Latest news with #Skyscanner
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Travel Tech: Can Scotland produce another Skyscanner?
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Ever since Edinburgh-based flight search business Skyscanner was snapped up by Chinese travel group Ctrip almost a decade ago for £1.4 billion, the dream of producing another local 'unicorn' has been kept alive by numerous entrepreneurs in Scotland. Nikki Gibson is one of them. Three years ago the former corporate events executive founded Edinburgh-based Swurf, an app that links peripatetic workers with hotels, gyms and other places across the UK where they can park their laptops and work for a day. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This week she and Alison Grieve, a board member and editor of Young Company Finance, welcomed users to a monthly 'coworking' session at the Kimpton Hotel on Edinburgh's Charlotte Square. "Travel tech", pioneered by firms such as Skyscanner, help travellers plan city breaks to destinations such as Prague | Getty Images Gibson founded the business to tap into what she calls a growing 'digital workforce' seeking temporary workspaces, while providing foot traffic for hospitality businesses recovering from the pandemic. The roughly 55 venues signed up to Swurf in Scotland pay an annual fee to be listed on the app, while users enjoy perks like discounted food and coffee. Swurf and other startups in Scotland such as Obvlo and Holibob are part of a global phenomenon known as 'travel tech' – businesses involved in the digitalisation of travel, tourism and hospitality. Its growth has coincided with the post-pandemic rebound in travel and a proliferation of digital nomads and includes established names like and ticketing system Amadeus. Recent startups include TravelPerk, a travel and expense management platform and Barcelona-based Exoticca, involved in the digitalisation of long-haul travel. AI creating travel itineraries Investors have loved the story, in particular how AI is enabling the personalisation of travel itineraries in a way that humans could never manage on a large scale, while increasing the efficiency of booking technology and revenue management. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Edinburgh-based Obvlo, founded four years ago by Aberdeen University graduate Callum McPherson, is a 'digital concierge' using AI to help hotels build personalised food and sightseeing recommendations for guests before they check in. Investors include US-based Blue Run Ventures and Edinburgh family office Murray Capital. Edinburgh is a natural hub for this given a steady increase in tourism, which is driving a spurt in hotel development. It also has a thriving ecosystem of travel tech entrepreneurs and promoters associated with the university's Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI), one of six innovation hubs under the Edinburgh City and Region Deal's Data Driven Innovation programme driving collaboration between academia and business. Josh Ryan-Saha, an authority on AI and data-driven innovation in tourism, operates out of the EFI, where he runs Traveltech for Scotland, a cluster involving over 200 tourism and technology companies that he founded in 2020. He cites TravelPerk as an example of Scotland's tech travel credentials. The Barcelona-based company opened a hub in Edinburgh in 2022 staffed largely by software engineers, some of them former Skyscanner employees. 'They could see the talent was coming out of Edinburgh because of the informatics and data capability at the university,' Ryan-Saha says. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland also has a mature funding ecosystem of private equity, VC and angel investors, among them Gareth Williams, co-founder and former chief executive of Skyscanner who has backed Swurf. Angel Capital Scotland, which represents around 2,000 private investors, says the value of deals to fund startups of all types in 2023-24 was up slightly to £106m, involving 94 transactions of between £20,000 and just over £4m. Skyscanner co-founder Gareth Williams | TSPL Scottish government support is also helping through the role of Scottish Enterprise as an early-stage co-investor. McPherson says a £10,000 grant from Scottish Development International allowing Obvlo to attend a tourism conference in Miami resulted in the company being named by organisers as a 'hot travel startup' for 2025. Scarcity of funding Yet all of this masks a tough reality for Scotland's travel techs: funding is becoming scarcer. While Scotland's investment share of equity fund raisings for all types of businesses in the UK grew last year slightly to 4.8 per cent involving 199 deals worth £59m according to consultancy Beauhurst, such funding across the UK in the final quarters of last year was the lowest in deal volume since 2014 due to geopolitical instability and tough macro-economic conditions. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Travel tech funding has fared no better, dropping globally to nearly a decade low in 2023 to $5.2 billion, according to Phocuswright, a research firm whose parent company is hosting a travel tech conference in London next month. It predicts that the number of funding rounds likely to have been completed in 2024 will fall to the lowest level on record. Moreover, investors are becoming stricter about what they'll commit to. Scottish Enterprise acknowledged this in its latest report on Scotland's risk capital market published last week, saying 'changes in investor risk-appetite have perpetuated the drift towards later stage opportunities, with early-stage below £10 million and new to equity investment being the most challenging areas'. Cara Whitehill, a vice-president at Thayer Investment Partners, a US venture capital firm specialising in travel tech, explains that investors are now looking 'for more traction earlier in the lifecycle compared to a few years ago, so it will be tough to capture funding without having something relatively concrete you can point to.'
