Students develop sensor ideas  for the Klimahaus Bremerhaven

Many museums have tactile boxes containing small objects that visitors can feel and guess. Over time, however, they become so worn that it is almost impossible to recognise what they are. "At some point, you grab the box and think: aha, a stone. Of course, this makes the sensing station pointless," says Dipl.-Ing. Kirsten Buchecker, who teaches and researches in the field of food sensor technology at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences. In such cases, the contents have to be renewed. But what if you replaced it with something that appeals to more than just the sense of touch? Students on the International Tourism Management (ITM) degree programme have been thinking about this together with the Klimahaus Bremerhaven. They took part in a seminar on sensory marketing and used their newly acquired knowledge to develop ideas for new stations in the exhibition.
Everyone has probably encountered sensory marketing at some point, for example in coffee adverts. "Steam often rises from the cup and you can smell it straight away. Or with other foods, colours and images are used on the packaging and in advertising that are associated with freshness," explains Kirsten Buchecker. The reason for this is consumer experience. This can also be utilised in the tourism industry, for example by spraying certain fragrances on cruise ships or using matching dishes to accompany a meal.
The images in the catalogues are also adapted to the respective target groups of the trips: Sports destinations show photos of active people, while recreational destinations tend to feature deckchairs and beaches. This is why the topic has been part of the International Tourism Management degree programme for some time. Last year, the students came up with dishes for various cruise destinations. This time, they travelled around the world along the eighth degree of longitude at the Klimahaus Bremerhaven.

What do feel inside the box?

For each station of the ‘journey’ through the Klimahaus, i.e. Switzerland, Sardinia, Niger, Cameroon, Antarctica, Samoa, Alaska and Langeness, the students have developed a concept for a multi-sensory experience that appeals to the senses of hearing, smell and touch. Kirsten Buchecker explains what this could look like using the example of the sensory box in Samoa. "The box itself could look like a traditional wooden craft box. Visitors can reach inside through a hole in the front and feel natural materials, such as coconut fibres and shells, or a traditional instrument. It should also be possible to open the lid to see the contents. The box can also play traditional music," says the lecturer. You should also be able to hear the sound of waves, the gentle rustling of palm leaves in the wind and distant bird calls. The scent of tropical fruits and flowers would round off the sensory experience. All the students designed their stations according to this principle. Sometimes there is something to feel hidden in an artistically designed vase, sometimes the box could look like a farm. Natural materials such as branches, sand or fur can be felt, there is the smell of salt water, spices or cocoa and animal sounds, the sound of wind and desert or the conversations on a busy marketplace form the appropriate soundscape. At the moment, these ideas only exist on paper, but they could also be realised in principle. The students have paid attention to this. "The box in Sardinia, for example, would simply be equipped with an electric hand dryer. When you reach in to touch it, it is triggered and creates a little breeze. At the same time, it could also spray the scent of rosemary, lemon and salty sea air," adds Kirsten Buchecker. The students have already presented their ideas to the Klimahaus project team. The team was very enthusiastic and is checking whether the ideas will be included in the exhibition.

One study programme - diverse specialisation options

International Tourism Management is a business management degree programme that can focus on the cruise market or innovation. Students are trained for a wide range of roles, for example in product management, marketing, sales or human resources. Possible employers range from destination management organisations, tour operators, shipping companies and hotels to consulting firms. Graduates have excellent career prospects thanks to the broad range of course content, the international nature of the programme and its practical relevance. Further information on the degree programme can be found at www.hs-bremerhaven.de/itm.
The application phase for the winter semester 2025/26 is currently underway at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences. Prospective students have until 15 August to apply for the admission-free degree programmes, including International Tourism Management, via the university's own application portal ecampus.hs-bremerhaven.de. The application deadline for the admission-restricted degree programmes Digital Media Production, Social Work and Physician Assistant is 15 July.