This NatureTwins project aims to promote sustainable tourism in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, ensuring a balance between environmental protection and the tourist experience. To this end, the project focuses on preserving the island’s unique ecosystems amid growing tourism by leveraging Digital Twins, Virtual Reality (VR), and real-time monitoring to develop innovative and inclusive services. Therefore, the objectives are:

1. Develop digital replicas of the natural heritage. To achieve this, the aim is to use technologies such as LiDAR, photogrammetry, and BIM to create models of Madeira’s levadas, lava tubes, and endemic species, integrating them into an open, interoperable platform.
2. Manage the carrying capacity of ecological sites. The intention is to define visitor thresholds through detailed biodiversity mapping and ecological monitoring, providing concrete data to support decision-making by the competent authorities.
3. Create immersive Virtual Reality environments. Using tools like Unity 3D, the goal is to develop user-centred experiences that promote environmental education, well-being, and inclusion for all audiences.
4. Encourage behavioural changes in visitors. For this purpose, a unified platform will be provided, offering tourists information on sustainability and safety while also enabling the collection of continuous feedback to improve tourism management.
5. Generate local impact and ensure international replicability. To achieve this, the project intends to legally protect its intangible assets and develop innovative business models that combine ecological data, immersive technology, and tourist insights to respect nature’s limits and preserve natural heritage.