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Europe's cheapest city for a pint is just a two-hour flight away from the UK
A weekend break in Debrecen, known as Europe's cheap pint capital, is a fine idea for those seeking a value-packed city break, as well as a thirst for a cheap pint Europe's most affordable city for a pint continues to offer beer at five times less than the UK average - and it's just a short, budget-friendly flight away. Located in Hungary's Northern Great Plain region, Debrecen isn't merely known for its inexpensive beverages. It's an excellent choice for a weekend escape and with careful planning, it could be the best value trip you've ever taken. According to price comparison site Skyscanner, return flights from Luton Airport to the city can cost as little as £23 if you choose the right time of year. The journey is well under three hours, and Debrecen has earned its title as Europe's cheap pint capital. Thirsty travellers can enjoy a Soproni lager for a mere 79p, with the average lager costing around 82p. This is a staggering 6.6 times cheaper than the average price of a pint in London, where a drink now costs a hefty £5.90 on average. Even Derby - deemed the UK's cheapest place for a pint in one study - can't compete with these prices, with the average cost in the Midlands city being £3. But Debrecen offers more than just affordable drinks; it's a captivating city in its own right. The vibrant university town boasts the grand yellow Reformatus Nagytemplom cathedral, an extensive museum dedicated to Hungarian culture, a zoo, and a theme park. The inflationary pressures of recent years have significantly impacted the cost of alcoholic beverages in the UK. Data from the Office for National Statistics released last year revealed that the average price of a pint of draught lager in a pub rose by 12.1% between August 2022 and August 2023, from £4.12 to £4.65. With many people's wages failing to keep up, an evening at the local might start to feel like an indulgence. However, there's good news - Debrecen isn't the only place in Europe where you can find a bargain pint, and we've highlighted a few other destinations here. But if you're looking to avoid places where you'll be charged an arm and a leg for a beer, you might want to give Iceland a miss - a pint there now costs an average of £8.33. Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife - £1.60 a pint A tried and true favourite, this Canary Island gem continues to offer excellent value for money. With stunning sea views, a tranquil atmosphere, and incredibly cheap pints, it's no wonder why. If you visit in June before the school summer holidays, you'll find pleasant weather and great value for money on-site, all while avoiding peak season airfares and hotel rates. Faro, Portugal - £2.18 a pint The Algarve is known for its crystal-clear waters, sunshine, delicious cuisine, and budget-friendly drinking spots. Consider Faro for your next European getaway for wallet-friendly prices on flights, hotel stays, and in-destination expenses - beers start at just £2. Zagreb, Croatia - £2.44 a pint Zagreb conjures images of sun-soaked beaches during the day and lively socialising with mates at night, all made more appealing by a remarkably affordable pint price of just £2.44. To make the most of your savings, steer clear of the school holidays and plan your visit for May-June.
