Virtual Booth

In an era where digital innovation shapes travel behaviour, rural destinations often face challenges in engaging tech-savvy visitors who seek immersive and interactive experiences. To address this, Sabak.Realms was developed as a location-based Augmented Reality (AR) mobile application that gamifies tourism exploration in Sabak Bernam, an Agropolitan region and emerging agro-innovation hub in Selangor. The main objective is to design and develop an AR-driven tourism tool that enhances visitor engagement, motivation, and appreciation of local heritage while bridging the gap in digital adoption among tourism stakeholders. Developed through collaboration with 10  local agencies and business owners, the project transforms local attractions into an interactive digital scavenger hunt, inviting users to find avatars at real destinations, collect stickers, and complete a virtual passport to unlock rewards, merging play, learning, and cultural discovery in one seamless experience. User feedback revealed that most participants found Sabak.Realms are enjoyable, informative, and easy to use, fostering curiosity toward lesser-known attractions and strengthening connections with local culture. Ultimately, Sabak.Realms bridges technology and tradition, positioning Sabak Bernam as a model for smart agropolitan tourism and sustainable digital destination innovation aligned with Malaysia's Smart Tourism and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Keywords: Augmented Reality (AR), Scavenger Hunt, Community-Based Tourism (CBT), Digital Education, Tourism Innovation