The first QR code in history made with Andalusian tiles. This is how “Andalusian Stargate” is presented, the action developed by the Ernest agency for the tourism promotion of Andalusia and which has transformed a handcrafted piece, created using an ancient technique, into a technological gateway to discover the region.
Tourism and Sports of Andalusia has created a QR code based on typical Andalusian tiles. For this they have counted on the craftsman Esteban Martín. who has worked with clay, paint, enamel and the oven to create the pieces that make up the code, turning an already everyday element like the QR into a work of craftsmanship and the act of scanning it is the first step to discover Andalusian art and the cultural possibilities of Andalusia.
The tiles have been installed, with the support of Tourspain and the Instituto Cervantes Roma, in Piazza Navona in the Italian capital, where it will be permanently visible and available so that users, by scanning the code, can access informative and inspiring content on architecture, gastronomy, nature, innovation and Andalusian traditions. These contents will be updated periodically.
It currently leads to a dedicated website in which, among other things, a video starring artisan Esteban Martín is shown, explaining how the tile was created and sharing the historical and cultural details of the technique. In addition, a compilation of professionals and small businesses that currently work on different craft techniques is offered.
The action is part of the international positioning strategy of Andalusia as a reference destination. The location of the facility in one of the busiest points and one of the most emblematic and tourist cities in the world allows the region to communicate its proposal to Roman residents, but also to millions of international visitors who come to the city every year. The tile aspires to invite you to discover Andalusia as a unique destination full of identity.
In this sense, the agency conceives “Andalusian Stargate” as a brand tool that amplifies the notoriety of Andalusia abroad, integrating craftsmanship, technology and digital content to generate memories, inspire future visits and promote greater knowledge of the Andalusian offer. According to Abelardo Bethencourt, Co-Founder and General Director at Ernest, the action represents the mix of tradition and avant-garde that characterizes Andalusia and that is capable of surprising the visitor. “Leveraging one of the most visited and admired cities in the world, such as Rome, is one more example that tourism promotion can and should also be the projection of this land in the world.”, he commented.
However, the initiative will not only be limited to Rome, since Tourism of Andalusia assures that it will extend the action to other major capitals in the world. Thus, this first tile inaugurates a series of artistic installations that will take the region’s proposal to other international destinations.
“Andalusian Stargate” expands Andalusia’s trajectory in exploring new promotional formulas and experiential formats to connect emotionally with travelers. It is worth remembering that, also together with Ernest, the region converted automatic email responses into vacations for promotional messages; or “hacking” Amsterdam street thermometers to invite tourists to enjoy a better temperature.