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Why we need to invest in new business start-ups catering for digital nomads
Edinburgh is well placed to become a hub for the growing new 'travel tech' sector - but investment is key Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Ever since Edinburgh-based flight search business Skyscanner was snapped up by Chinese travel group Ctrip almost a decade ago for £1.4 billion, the dream of producing another local 'unicorn' has been kept alive by numerous entrepreneurs in Scotland. Nikki Gibson is one of them. Three years ago the former corporate events executive founded Edinburgh-based Swurf, an app that links peripatetic workers with hotels, gyms and other places across the UK where they can park their laptops and work for a day. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This week she and Alison Grieve, a board member and editor of Young Company Finance, welcomed users to a monthly 'coworking' session at the Kimpton Hotel on Edinburgh's Charlotte Square. "Travel tech", pioneered by firms such as Skyscanner, help travellers plan city breaks to destinations such as Prague | Getty Images Gibson founded the business to tap into what she calls a growing 'digital workforce' seeking temporary workspaces, while providing foot traffic for hospitality businesses recovering from the pandemic. The roughly 55 venues signed up to Swurf in Scotland pay an annual fee to be listed on the app, while users enjoy perks like discounted food and coffee. Swurf and other startups in Scotland such as Obvlo and Holibob are part of a global phenomenon known as 'travel tech' – businesses involved in the digitalisation of travel, tourism and hospitality. Its growth has coincided with the post-pandemic rebound in travel and a proliferation of digital nomads and includes established names like and ticketing system Amadeus. Recent startups include TravelPerk, a travel and expense management platform and Barcelona-based Exoticca, involved in the digitalisation of long-haul travel. AI creating travel itineraries Investors have loved the story, in particular how AI is enabling the personalisation of travel itineraries in a way that humans could never manage on a large scale, while increasing the efficiency of booking technology and revenue management. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Edinburgh-based Obvlo, founded four years ago by Aberdeen University graduate Callum McPherson, is a 'digital concierge' using AI to help hotels build personalised food and sightseeing recommendations for guests before they check in. Investors include US-based Blue Run Ventures and Edinburgh family office Murray Capital. Edinburgh is a natural hub for this given a steady increase in tourism, which is driving a spurt in hotel development. It also has a thriving ecosystem of travel tech entrepreneurs and promoters associated with the university's Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI), one of six innovation hubs under the Edinburgh City and Region Deal's Data Driven Innovation programme driving collaboration between academia and business. Josh Ryan-Saha, an authority on AI and data-driven innovation in tourism, operates out of the EFI, where he runs Traveltech for Scotland, a cluster involving over 200 tourism and technology companies that he founded in 2020. He cites TravelPerk as an example of Scotland's tech travel credentials. The Barcelona-based company opened a hub in Edinburgh in 2022 staffed largely by software engineers, some of them former Skyscanner employees. 'They could see the talent was coming out of Edinburgh because of the informatics and data capability at the university,' Ryan-Saha says. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland also has a mature funding ecosystem of private equity, VC and angel investors, among them Gareth Williams, co-founder and former chief executive of Skyscanner who has backed Swurf. Angel Capital Scotland, which represents around 2,000 private investors, says the value of deals to fund startups of all types in 2023-24 was up slightly to £106m, involving 94 transactions of between £20,000 and just over £4m. Skyscanner co-founder Gareth Williams | TSPL Scottish government support is also helping through the role of Scottish Enterprise as an early-stage co-investor. McPherson says a £10,000 grant from Scottish Development International allowing Obvlo to attend a tourism conference in Miami resulted in the company being named by organisers as a 'hot travel startup' for 2025. Scarcity of funding Yet all of this masks a tough reality for Scotland's travel techs: funding is becoming scarcer. While Scotland's investment share of equity fund raisings for all types of businesses in the UK grew last year slightly to 4.8 per cent involving 199 deals worth £59m according to consultancy Beauhurst, such funding across the UK in the final quarters of last year was the lowest in deal volume since 2014 due to geopolitical instability and tough macro-economic conditions. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Travel tech funding has fared no better, dropping globally to nearly a decade low in 2023 to $5.2 billion, according to Phocuswright, a research firm whose parent company is hosting a travel tech conference in London next month. It predicts that the number of funding rounds likely to have been completed in 2024 will fall to the lowest level on record. Moreover, investors are becoming stricter about what they'll commit to. Scottish Enterprise acknowledged this in its latest report on Scotland's risk capital market published last week, saying 'changes in investor risk-appetite have perpetuated the drift towards later stage opportunities, with early-stage below £10 million and new to equity investment being the most challenging areas'. Cara Whitehill, a vice-president at Thayer Investment Partners, a US venture capital firm specialising in travel tech, explains that investors are now looking 'for more traction earlier in the lifecycle compared to a few years ago, so it will be tough to capture funding without having something relatively concrete you can point to.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
