Technology 4.0 in tourism: mplementation of an augmented reality application for the development of the old sulfur mine in Puracé, Cauca, as a tourist destination

Abstract

Tourism plays a crucial role as an economic source (Gambarota & Lorda, 2017), driving rural development and safeguarding cultural expressions rooted in orality, gastronomy, biological resources, and worldview. Tourism can be the answer to strengthening a community with low income levels and high resilience capacity. This article aims to highlight the application of digital technology and technical support to transform the use of the ancient sulfur mine ruins in Puracé and its community. The goal is to turn them into a specialized tourist center focusing on unique experiences, including spelunking, regenerative tourism, hiking, and gastronomy. Through 4.0 technologies such as augmented reality, the aim is to immerse visitors in the past, allowing them to live and understand life and work in the mines. This not only provides a historical and geological perspective of the region but also enriches the tourist offering with authentic, memorable elements significantly different from the entire tourist offering in the southwest region of Colombia.