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The team behind the Intramuros guided bike tour has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to produce and create a virtual version of its popular bike eco-tour.

“How can we help close the gap between the students and teachers that have the resources to learn and teach from home, and those that don't? We're using technology to bridge that gap by creating immersive, educational content that is accessible to a wide user base of students and educators,” wrote Filipino-American social entrepreneur Bryan McClelland.

Photo by: Bambike (IG)

Bryan is the founder of Bambike, a sustainable company that manufactures bicycles made from bamboo.

The company also hosts an eco-tour around Intramuros so that tourists and locals could explore the historic Spanish era district while on bamboo bicycles.

The pandemic, unfortunately, halted the cultural tour and Bambike is looking to innovate to enable it to carry on with the initiative.

“Bambike Ecotours is taking its award-winning Intramuros Experience into the digital age in the form of a virtual field trip for students,” said Bryan.

“Our guided bamboo bike tours are being transformed into immersive 360-degree virtual tours that can be embedded with tools used for eLearning. Our goal is to make the content available to all public school teachers and students for free.”

Photo by: wander_monph (IG)

The cutting-edge project, according to Brian, will incorporate “360-degree photography, videography, [and] photogrammetry, to bring this incredible heritage site to life in the virtual space.”

The public can contribute to the project by checking out the campaign named Bambike eLearning: Immersive Educational Experiences on Kickstarter.

There are corresponding rewards based on the pledged amount.

Photo by: nikadanniele_rnd (IG)

These reward inclusions, which is a way for the company to say thank you, include a special digital postcard, two-hour Bambike rental voucher without expiration, pre-launch access to the virtual tour, special thanks on the website, and credits in the eLearning program, among others.

The Walled City of Intramuros in Manila is a heritage site was built during the Spanish period in the country.

It has endured bombings, destructions, and neglect to become one of the most treasured cultural landmarks not just in the city of Manila but throughout the Philippines.

Photo by: aryanniiieeee (IG)

Incidentally, Intramuros was adjudged as Best Tourist Attraction and Asia's Leading Tourist Attraction for 2020 by the World Travel Awards.

Find out below what other local destination places in the Philippines were recognized this year by international travel award-giving bodies.