8 real-world destinations for people who love video games
At least 35 percent of U.S. travelers are inspired to book a trip overseas based on a video game they've played, according to Skyscanner's recent survey As technology becomes more accessible and sophisticated, video games continue to gain points other traditional media can't quite reach. May Naidoo is not surprised. He's a filmmaker and Pokémon Partner who travels for video game content, and he sees the clear benefits. 'Movies are influential because they take you back to a specific scene, but video games are more interactive. They place you in the moment with the character and story. You're engaging far more with the sensory experience,' he says. Gamer Didier South agrees, 'Games are reaching new levels of realism, with both graphics and storytelling. It raises the excitement of seeing it in real life, but it also raises the expectations of authenticity.' (Related: For travelers with disabilities, video games are windows to the world.) South is one of a growing number of travelers diving into video game tourism. His current game of choice is Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, a 2025 role-playing game set in 15th-century Bohemia. He has more than 100 hours of gameplay, but he's not just playing a video game; he's also taking notes on locations and cultural sites within the game and planning to see them in Czechia later this year. Now, you can join this growing trend by exploring the real places that inspired game developers, and you can immerse yourself in video games brought to life as tourist attractions like Super Nintendo World™. Here are seven next-level, real world experiences for gamers. (Related: The real history behind the legend of Sun Wukong, China's Monkey King.) Take the family to the recently opened Super Nintendo World™, one of five new immersive worlds in Universal Epic Universe Orlando. Ride Yoshi's Adventure repeatedly while searching for glowing eggs or careen through the jungle in Donkey Kong's Mine-Cart Madness. Let the grown-ups show the kids how it's done with Orlando's retro arcades, like Arcade Monsters. One entry price allows gamers to play more than 200 pinball machines and arcade games. Discover the science behind video games at the Orlando Science Center, meanwhile, the 'DC Super Heroes' exhibit, on-site through September 7, 2025, will test your superhero skills and allow you to step into the iconic worlds of legendary superheroes, including Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman. (Related: The ultimate guide to visiting Orlando.) The first stop for any gamer is the famous Akihabara District (also known as Akiba) in Tokyo. This is the heart of gaming with high-end tech stores, fan-favorite collectibles, and arcades. Grab a bite at nearby Monster Hunters Bar, which features a menu straight from the game, including Kirin's Lightning Strike Parfait G. Walk it off with a visit to Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo, and watch out for rare Pokémon along the way. For a bonus level of culture, visit the Tokyo National Museum for pottery from the Jōmon period. It's the real-life inspiration for key scenes in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. (Related: Don't leave Tokyo without these must-do experiences.) Prepare for Valhalla with immersive high-tech displays at The Viking Planet, Oslo's first digital museum dedicated to the Viking Age. The interactive exhibits include a digital walkthrough of the historic Viking ships (the Oseberg and the Gokstad) as well as virtual reality (VR) experiences of a Viking Raid. Then test your survival skills at Jernaldergarden, a living museum set during the Iron Age in the Stavanger region—inspiration for Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. Explore the landscape of the Besseggen Ridge (including glaciers) within Jotunheimen National Park, which gamers may recall as part of the video game God of War: Ragnarök. And if you travel as far as Tromsø for the Aurora Borealis, refuel at Burgr with a gaming-inspired meal before heading out to chase the Northern Lights. (Related: Was the Oseberg Ship a tomb for a Viking Queen?) Head to Big Sky Country in Montana to visit Glacier National Park, where key points of interest like Logan Pass Visitor Center and St. Mary Lake, inspired the scenery in the video games, Far Cry 5 and Far Cry: New Dawn. When you're ready to return to civilization, head to Bozeman for the American Computer & Robotics Museum, which covers 4,000 years of human history from original cuneiform tablets to the first personal computers. Parents can take their kids along the Montana Dinosaur Trail to follow Dr. Alan Grant and his dinosaur digs featured in the video game LEGO Jurassic World. Make this fictional game a real-life, family-friendly adventure. (Related: Everything you need to know about Glacier National Park.) While we don't recommend leaping from rooftop to rooftop as seen in Assassin's Creed: Origins, the video