In Montevideo, preparing a visit no longer means simply consulting a map or a list of addresses. Uruguay is now testing a digital tool that accompanies travelers before and during their stay. Called the Red de Itinerarios Vivos, this initiative seeks to connect planning, official information, and local offerings within a single digital environment.
Integrated into the Descubrí Montevideo Plus platform (available in six languages), the system forms part of the country’s tourism strategy through 2026. The goal is not merely to inform, but to help better organize flows, streamline the visitor experience, and connect travelers directly with local stakeholders.
A tool that adapts in real time
Unlike static guides, Living Itineraries adjusts routes based on concrete variables: weather conditions, opening hours, events, urban mobility, and visitor pace. Preparation, exploration, and on-site use are no longer separate stages; everything takes place within the same digital space.
The platform centralizes real-time data, providing information on nearby services and dining options. It also incorporates immersive 360-degree content and virtual reality tools. All information is produced and validated by local institutions, ensuring consistency with the destination’s official strategy.
Self-guided routes across Montevideo
In Montevideo, the tool brings together several self-guided itineraries linked to cultural and natural heritage. Latido Afro explores the history of candombe music, while Mirada Benedetti proposes a literary route through places associated with writer Mario Benedetti. Religious and ecotourism circuits, such as Caminos del Agua, complete the offering.
The interest lies not only in the content, but in personalization: the system adapts suggestions according to user preferences, offering a more flexible experience than traditional predefined routes.
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A gateway to the local economy
One of the project’s innovative aspects is its direct connection with local service providers. Thanks to geolocation and visitor interests, the platform suggests services at the precise moment consumption decisions are made.
This logic enables micro and small artisan businesses, community initiatives, and family-run enterprises to be integrated into the digital journey. The tool therefore does more than guide visitors: it becomes a visibility lever for the local economy.
An experiment set to expand
For now, Living Itineraries operates only in Montevideo but will serve as the basis for gradual deployment in other destinations across the country, including Colonia del Sacramento and Punta del Este.
This new platform illustrates a broader evolution: destinations are beginning to view their digital tools as real-time support systems rather than simple information showcases.
By testing this model at scale in its capital, Uruguay is exploring a path where technology, local management, and visitor experience converge. It remains to be seen whether this approach can expand without losing its adaptability — and whether it will become a regional standard rather than an isolated experiment.
Photos: Destinos Plus
