At Google I/O 2023, we announced a partnership with Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to create “Merli’s Immersive Adventure”: an augmented reality (AR) guided tour of Singapore’s landmarks and best hidden secrets. This innovative AR tour, powered by Google’s ARCore and Geospatial Creator, is accessible in the Visit Singapore Travel Guide app.

STB has expanded to even more landmarks around the city with interactive AR experiences to kick off the 2024 travel season. AR makes it easier for travelers to discover new sights, and provides a richer understanding of Singapore through immersive storytelling. Increasingly, AR and similar technologies have become particularly popular in the travel industry. “STB actively looks for possible tourism use cases in emerging technologies like Extended Reality (XR),” says Simon Ang, the STB Director for The Collaboratory. “We’ll always be open to piloting new technologies to create novel experiences for visitors, and are excited to be working with Google to pioneer this movement.”

In this latest launch, Singapore’s tourism mascot, Merli, guides travelers through six stops in the popular tourism precincts of Singapore’s Civic District and Chinatown. Through a mix of historical, cultural and culinary experiences, both tourists and residents alike can explore and learn more about these areas. For instance, travelers can visit Singapore’s first-ever post office at what is now the Fullerton Hotel — and even send a virtual postcard to their friends or family. At the Great Emporium stop, they can marvel at a life-sized bumboat brought to life in AR and learn about the significance of the Singapore River for the city and its people. Merli also uncovers hidden spots like the Peranakan Tile Gallery, a local Chinatown business that sells tiles salvaged from demolished shophouses. And at Maxwell Food Centre, the interactive AR map of the popular food spot offers recommendations for must-try hawker dishes, helping first-time visitors visually navigate the vast range of food options.