game offers showstopping graphics for Egypt's temples. Travel to Luxor to see the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, in honor of Ancient Egypt's only female pharaoh and 'Gaming Queen,' with her own Senet board game. Across the River Nile, Karnak Temple is instantly identified by its towering walls. Then head to nearby Luxor Souk in the Haba Raba district, where street vendors serve ful medames, an Egyptian stew recipe seen in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. In the video game, Indy also recommends the hamam mahshi (stuffed pigeon). Travelers with adventurous palates can taste it at Sofra Restaurant & Cafe, one street from the East Bank. Cooking classes are also offered to round out your authentic Egyptian experience. (Related: The last missing tomb from this wealthy Egyptian dynasty has been found.) Local indie games like Eastern Market Murder are the best way to explore Melbourne's famous laneways, using the true crime murder of Frank Stevens in 1899 to unlock the history of Melbourne's CBD (Central Business District). Gamers can dive into the development of other video games like Hollow Knight: Silksong on display at ACMI (formerly the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Grab a tavern lunch at Fortress, where patrons will find gaming consoles at their table. Chill with penguins at Sea Life Aquarium and the Nintendo Switch game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons exhibits. Secret bonus level: Catch Tram 96 from the Aquarium to St. Kilda Pier for the city's Little Penguin Colony. Although the viewing boardwalk is currently closed, you may spot penguins from the end of the pier. Remember to give them their space and no flash photography. (Related: March of the penguins: meeting the feathered locals of Phillip Island, Australia.) Grab your comfy shoes for a walking tour in Paris to discover its street art and modern history. The tour's route is marked with hidden graphics and icons from the retro-video game, Space Invaders. It's just like exploring Parisian-inspired Lumiose City in Pokémon Legends: Z-A! Paris also plays host to real-life Pokémon events such as Pokémon GO Fest as well as special in-game features like Furfrou's La Reine Trim costume design. Furfrou's La Reine Trim. Gamers have an opportunity to catch rare in-game Pokémon in the gardens of Parc de Sceaux, too. Finish your journey with a tour of the Catacombs of Paris, the inspiration for the final scene in Assassin's Creed: Unity. The massive crypt holds the remains of six million people and just as many untold stories. (Related: Want to see the real Paris? Walk this way.) Before you live out your Uncharted dreams, take survival notes at the Botanical Gardens in the Parque de las Leyendas in Lima. Look for the Kantuta bush (Flor de la Cantuta), Peru's national flower and star of Inca myths and legends. Learn more about these stories at the Casona of the National University of San Marcos, home to the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Its extensive collection of pottery and artwork provides clues to treasures found in the Gold Museum of Peru and Weapons of the World Museum—like Lara Croft in the video game Tomb Raider: Legend. It all comes together with a visit to the ancient Chachapoyas citadel Kuelap; the carved stone walls and buildings hidden in the Amazon Forest directly inspire the opening scene in the PlayStation game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. (Related: Go on a luxury rail journey through the Peruvian mountains.) Ann-Marie Cahill is a travel writer who loves to connect contemporary pop-culture with historic travel adventures—follow her on Instagram.
National Geographic
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
These real-world destinations inspired the most popular video games
At least 35 percent of U.S. travelers are inspired to book a trip overseas based on a video game they've played, according to Skyscanner's recent survey As technology becomes more accessible and sophisticated, video games continue to gain points other traditional media can't quite reach. May Naidoo is not surprised. He's a filmmaker and Pokémon Partner who travels for video game content, and he sees the clear benefits. 'Movies are influential because they take you back to a specific scene, but video games are more interactive. They place you in the moment with the character and story. You're engaging far more with the sensory experience,' he says. Gamer Didier South agrees, 'Games are reaching new levels of realism, with both graphics and storytelling. It raises the excitement of seeing it in real life, but it also raises the expectations of authenticity.' (Related: For travelers with disabilities, video games are windows to the world.) South is one of a growing number of travelers diving into video game tourism. His current game of choice is Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, a 2025 role-playing game set in 15th-century Bohemia. He has more than 100 hours of gameplay, but he's not just playing a video game; he's also taking notes on locations and cultural sites within the game and planning to see them in Czechia later this year. Now, you can join this growing trend by exploring the real places that inspired game developers, and you can immerse yourself in video games brought to life as tourist attractions like Super Nintendo World™. Here are seven next-level, real world experiences for gamers. (Related: The real history behind the legend of Sun Wukong, China's Monkey King.) 1. Ultimate game day in Orlando The recent opening of