Congratulations to SITEnetwork, a founding member of the MTA and XPED Recognised by UN for Pioneering Hybrid Tourism Innovation.
As nations around the globe grapple with the dual crises of overtourism and climate change, the United Nations has spotlighted SITEnetwork and XPED as key innovators in shaping a new, sustainable tourism economy.
At the recent UN Virtual Worlds Day in Turin, SITEnetwork was named one of only ten global initiatives selected for inclusion in the UN’s Citiverse Use Case Taxonomy, a curated list of groundbreaking projects using XR, AI, and Web3 technologies to support the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
SITEnetwork’s recognition is tied directly to its bold approach: creating a Social, Interactive Twin Economy that enables cities and communities to digitally recreate and monetize their local culture, heritage, and services—without the environmental footprint of mass tourism. By aligning with Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, the platform is helping rewrite the rules of engagement for tourism in the 21st century.
In an era where many popular destinations are facing ecological strain, soaring visitor numbers, and declining resident quality of life, the rise of XR technologies and digital twinning offers a compelling alternative. Virtual access to places of cultural or ecological significance, paired with blockchain-enabled revenue sharing, allows for deeper engagement while easing the physical burden on fragile environments.
“Overtourism isn’t just about crowd control; it’s about carbon, culture, and community,” said Graeme Stevens, Co-Founder of SITEnetwork. “We’re offering cities and regions a way to thrive economically without being overwhelmed physically.”
This trend is gaining momentum. Alongside SITEnetwork, other blockchain-forward tourism platforms like Dtravel and Sleap.io are also reimagining travel ushering in hybrid models where crypto payments, smart contracts, and virtual experiences are integrated into the global tourism economy. These platforms foster economic inclusion, reduce intermediaries, and give ownership and control back to hosts, creators, and communities.
The UN working group emphasized SITEnetwork’s role in showcasing how cross-technology innovation—blending AI, XR, and Web3, can address regional unemployment, environmental protection, and sustainable urban development. The initiative was lauded as a model for resilient and diversified economies in an increasingly digital and climate-conscious world.
“By empowering cities to create immersive, sustainable alternatives, we’re giving people new ways to explore the world, without exhausting it.”
As part of the UN’s Citiverse taxonomy, SITEnetwork now stands at the forefront of a movement to build a new kind of tourism sector: one that is immersive, inclusive, and deeply sustainable.
Explore SITEnetwork’s inclusion in the UN’s official Citiverse taxonomy
