At the end of January, the traditional tourism exhibition Adventur, which took place at the Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Centre LITEXPO, once again showed that today’s tourism is increasingly looking for not only routes or destinations, but also for deeper experiences. One of the most striking innovations of the exhibition was the multisensory VR experience “Creation of the Worlds”, which was presented for the first time to a wide audience .

Visitors were invited not only to see, but also to experience – queues lined up at the stand all day long, and those who tried it were often quick to leave, sharing their impressions, observations and recommending it to others. It is clear that this experience was one of the highlights of the show.

This time, the Creation of the Worlds passage stood out because virtual reality was augmented with multisensory. Heat, wind and vibrations merged with what the visitor was seeing in the VR glasses – as the sun rose, the heat was felt, as the storm began, the wind intensified, and the pulse of the space was complemented by vibrations. As each person experiences sensations differently, this journey became unique and personal for everyone.

“We are delighted to present to the audience a VR journey with added multisensory elements. These experiences made the experience even more magical. It is a must for everyone”, said project coordinator Austėja Staniulevičiūtė.

In the context of tourism, this experience takes on an even broader significance – it allows both Lithuanian residents and foreign visitors to get to know the work of Mikolas Konstantinas Čiurlionis. It is not a traditional introduction to the artist’s works, but an opportunity to enter the world he created, to feel its mood, rhythm and symbols. Such an experience becomes an integral part of cultural tourism and an invitation to discover Lithuania through art and emotional experience.

An award well deserved

The virtual reality experience “Creation of the Worlds” received recognition outside the exhibition as well – the project won the “Tourism’s Most Successful” award, becoming the Tourism Project of the Year, promoting Lithuania abroad.

“The experiences created by Vitalius Žukas and Kristina Buožytė, inspired by M. K. Čiurlionis, “Trail of Angels” and “Creation of the Worlds”, are changing not only Lithuania, but the world. They have created experiences that spiritually touch everyone,” said Lukas Verpetinskas, Strategic Development Producer for Lithuania.

Within a year, the VR experience “Creation of the Worlds” has become a significant cultural phenomenon and a successful export product for Lithuania – more than 150,000 people have already experienced it, and the project has been presented in international festivals and awards.

For those who haven’t had the chance to experience it yet, the team invites you to visit Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda or other Lithuanian cities.