Super Nintendo World™ at Universal Epic Universe Orlando will certainly attract gamers who are fans of video game franchises, such as Super Mario and Donkey Kong. Photograph by Sipa USA, Alamy Stock Photo Take the family to the recently opened Super Nintendo World™, one of five new immersive worlds in Universal Epic Universe Orlando. Ride Yoshi's Adventure repeatedly while searching for glowing eggs or careen through the jungle in Donkey Kong's Mine-Cart Madness. Let the grown-ups show the kids how it's done with Orlando's retro arcades, like Arcade Monsters. One entry price allows gamers to play more than 200 pinball machines and arcade games. Discover the science behind video games at the Orlando Science Center, meanwhile, the 'DC Super Heroes' exhibit, on-site through September 7, 2025, will test your superhero skills and allow you to step into the iconic worlds of legendary superheroes, including Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman. (Related: The ultimate guide to visiting Orlando.) 2. Tokyo's electric town Pokemon's Pikachu is on display in front of a store in the Akihabara District of Tokyo, Japan. Photograph by Sipa USA, Alamy Stock Photo The first stop for any gamer is the famous Akihabara District (also known as Akiba) in Tokyo. This is the heart of gaming with high-end tech stores, fan-favorite collectibles, and arcades. Grab a bite at nearby Monster Hunters Bar, which features a menu straight from the game, including Kirin's Lightning Strike Parfait G. Walk it off with a visit to Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo, and watch out for rare Pokémon along the way. For a bonus level of culture, visit the Tokyo National Museum for pottery from the Jōmon period. It's the real-life inspiration for key scenes in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. (Related: Don't leave Tokyo without these must-do experiences.) 3. Valhalla and the Northern Lights Gamers who enjoy playing God of War: Ragnarök can visit Jotunheimen National Park in Norway to walk along Besseggen Ridge, which is featured in the popular video game. Photograph by Steve Taylor ARPS, Alamy Stock Photo Prepare for Valhalla with immersive high-tech displays at The Viking Planet, Oslo's first digital museum dedicated to the Viking Age. The interactive exhibits include a digital walkthrough of the historic Viking ships (the Oseberg and the Gokstad) as well as virtual reality (VR) experiences of a Viking Raid. Then test your survival skills at Jernaldergarden, a living museum set during the Iron Age in the Stavanger region—inspiration for Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. Explore the landscape of the Besseggen Ridge (including glaciers) within Jotunheimen National Park, which gamers may recall as part of the video game God of War: Ragnarök. And if you travel as far as Tromsø for the Aurora Borealis, refuel at Burgr with a gaming-inspired meal before heading out to chase the Northern Lights. (Related: Was the Oseberg Ship a tomb for a Viking Queen?) 4. Escape to Montana The Logan Pass Visitor Center and St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park inspired the scenery in Far Cry 5 and Far Cry: New Dawn. Photograph by Danita Delimont, Alamy Stock Photo In addition to Far Cry, Ghost of Tsushima has used Glacier National Park's landscape and nature as inspiration for elements in the games. Photograph by Michael Wheatley, Alamy Stock Photo Head to Big Sky Country in Montana to visit Glacier National Park, where key points of interest like Logan Pass Visitor Center and St. Mary Lake, inspired the scenery in the video games, Far Cry 5 and Far Cry: New Dawn. When you're ready to return to civilization, head to Bozeman for the American Computer & Robotics Museum, which covers 4,000 years of human history from original cuneiform tablets to the first personal computers. Parents can take their kids along the Montana Dinosaur Trail to follow Dr. Alan Grant and his dinosaur digs featured in the video game LEGO Jurassic World. Make this fictional game a real-life, family-friendly adventure. (Related: Everything you need to know about Glacier National Park.) 5. Luxor's path to the pharaohs In Luxor, Egypt, travelers can visit the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, which pays homage to Ancient Egypt's only female pharaoh, who was also a gamer. Photograph by Reinhard Dirscherl, Alamy Stock Photo While we don't recommend leaping from rooftop to rooftop as seen in Assassin's Creed: Origins, the video game offers showstopping graphics for Egypt's temples. Travel to Luxor to see the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, in honor of Ancient Egypt's only female pharaoh and 'Gaming Queen,' with her own Senet board game. Across the River Nile, Karnak Temple is instantly identified by its towering walls. Then head to nearby Luxor Souk in the Haba Raba district, where street vendors serve ful medames, an Egyptian stew recipe seen in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. In the video game, Indy also recommends the hamam mahshi (stuffed pigeon). Travelers with adventurous palates can taste it at Sofra Restaurant & Cafe, one street from the East Bank. Cooking classes are also offered to round out your authentic Egyptian experience. (Related: The last missing tomb from this wealthy Egyptian dynasty has been found.) 