in Newcastle, UK, is an exciting four-day event, which brings together digital, creative and strategy professionals from across the sector to explore innovative approaches and technology that are shaping the future of tourism. Set in Newcastle, a city recognised for its growing role as a hub for digital innovation and strategic destination development, XDW offers a unique opportunity to showcase how digital transformation can be integrated in destination marketing and management.
The event is shaped by four impactful design sprints — Digital Service Design, Shaping AI Strategy, Generational Intelligence and Immersive Storytelling & Spatial Computing. The sprints will be explored through hands-on and collaborative sessions where participants will prototype and ideate strategies based on them. Through these sprints, alongside other immersive activities, XDW serves as a platform for fostering collaboration and driving discussions on what the next steps are for successful and engaging digital transformations.
As technology continues to evolve, the visitor journey is becoming increasingly seamless, data-driven and personalised. With 85% of tourism professionals believing that AI and other technological advancements will boost efficiency across the visitor experience, destinations must embrace the integration of digital and physical touchpoints to stay competitive. From personalised travel recommendations to immersive on-site experiences powered by AR and VR, the shift towards digital service design is reshaping how visitors interact with destinations before, during and after their trip.
Digital Service Design invites participants to explore how to build more connected and accessible journeys by aligning digital tools, interfaces and innovations across every touchpoint. With an emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility, teams will design strategies that leverage AI, immersive technology and user-centred design to enhance the visitor experience.
Who are the speakers?
This sprint will be a platform for leading voices who bring unique expertise in product content distribution, digital storytelling, design and innovation:
Jan Hutton, CEO of the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW), will bring strategic insights into how product content is distributed across commercial and public platforms. Jan's session will explore how strategic alignment across channels can unlock collective growth through stronger product distribution.
Julie Van Oyen, Product Designer at Europeana, will explore how design and technology can breathe new life into digital storytelling for culture and heritage. Julie's session will showcase the role of user experience research in shaping interface design which makes cultural content more engaging and accessible for visitors.
Olli Ylioja, Head of Digital at Visit Turku Archipelago, will share how the destination’s brand narrative has evolved by directly linking storytelling to discoverability and booking, transforming the emotional appeal into meaningful visitor experiences.
Patrick Grey, Chief Revenue Officer at Expian, will dive into service design perspectives on how digital and physical experiences can be integrated to form connected journeys that guide travellers from curiosity to action.
How are their insights shaping the sprint?
Central to the insights explored through Digital Service Design will be a shared focus on four key themes shaping the future of more connected and accessible visitor experiences. Effective content distribution and discoverability strategies enable culture and heritage to become easily accessible across digital platforms. Simultaneously, innovative digital storytelling transforms destination narratives, creating immersive experiences which engage visitors from inspiration to on-trip exploration.
Creating a seamless journey from inspiration to experience ensures that what travellers discover online easily translates into bookable experiences, while integrating digital and physical touchpoints. Throughout these processes, user-centred design serves as a common thread, with UX-driven platform development and service design approaches both emphasising seamless interactions. Together, these themes will form the foundation for exploring how digital design can support platforms where compelling stories inspire discovery and lead naturally to action, ultimately delivering on the destination's brand promise.
With 46% of executives identifying AI as their top technology priority and over 60% expecting it to accelerate innovation, generative AI is rapidly becoming a strategic cornerstone in tourism. By 2025, nearly a third of all outbound marketing messages are expected to be AI-generated, while tools like AI-driven personalisation, chatbots and AI avatars are redefining the visitor journey. However, the rapid pace of adoption is also exposing critical challenges, including reputational risks, gaps in skills and the urgent need for ethical implementation.
Shaping AI Strategy invites participants to explore how destinations can responsibly harness the transformative potential of generative AI. From content generation across formats like text, image, video and voice, to advanced AI infrastructures, teams will co-design concepts that push innovation while staying grounded in ethical and sustainable implementation.
Who are the speakers?
