he DAISSy Research Group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU), the Greek partner of the “I-DEMO: Innovating Destination Management through Game-based Tourism” European project, invites interested individuals to take part in the I-DEMO European Tourism Gamification Hackathon 2026 and its accompanying information webinar.
The I-DEMO Hackathon will take place online from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November 2026. This international, interdisciplinary event brings together game design, tourism, cultural heritage, communication and technology to co-create innovative and sustainable game-based tourism experiences. Eight (8) tourism destinations will participate in the event. The main aim is attracting, at least forty (40) participants from across Europe, who will work in international, interdisciplinary teams to develop solutions that address the destinations’ real needs. Before the event begins, each team will receive briefing materials on its assigned destination challenge and will be supported by a mentor sharing first-hand knowledge of the area.
The winning team will be awarded a study visit to Madeira, Portugal, from 7th to 10th March 2027, so as to meet the I-DEMO partners, explore innovative cultural heritage and digital engagement experiences, and present the winning idea to an international audience. The travel, accommodation and meal expenses will be fully covered by the I-DEMO project.
The I-DEMO Hackathon is targeted to students and professionals sharing backgrounds in fields, such as:
- Game design and gamification.
- Digital application development.
- Tourism and destination management.
- Marketing and communication.
- Sustainability and cultural heritage.
If the number of applications exceeds the available seats, then participants will be selected in the basis of the complementarity of their relevant backgrounds and skills, and their motivation to participate. Then, teams will be formed, so as to ensure a balanced representation of countries and skills, safeguarding a meaningful international and interdisciplinary character.
- I-DEMO Hackathon implementation dates: 27–29 November 2026.
- Registration deadline: 16 October 2026, via submitting the respective form: https://forms.gle/uMJZvoHL1KeEdygWA
- Format: Online, within three days of intensive collaboration.
- Working language: English.
- Participation fee: Free of charge.
An information webinar providing a detailed overview of the I-DEMO Hackathon will take place online, on Wednesday 7th October 2026, at 16:30 (CET), in English.
Registration to the webinar is required: https://forms.gle/RYgsp62aAxgfZh6UA.
For any questions about the I-DEMO and the webinar, please contact: info@i-demo.eu
The I-DEMO project runs for thirty (30) months (1 November 2024–30 April 2027) and is co-funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme under the action “KA220-VET – Cooperation Partnerships in Vocational Education and Training (VET)”. It is implemented by a consortium of seven (7) partners from six (6) European countries (Italy, Greece, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal), with the DAISSy Research Group of HOU as the Greek partner.
The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
