The candidacy of Integra Tecnología and DeuSens was recognized as the winner of the VI edition of the Traveling for Happiness Awards in the “Conscious Culture and Art” category for the project “Dive into Heritage,” developed for UNESCO. The award honors an initiative that combines technological innovation and cultural outreach to bring World Heritage closer to the general public through immersive digital experiences.
The jury valued the project’s ability to generate positive and tangible impact, its degree of innovation, the excellence in execution, and its contribution to a more sustainable, responsible tourism model that centers people and the environment.
“This prize has special meaning for us precisely because it comes from the tourism and hospitality sector. At Integra we deeply believe in technology’s ability to cross borders between sectors, to break physical and temporal barriers. That an initiative like ‘Dive into Heritage’ is recognized in this field is the best proof that when technology and culture join hands, the impact goes far beyond what either could achieve alone. We are very proud of the work done with DeuSens and very grateful to UNESCO for trusting us to bring World Heritage to the screen and to AEHM for understanding the value of this project and giving us this recognition,” said Maria Mateo, head of innovation projects at Integra.
Co-founder and COO of DeuSens, Álvaro Antoñanzas, highlighted the project’s experiential value: “This recognition exactly reflects what we were aiming for when we started working on ‘Dive into Heritage’: that heritage is not something to be merely observed, but something to be experienced. Our challenge was that each site would have its own story, its own interaction, and its own narrative rhythm, so that the user wouldn’t face yet another 3D model, but a living narrative inviting further exploration. That this approach has been valued by a jury of this caliber, and from the tourism sector, is a powerful signal that well‑told culture has a real impact on people,” he said.
A benchmark award in the tourism industry
The Traveling for Happiness Awards are organized by the Madrid Hotel Business Association (AEHM) in partnership with Connecting Heads, and have become one of the leading recognitions in the field of tourism and hospitality. Created in 2020, the awards honor the best practices—national and international—in social and environmental commitment within the tourism sector.
In this sixth edition, the awards set participation records, with 75 nominations submitted by 62 companies from beyond Spain, spanning the rest of Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East. The eight categories recognize initiatives linked to sustainable gastronomy, social impact, responsible well-being, regenerative tourism, culture and conscious art, sustainable leadership, decarbonization, and the preservation of wildlife and flora.
An international jury of top caliber
The nomination was evaluated by an international jury of high profile, comprising leading experts in sustainability, tourism, innovation, and culture, including:
- Roberta Boscolo, Chief of Climate and Energy at the World Meteorological Organization
- Ferran Adrià, head of elBulli Foundation
- Ion Vilcu, Director of the Affiliate Members Department at UNWTO
- Stuart Greif, Director of Strategy, Innovation and Operations at Forbes Travel Guide
- Sandra Martín, Deputy Director of National Geographic Travel
- Judy Kepher-Gona, Founder and Executive Director of Sustainable Travel & Tourism Africa
- Juan Abarca, President of HM Hospitals
- Evelio Acevedo, Managing Director of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum
- Xavier Font, Professor of Sustainability Marketing at the University of Surrey
Dive into Heritage: technology at the service of heritage
“Dive into Heritage” is a UNESCO‑backed digital platform designed to democratize access to cultural knowledge and promote the conservation and dissemination of World Heritage from any device. The solution enables virtually exploring World Heritage sites through 3D models, interactive maps, geolocated narratives, and augmented reality.
Integra and DeuSens, as technology partners, have been pivotal in the development of this pioneering web platform, a project developed in collaboration with DeuSens. Its first phase gathers World Heritage sites spread across several countries, and incorporates a custom content-management system that enables UNESCO to administer the platform autonomously, ensuring the project remains sustainable and scalable over time.
The challenge was to create a rigorous, engaging, and educational digital experience, integrating UNESCO’s existing content with a new layer of interactivity and digital storytelling that makes World Heritage more accessible to millions of people around the world.
