The tourism sector is among the most competitive and complex: hospitality facilities, territorial authorities and cultural operators must communicate clearly, in multiple languages and in real time. In this context, Digital Signage has become an indispensable technology to ensure a high-quality experience for visitors and tourists.
A system of professional screens, digital totems and digital maps enables not only the communication of useful information, but also strengthens the brand image, reduces management costs and differentiates from the competition.
With the development of digital tools and the explosion of social networks, tourism has changed dramatically. Today’s travellers are highly digitalized: they use various platforms to discover destinations, organize stays, perform check-ins, manage bookings and purchase packages. Many tourist experiences now hybridize digital and social tools with traditional guided tours in historic villages or museums, while some B&Bs are now managed entirely remotely thanks to touch technologies and automated systems. Itineraries are displayed on digital maps downloadable via QR codes, and many info-points have been completely replaced by multifunctional apps that keep visitors constantly informed in real time about all available services.
What are Tourist Informational Totems?
Tourist totems are interactive digital devices installed in public areas or high-traffic tourist zones to provide information, services and multimedia content to visitors.
They can be regarded as the modern version of traditional info-points: touchscreen screens or digital monitors that, via an intuitive interface, allow users to consult maps, itineraries, opening hours, events and local points of interest.
Outdoor Digital Totems for Tourism: Why They Matter
In this context, Outdoor Digital Totems play an absolutely central role: beyond purely commercial purposes, they allow the display of interactive maps and documents, as well as the completion of bookings and ticket printing. Some models, known as Wayfinding Totems, are specifically designed to help travellers orient themselves and quickly locate points of interest.
Outdoor Digital Totems are essential because they act as a territorial information hub, consolidating multiple services and delivering significant benefits in terms of efficiency and resource optimisation. It is no coincidence that Outdoor Totems have become increasingly common near historic buildings, iconic squares, ancient villages, archaeological sites, eco-museums and open-air museums.
Tourist Information Totems: Application Examples
Digital Signage in the tourism sector adapts to a wide variety of environments, from holiday villages to airports. Below there are some concrete examples and the related technological solutions:
Information Totems for Holiday Villages and Resorts
In large hospitality complexes, the challenge is twofold: providing thousands of guests with dynamic, real-time information and encouraging additional spending through targeted promotions.
Service Points and Lobby Areas
Interactive totems and kiosks are the ideal tools for automating procedures. They are used for fast self check-in, browsing interactive resort maps and directly booking extra services such as SPA treatments or excursions.
A concrete example is represented by our interactive kiosk TKI.
Outdoor Areas and Swimming Pools
For communications that withstand sunlight and weather conditions, the installation of outdoor displays and totems is essential. These high-brightness, IP-rated screens ensure maximum visibility even in full daylight.
Find out more about our WMS Outdoor monitor ready for direct sunlight
Digital Totems for City Info Points
In tourist offices and strategic urban locations, Digital Signage becomes a modern, interactive and always-on information hub for visitors.
Tourist Offices and Green Areas
Outdoor multimedia totems are robust, 24/7 operational information points. They offer interactive maps and service information, autonomously managing the flow of visitor requests.
One of the most used products in these contexts is our ULS Outdoor multifunctional urban hub.
Territorial Communication
High-brightness totems and advertising displays are used for event announcements, local transport schedules and promotional messages.
A concrete example of their effectiveness is the project carried out in Fafe, Portugal, where FIDA used totems to enhance the historic center and improve tourist information.
FIND OUT MORE: Case study – Outdoor advertising totems: where advertising and culture meet in Fafe.
Digital Signage for Historic Centres and Ancient Villages
In small towns, the goal is to transform historical heritage into a rich and accessible narrative experience, offering a modern image of the cultural site
Points of Interest and Monuments
Outdoor totems or IP65 outdoor monitors provide video and narrative content about the site’s history with automatic multilingual functionality, while withstanding rain and humidity.tà
One of the most used products for this purpose is our EFS Outdoor advertising totem.
Accessibility and Interaction
Dedicated totems and touchscreen displays provide guided routes and comprehensive information accessible also to visitors with visual or hearing impairments, promoting inclusive tourism.
Find out more about our MDS Smart bus information display.
Digital Signage for Museums and Cultural Sites
Inside museums, Digital Signage helps increase visitor interaction, enrich educational content and streamline the management of temporary exhibitions.
Self-Ticketing and Box Office
The introduction of dedicated interactive kiosks for self-ticketing allows better management of incoming visitor flows, reducing waiting times and easing staff workload. This ensures a fast and modern purchasing experience.
A concrete example is represented by our TKI Info kiosk.
