‘From idea to prototype - in 48 hours’ - was the motto of the InnoDays Spring 2023 hackathon, which took place from May 31^st until June 2^nd, 2023. 140 students from the Marketing Master WU Vienna, TU Vienna, MCI Innsbruck, and OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, put their creative heads together to find innovative solutions to the challenges of various tourism destinations. Throughout their projects, they received support from more than 50 experienced mentors and company partners.

Overall challenge: ‘How can we use data to make tourism more sustainable?’

The challenges were brought up by Österreich Werbung / Austrian National Tourist Office in cooperation with several Austrian tourism destinations. Together with Vorarlberg Tourism, the teams created exciting app prototypes to sensitize the increasing number of e-bikers to the respectful treatment of nature. The second challenge from magdas HOTEL Vienna was all about using data and tourism to make our society more inclusive. In the third challenge, students were asked to use movement data with partners from Tourism Association Ausseerland Salzkammergut to raise awareness of nature conservation among travelers. Werfenweng Tourism asked the students for solutions on how to better handle the shuttle service at peak times. The final challenge asked students to develop a solution approach that would enable all tourism stakeholders in Upper Austria to use data to contribute to more sustainable travel experiences.

A day full of winners!

The E--bike challenge of Vorarlberg Tourism was won by the team ‘Eco Trail’ consisting of Claudio Mayer (OST), Damian Keller (OST), Daniel Peter (WU), Hana Kosanova (WU), Matthias Bruckner (WU) and Sylvie Steinegger (WU), with their Trail Assistant. The Social Inclusion Challenge had two winners: the team ‘InclusiVilnius’, consisting of Ann-Kathrin Bumiller (WU), Aayush Lalit Ranka (WU), Eva Weihs (WU), Filipe Stecconi (OST), and Lukas Ingwersen (WU), who planned an expansion for Magda's Hotel. As well as the team ‘Culturize’ consisting of Annalisa Garuti (WU), Danijel Konjakobic (OST), Francesco Di Lorenzo (WU), Kristiyan Delchev (WU), Megan Bröer (WU) and Oksana Shevchuk (MCI), which convinced with a tool for transparent and adapted to the cultural background of the guest staff training ‘Culturize’. Ausseerland chose the team ‘Rangerbuddy’ and their eponymous hiking guru as the winner. The Rangerbuddy team was made up of Bettina Rabensteiner (WU), Julia Andert (WU), Justine Pesec (WU), Pascal Brunner (OST) and Bishnu Sundaaram (OST). The ‘Peak Predictions’ team, which consisted of Ayse Yumru (WU), Elif Kavas (WU), Margarida Joana de Sousa Prata (WU), Nataliia Karall (WU) and Stefan Bamberger (OST) won the Werfenweng challenge as well as the Movement Data Masters prize. The Upper Austria Challenge was won by team ‘TravelUp’ represented by Ajay Figueira (OST), Elisabeth Lindtner (WU), Merle Schöning (WU), Olivia Gangol (WU) and Stefanie Hauer (WU), with an app for personalized recommendations.

The winning teams will engage in follow-up conversations with the challenge partners to explore ways to implement their ideas. Congratulations to all InnoDays participants!

Photo credits: Dani Haupt &  Ákos Burg