6. Melbourne's playable city A photo of the interior of ACMI, formerly the Australian Centre for the Moving Image) in Melbourne, Australia. Photograph by Brian Smith, Alamy Stock Photo A mother and son watch Gentoo Penguins swimming at SEA LIFE Aquarium. While visiting, guests should also see the Animal Crossing: New Horizons exhibits. Photograph by Jason Edwards, Nat Geo Image Collection Local indie games like Eastern Market Murder are the best way to explore Melbourne's famous laneways, using the true crime murder of Frank Stevens in 1899 to unlock the history of Melbourne's CBD (Central Business District). Gamers can dive into the development of other video games like Hollow Knight: Silksong on display at ACMI (formerly the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Grab a tavern lunch at Fortress, where patrons will find gaming consoles at their table. Chill with penguins at Sea Life Aquarium and the Nintendo Switch game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons exhibits. Secret bonus level: Catch Tram 96 from the Aquarium to St. Kilda Pier for the city's Little Penguin Colony. Although the viewing boardwalk is currently closed, you may spot penguins from the end of the pier. Remember to give them their space and no flash photography. (Related: March of the penguins: meeting the feathered locals of Phillip Island, Australia.) 7. Paris: Space Invaders tour and Pokémon events Gamers should plan a tour of the Catacombs of Paris when visiting the City of Light. The bone-chilling tomb was the inspiration for the final scene in the video game Assassin's Creed: Unity. Photograph by Konstantin Kalishko, Alamy Stock Photo Grab your comfy shoes for a walking tour in Paris to discover its street art and modern history. The tour's route is marked with hidden graphics and icons from the retro-video game, Space Invaders. It's just like exploring Parisian-inspired Lumiose City in Pokémon Legends: Z-A! Paris also plays host to real-life Pokémon events such as Pokémon GO Fest as well as special in-game features like Furfrou's La Reine Trim costume design. Furfrou's La Reine Trim. Gamers have an opportunity to catch rare in-game Pokémon in the gardens of Parc de Sceaux, too. Finish your journey with a tour of the Catacombs of Paris, the inspiration for the final scene in Assassin's Creed: Unity. The massive crypt holds the remains of six million people and just as many untold stories. (Related: Want to see the real Paris? Walk this way.) 8. Peruvian clues for treasure A stela, a stone column or slab, is seen on display as a collection in one of the gallaries at the National Museum of Archaeology and History in Lima, Peru. Photograph by Suzuki Kaku, Alamy Stock Photo Gamers can live out their dream as an adventurous archaeologist like fictional character Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: Legend by discovering historic gems like this gold pin of Chimu culture found at the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History. Photograph by Suzuki Kaku, Alamy Stock Photo Before you live out your Uncharted dreams, take survival notes at the Botanical Gardens in the Parque de las Leyendas in Lima. Look for the Kantuta bush (Flor de la Cantuta), Peru's national flower and star of Inca myths and legends. Learn more about these stories at the Casona of the National University of San Marcos, home to the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Its extensive collection of pottery and artwork provides clues to treasures found in the Gold Museum of Peru and Weapons of the World Museum—like Lara Croft in the video game Tomb Raider: Legend. It all comes together with a visit to the ancient Chachapoyas citadel Kuelap; the carved stone walls and buildings hidden in the Amazon Forest directly inspire the opening scene in the PlayStation game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. (Related: Go on a luxury rail journey through the Peruvian mountains.) Fortunately, most developers take creating virtual worlds seriously—some often based on real destinations—because they respect the culture and their fans. Creative Director at MachineGames , Axel Torvenius is part of the team behind the new game, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person adventure game set in the 1930s across numerous destinations: the Vatican, Egypt, Thailand, Iraq, and China. Part of the design process included team members traveling to places like the Vatican Necropolis, consulting with local specialists, and referencing historic black-and-white photos for time-specific details. It's more than just visual cues; it is an immersive experience with culture-specific puzzles, references to real artifacts, taking photos to find clues to solve puzzles, and more. At some companies, it's important to encourage gamers to be good travel stewards and responsible travelers, too. 'We have been working with external consultants to make sure that the time and period were right for certain assets, and we also treated each culture and nation with respect. We do, for example, never harm any temples in the game,' says Torvenius. Local tourism bureaus and operators are catching up. For example, Visit Czechia worked with media outlets and local tour operators to promote how the country's famous attractions and locations are featured in the release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Some researchers even argue that this can encourage cultural heritage preservation, conservation and restoration . It's a win-win situation: fans get an authentic video game connection, and cultural heritage unlocks a new level of awareness and support. ( Related: The real history of Yasuke, Japan's first Black samurai .) Ann-Marie Cahill is a travel writer who loves to connect contemporary pop-culture with historic travel adventures—follow her on Instagram.
