The Municipality of Rhodes has announced an international open electronic competition for the implementation of the project Digital Guide for Touring the Old Town of Rhodes, with a budget of 200,000. The award criterion will be the most economically advantageous offer, based on the best qualityprice ratio, while the deadline for submitting offers is set for January 26, 2026, at 15:00.
The project concerns the creation of a comprehensive digital system for showcasing and highlighting the cultural heritage of the Medieval Town of Rhodes, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988. Within the framework of the project, following detailed recording and documentation, a total of 100 points of interest will be selected, which will be presented through a dedicated web portal and related digital applications.
The aim of the proposal is the digital promotion of the historical and cultural identity of the Medieval Town through modern, innovative, and combined actions, designed to enhance the quality of the visitor experience, support the citys tourism rebranding, and maximize the multiplier effect for both visitors and the local economy. The project will complement and build upon previous similar initiatives in Rhodes, aligning with the overall strategy of the Municipality and the South Aegean Region for the promotion and valorization of cultural resources.
Beyond digital promotion, the project includes the development of an interactive navigation and discovery game of the Medieval Town, offering an experiential touring and navigation experience. Via mobile devices, visitors will have access to digital material, such as photos and videos, enhancing interaction and dialogue during the tour. Additionally, using artificial intelligence, users will be able to interact with a virtual guide bot, obtaining information about the Medieval Town and linking the historical past with Rhodes contemporary cultural footprint in a playful and intelligent way.
The project targets a wide audience, including Rhodes residents, expatriates, tourists from Greece and abroad, special-interest visitors, seniors, youth, students, and researchers. All digital content will be freely accessible and free of charge, providing neutral and unbiased information about the Medieval Town of Rhodes.
The project will produce extensive digital content, including the collection and documentation of materials, writing of tour experience scripts, creation of photographic and video content, drone and 360° video recordings, development of a promotional website, creation of 3D models, development of smart-device tour applications, an interactive reward game using augmented reality and AI technologies titled Discover the Medieval Town, a virtual reality application, translations of texts from Greek into three foreign languages, staff training, pilot operation, and publicity actions.
The web portal will be thematically organized, including sections such as the history of Rhodes and the Medieval Town, architecture and monuments, the Knights of St. John, stories and legends, educational and religious tourism, virtual reality applications, and interactive play and discover experiences. Each point of interest will feature a descriptive text of 150200 words, accompanied by one to three representative photos.
Among the monuments that will be minimally included in the digital hub are, among others, the Palace of the Grand Master, the Street of the Knights, the gates of the Medieval Town, churches, mosques, bastions, towers, public buildings, ports, and cultural venues, with the full list of references indicative and further specified in the tender documents.
Finally, the project will develop at least four thematic tour scenarios, adapted for different audience categories, which will form the basis for the development of digital applications and experiential experiences aimed at transforming Rhodes into a space for a new, modern cultural experience.