Interaction and Wayfinding
The wayfinding kiosk acts as an interactive station that provides guided routes, in-depth information and content accessible to all types of visitors. When paired with LCD monitors, it increases audience engagement.
Find out more about our TWI Wayfinding kiosk.
An example of this application can be seen at the Fondazione Luigi Rovati in Milan, where FIDA totems played a crucial role in guiding and engaging visitors.
FIND OUT MORE: Case study – Fida x Fondazione Rovati
Digital Signage for Transportation: Ports, Stations and Airports
Reliability is the top priority: these environments require clear and fast communication in high-traffic areas.
Gates, Platforms and Waiting Areas
Track displays (for railway stations) and LCD monitors synchronized with management systems (FIDS) communicate arrivals, departures, delays and updates, providing clear and immediate information exactly where it is needed.
Find out more about our FCS Platform indicator.
Timetables and Information
For transit schedules and local information, Outdoor e-paper Totem posts provide a zero-consumption solution that can be updated remotely.
Find out more about our LMS Outdoor e-paper information display
Benefits of Using Digital Totems for Tourism Applications
When a hotel, resort, or holiday village decides to invest in Digital Signage, the key question is: is it really worth it?
Here are some measurable advantages and data that clearly demonstrate its value:
- Reduction of Operational Costs
The adoption of digital displays drastically reduces the need for printed materials.
Industry analyses agree on the possibility of reducing printing costs by 30–40%, in line with findings reported by specialized publications such as Retail Gazette (2024), which highlights the significant ROI of Digital Signage. This translates into thousands of euros saved each season on brochures, leaflets and temporary signage. - Multilingual Support and International Hospitality
Outdoor Totems can be configured in virtually unlimited languages. This represents a significant advantage in terms of tourist hospitality compared to a traditional Front Office, ensuring better service for international visitors. - Multimedia Communication and Enhancement of the Local Area
They communicate multimedia information with great ease, perfectly fulfilling their role as a welcoming tool and info-point. They enhance the local area by allowing tourists to intuitively and user-friendly explore attractions and their locations. - Operational Efficiency and Continuous Service
Digital totems enable two-way interaction with users and tourists, collecting comments, suggestions and opinions. Some models can acquire email addresses for follow-up communication, creating a broad and constantly updated contact database. - Versatility and Content Personalization
These devices are extremely versatile: they can convey information, provide in-depth content, perform document searches, consult archives and maps, browse catalogues and deliver services. - Sustainability and a Responsible Brand Image
By reducing the production of printed materials, facilities can demonstrate a concrete commitment to sustainability. This positioning is essential in modern hospitality, where travellers increasingly value green choices. Digital Signage helps communicate a modern and responsible image, turning sustainability into a competitive advantage.
Tourist Information Totems: FIDA’s Outdoor Solutions for the Tourism Sector
For over 30 years, Fida has been manufacturing outdoor totems and displays. EKS Full-Outdoor Digital Totem from the Exentia Line, designed to operate effectively even under direct sunlight.
Exentia EKS Full-Outdoor is the ideal totem for Digital Signage applications. Designed specifically to meet the requirements of open-air environments, it guarantees perfect visibility even in full sunlight and features the latest and most advanced technology to ensure maximum LCD performance even at high temperatures (up to +50°), typical of south-facing installations.
Available with IP55 protection (without internal air conditioner – HB Version) and IP65 protection (with air conditioner – HBC Version), Exentia EKS is offered in 46″ and 55″ formats, in single- or double-sided configurations.
The 4+4 mm anti-vandal front glass with IR filter, 4G connectivity and a sophisticated remote diagnostic systemmake it particularly suitable for installation in historical and cultural sites, urban centres, or tourist destinations by the sea or in the mountains – where information must always be ensured, whether informative, interactive, or advertising.
The device guarantees high performance and low consumption, 24/7.giorno, 7 giorni su 7.
Indoor Tourist Totems: Fida Srl’s Solutions
For more than 30 years, Fida Srl has been manufacturing digital totems for indoor applications, designed to enhance communication in tourist environments. Our range includes THK, the LCD Digital Totem from the Thile line, available from 32’’ to 75’’, suitable for both small spaces and large commercial areas.
THK is the ideal solution for museums, hotels, banks, shopping centres and corporate environments: an all-glass design totem with no visible screws, just 12 cm of depth, and dual anti-vandal locks. Equipped with professional-grade monitors and USB content playback, it can be customized in colours and finishes and integrated with a capacitive touchscreen for wayfinding or info-point applications.
Elegant, versatile and fully customizable, THK offers reliable 24/7 performance and is designed for informative, interactive and welcome communications in any indoor space.
Contact us for a more accurate quote.