This sprint will be led by the insights of our expert speakers who will bring different ideas on AI strategy, product innovation and implementation in destination marketing:
Jamie Claudio, SVP of Marketing & Destination Strategy at Tiki, will bring a new perspective on how AI and digital platforms can elevate top-of-funnel engagement, helping destinations stand out in an increasingly saturated landscape.
Andrew Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer at Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, will share how Discover Atlanta is leveraging AI to evolve its content strategies and make more data-driven decisions.
Martin Howe, Founder & Visionary at Chaperone, will explore how immersive and AI technologies can be used by regional platforms to prototype and personalise visitor experiences, while addressing organisational challenges.
Eve Le Gall, Deputy Director of Marketing & Partnerships at Atout France, offers a destination-wide perspective on how AI-driven tools can be used to create personalised itineraries, which drive sustainability by managing and directing visitor flows toward lesser-known destinations.
James Berzins, Managing Director of TXGB, will moderate a panel discussion on the practical adoption of AI in tourism. The conversation will focus on how regional platforms can leverage flexible AI tool stacks and rapid prototyping to drive digital innovation, enhance personalisation and support regional economic growth.
How are their insights shaping the sprint?
The sprint will be framed by several interlinked themes emerging across all speaker perspectives. A core focus is the integration of AI into destination strategy, emphasising using AI to elevate content creation and visitor engagement. Closely tied to this is personalised engagement, with AI being used to tailor experiences across the visitor journey, sparking interest early on and guiding travellers in real time during their trip. Speakers will also surface the practical barriers to AI adoption, with organisational challenges that need to be addressed to unlock AI’s full potential.
Data-driven decisions emerge as a critical enabler, informing everything from content to itinerary suggestions, while sustainable distribution of tourism underscores how AI can also support broader destination management goals. These shared themes will guide teams as they prototype AI-powered strategies that deliver value for both travellers and destinations, balancing innovation with ethical application.
As the most digitally native and tech-integrated generation to date, Gen Alpha is already reshaping the landscape of consumer behaviour, content consumption and travel expectations. By age 10, 58% of them own a mobile device, and by age 13, they’re expected to have as many digital devices as the average adult. From streaming videos before they can read, to trusting influencers as much as family, and spending more time in Roblox than on social media, Gen Alpha’s habits signal a radical shift in how we must design, communicate and deliver travel experiences.
Generational Intelligence explores how destinations can develop adaptive strategies to meet the needs of this emerging generation. Participants will examine how technological fluency, social values and behavioural shifts are redefining travel motivation, designing new frameworks to help shape experiences that align with Gen Alpha's values and modes of interaction.
Who are the speakers?
This forward-thinking sprint is shaped by leading voices in digital transformation, immersive storytelling and destination marketing:
Elena Gonzalez de Parga, Marketing Director at Canary Islands Tourism Board, will explore the role of immersive storytelling in creating deeper emotional engagement with a destination’s values. Elena will also showcase the broader potential of gaming as a tool for engaging Gen Alpha.
Yurena Escobar Alonso, CEO of Flecher.co, will dive into a platform perspective, looking at how Roblox and similar environments open up the space for immersive storytelling, discovery and interaction, particularly for younger and digitally native audiences like Gen Alpha.
Jessika Weber, Professor of Digital Transformation in Cultural Tourism at Breda University of Applied Sciences, will bring an academic lens to how AR and immersive experiences can be designed to reflect generational values, while reinforcing authenticity in cultural heritage storytelling. Jessika will also explore how digital heritage can play a key role in enhancing accessibility.
Lobke Elbers, Theme Manager Digital Transformation at CELTH, will showcase practical insights into how technology can be used to bridge generational gaps and support more accessible, inclusive and engaging experiences for a diverse audience.
Emma Wilkinson, Deputy Director of Global Marketing at VisitBritain, will share insights on how DMOs can leverage set-jetting to drive regional tourism and engage next-generation travellers. From cinematic storytelling to creative digital marketing, Emma's expertise will shed light on how screen tourism reshapes destination appeal and promotes travel across UK regions.
How are their insights shaping the sprint?
