‘Soulvenir’ is a service designed to connect travellers and local makers for authentic experiences through souvenirs while enabling collaborations within the local communities in Costa Rica. 

Best-known for its nature, Costa Rica is a culturally rich and diverse country where its cultural offering is often overlooked. Tasked to reframe tourism to become more resilient and life-centered in Costa Rica after Covid19, the team explored developing regenerative tourism through the small country’s hyper-connected communities and thriving local craftsmanship. After speaking with Costa Rica tourism industry leaders, local makers, and travellers, the team discovered people look for genuine connections between experiences and tangibility, and souvenirs extend stories of people beyond time and space. 

‘Soulvenir’ consists of a local-first souvenir-experience matching mobile application that encourages new ways to connect and engage, as well as an education platform focused on skill sharing and business operations. 

Local makers can host travellers by creating experiences to accompany their products. The mobile application provides makers a platform to collaborate with other ‘Compas’ (‘friends’ in Costa Rican Spanish) where they can create a chained experience. Makers can establish connections by scanning a physical code, encouraging an in-person meeting to discuss the collaboration. The geolocation of the Compa Network shows established and potential collaborators around them. 

‘Soulvenir’ suggests tailored souvenir experiences for travellers based on their preferences and interests. Travellers can then indicate their interests where they would receive a list of screening questions crafted by local makers. Travellers can log their souvenirs by scanning them as mementos after the experience. 

The education platform provides training on business operations, community building, and sustainability for local makers. Certificates and badges can be earned to show makers’ commitment to the Compa Community by pledging to be a responsible community member and completing courses. 

‘Soulvenir’ bridges the intention-behaviour gap for local makers to collaborate, learn, and grow with each other, while facilitating genuine experiences and local engagement for travellers through souvenirs. It improves resilience by reinforcing and unlocking value embedded in the ecosystem, building communities, and sustaining local culture by sharing stories of Costa Rica to the outside world.