A clear set of themes emerges from the collective insights of the speakers, that will form the foundation of this design sprint. Immersive storytelling technologies stand out as central tools for engagement, with speakers highlighting the use of AR, VR and gaming platforms to engage younger generations. Equally important is the theme of generational trends in digital design, understanding how different age groups, especially Gen Alpha, engage with content and what values shape their travel decisions.
The session spotlights cultural heritage and authenticity as speakers will demonstrate how digital tools enhance storytelling while preserving cultural integrity. Integral to this vision, inclusion and accessibility serve as essential design principles, ensuring immersive experiences reach across different generations in a seamless way. These insights will provide the building blocks for developing future-facing tourism strategies, with immersive storytelling bridging generational divides.
As immersive technologies continue to evolve, spatial computing is emerging as a powerful tool for tackling key challenges in tourism like managing visitor flows, enhancing cultural preservation as well as creating more engaging and accessible experiences. By merging the digital and physical together, spatial computing enables real-time interaction with spaces, allowing destinations to model behaviours, optimise crowd movement and craft immersive narratives that enhance the visitor journey.
Immersive Storytelling and Spatial Computing explores how integrating the two concepts can deliver meaningful value for both visitors and destinations. From 3D modelling to location-based AR experiences, we’ll examine how this technology can foster deeper visitor engagement while remaining inclusive and accessible.
Who are the speakers?
This sprint is guided by visionaries in spatial storytelling and digital heritage:
Dr. Ray Holder, Head of XR at Smartify, will offer insights into the evolving landscape of WebXR, comparing it to established platforms like Sketchfab and 8th Wall. His work focuses on making immersive museum experiences more accessible via browser-based XR, removing barriers for visitors and institutions alike.
Dr. Pauline Mackay, Co-Investigator of the Museums in the Metaverse project at the University of Glasgow, will introduce a dual-sided VR exhibition platform that allows users to curate experiences using high-resolution 3D models. Dr. Pauline will explore how this technology brings artefacts to the forefront and address questions of ownership, IP and emerging business models for digital heritage.
Michael Guerin, CEO and Founder of Imvizar, will discuss how spatial computing and location-based AR can blend technology and storytelling with physical environments to create an immersive experience. Michael will also explore the importance of reducing barriers to AR adoption and building more inclusive platforms.
Dr. Fiona Mowat, Senior Marketing Intelligence Coordinator at Europeana, will bring expertise on immersive technologies in cultural heritage. The session will explore how 3D content and user-centred design can unlock new pathways for accessibility and preservation for cultural heritage.
Dr. Beth Daley, Editorial Adviser at Europeana, will contribute her deep perspective on digital heritage storytelling. The session will demonstrate how cultural narratives can spark curiosity and deepen engagement, transforming how visitors interact with heritage content.
How are their insights shaping the sprint?
A clear set of shared themes connects the expert insights, which will form a strong basis for the design sprint. Central to these discussions is spatial computing, which helps merge digital content with real-world experiences. Across the board, speakers will explore the role of immersive technology in making cultural heritage more accessible, to reveal hidden stories and artefacts through both browser-based platforms and augmented reality in everyday environments.
A shared commitment to reducing adoption barriers will place focus on designing platforms that lower entry points and make immersive content available to broader audiences. The blending of immersive storytelling and physical environments distinguishes this sprint and will illustrate how technology can be used to bring destination narratives to both physical and digital spaces. Complementing these approaches, the concept of digital twins and virtual curation will capture the essence of physical spaces and objects through digital replication to offer new modes of interaction and discovery.
Designing the Future of Tourism
Content discoverability, digital storytelling and user-centred design are important for reaching emerging generations like Gen Z and Gen Alpha. At the same time, ethical and sustainable innovation remains a priority, ensuring that emerging technologies like AI enhance, rather than replace, the human connections in tourism. The four design sprints provide valuable insights into the evolving landscape of this digital innovation. Whether exploring emerging technologies or rethinking user experiences, each sprint addresses distinct challenges while working towards a shared vision of shaping more engaging, inclusive and forward-thinking solutions. Join us at X. Design Week 2025 in Newcastle to get the chance to shape strategies, collaborate across different teams and co-design the future of tourism.
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