TourMaG – Could you quickly introduce Vox Group?
Daniele Marchesiello: Vox Group was founded 25 years ago in Italy.
We have been offering technological solutions for guided tours, including headsets, audioguides, and a sightseeing app for individuals.
We work mainly with tour operators, cruise lines, OTAs, coach operators, museums, receptive agencies, and we are present in more than 150 countries across the globe.
TourMaG – Could you name a few of your clients?
Daniele Marchesiello : We collaborate with Salaün Holidays, Verdié Voyages, Solotour, Richou, but also cruise operators like Intercruises, BLB Cruises, CroisiEurope, Tauck, Trafalgar in the UK, or Riviera Travel in Switzerland.
There are also Get Your Guide, Viator, the Château de Chenonceau, or in Marseille the Cosquer Cave, the MUCEM and the Tourist Office. In Aix-en-Provence, we have clients such as the Granet Museum, the Hôtel de Caumont, etc.
TourMaG – How does Vox Group differentiate itself from the competition?
Daniele Marchesiello : We have two main competitors, Quiet Vox, founded in 2004, three years after us, and Whisper. We regularly find ourselves competing among the three, broadly speaking.
Our seniority and expertise give us a decisive edge. We offer flexibility and global know-how that make the difference.
We distinguish ourselves already by our presence and offices around the world, which helps reassure our partners. If they come to Egypt and have an issue, they know they can call the local office to find solutions.
The other major difference is that our competitors are specialized in certain tourism segments. By contrast, we chose to position ourselves across all segments.
And then, we never stop investing, whether it’s designing new products, improving current ones, or renewing the headset fleet.
Finally, our group stands out by its size. We employ more than 300 employees, including office staff (sales, marketing, etc.) and the various teams that prepare devices, manage reservations, ship them, etc.
Daniele Marchesiello: Vox Group was founded 25 years ago in Italy.
We have been offering technological solutions for guided tours, including headsets, audioguides, and a sightseeing app for individuals.
We work mainly with tour operators, cruise lines, OTAs, coach operators, museums, receptive agencies, and we are present in more than 150 countries across the globe.
TourMaG – Could you name a few of your clients?
Daniele Marchesiello : We collaborate with Salaün Holidays, Verdié Voyages, Solotour, Richou, but also cruise operators like Intercruises, BLB Cruises, CroisiEurope, Tauck, Trafalgar in the UK, or Riviera Travel in Switzerland.
There are also Get Your Guide, Viator, the Château de Chenonceau, or in Marseille the Cosquer Cave, the MUCEM and the Tourist Office. In Aix-en-Provence, we have clients such as the Granet Museum, the Hôtel de Caumont, etc.
TourMaG – How does Vox Group differentiate itself from the competition?
Daniele Marchesiello : We have two main competitors, Quiet Vox, founded in 2004, three years after us, and Whisper. We regularly find ourselves competing among the three, broadly speaking.
Our seniority and expertise give us a decisive edge. We offer flexibility and global know-how that make the difference.
We distinguish ourselves already by our presence and offices around the world, which helps reassure our partners. If they come to Egypt and have an issue, they know they can call the local office to find solutions.
The other major difference is that our competitors are specialized in certain tourism segments. By contrast, we chose to position ourselves across all segments.
And then, we never stop investing, whether it’s designing new products, improving current ones, or renewing the headset fleet.
Finally, our group stands out by its size. We employ more than 300 employees, including office staff (sales, marketing, etc.) and the various teams that prepare devices, manage reservations, ship them, etc.
TourMaG – In this July month, you’re innovating again with Vox Aura. Could you explain the concept?
Daniele Marchesiello: During a guided tour, Vox Aura will enable the guide to offer the group a simultaneous translation of the explanations into four languages – the guide’s language and three others – using a single receiver.
This product should notably appeal to DMCs, cruise lines and OTAs because they can open visit slots in multiple languages.
The tool allows choosing from more than 200 languages available. The guide accesses the settings via an app.
TourMaG – Is this simultaneous translation based on AI?
Daniele Marchesiello : Yes, we opted to use a global AI that, fed daily, becomes smarter, and can be enriched with input from everyone. However, the server — which controls the AI and reassures the guide that all comments will not be recorded — and the hardware portion were implemented by Vox Group.
TourMaG – How did the idea for Vox Aura come to you?
Daniele Marchesiello : During the Covid period, Vox chose to invest in technology and growth.
An application was developed for contactless tours, with the addition of translation, but it turned out that not everyone in a group would necessarily use their own phone, so this feature was later transferred to audioguides.
We then developed Vox Aura, which offers the same functionalities as the app but on receivers provided by the guide.
Daniele Marchesiello: During a guided tour, Vox Aura will enable the guide to offer the group a simultaneous translation of the explanations into four languages – the guide’s language and three others – using a single receiver.
This product should notably appeal to DMCs, cruise lines and OTAs because they can open visit slots in multiple languages.
The tool allows choosing from more than 200 languages available. The guide accesses the settings via an app.
TourMaG – Is this simultaneous translation based on AI?
Daniele Marchesiello : Yes, we opted to use a global AI that, fed daily, becomes smarter, and can be enriched with input from everyone. However, the server — which controls the AI and reassures the guide that all comments will not be recorded — and the hardware portion were implemented by Vox Group.
TourMaG – How did the idea for Vox Aura come to you?
Daniele Marchesiello : During the Covid period, Vox chose to invest in technology and growth.
An application was developed for contactless tours, with the addition of translation, but it turned out that not everyone in a group would necessarily use their own phone, so this feature was later transferred to audioguides.
We then developed Vox Aura, which offers the same functionalities as the app but on receivers provided by the guide.
TourMaG – How do guides react when you present Vox Aura? Aren’t they worried about their jobs when they see a tool that can translate in four languages simultaneously?
Daniele Marchesiello: On the contrary. Guides work for tour operators, but they also run their own tours. And now they will have the possibility to assemble groups speaking two languages. It’s also a comfort gain. They no longer have to alternate explanations in two languages during a single visit. It saves time.
TourMaG – The commercialization of Vox Aura will start in August 2026. How did the testing phase go?
Daniele Marchesiello: We officially unveiled the solution at WTM 2025 in London, last November. Since December, we’ve received numerous trial requests, which allowed us to improve the software aspect. Indeed Vox Aura is Internet-connected and updates automatically.
TourMaG – Do clients need an internet connection during their visit to benefit from the simultaneous translation?
Daniele Marchesiello: Not necessarily; it’s enough that the guide’s device is connected. The link between Vox Aura and the receivers is wireless.
We conducted numerous real-life tests with our clients, including cruise lines, OTAs, tour operators, receptive partners, museums, etc.
Among the Vox Aura options is the ability to add information before the visit or the conference. For example, during a tour focused on the churches of Paris, the guide can specify the route or the vocabulary that might be used on the topic. The solution will pre-fetch all terms specific to a church visit, which can be used from a architectural or highly technical perspective.
Another interesting feature: it is possible to require translation of certain words or proper names, or to exclude translation of others. For instance, in Brussels, the Grand-Place isn’t translated as “Piazza Grande” or “Great Place.”
TourMaG – Does this simultaneous translation tool exist elsewhere, with competitors?
Daniele Marchesiello : While translation apps are multiplying for the general public, the travel industry demands a much higher degree of rigor. In this domain, Vox Group is today recognized as the only player offering a global, fully integrated ecosystem for guiding.
Daniele Marchesiello: On the contrary. Guides work for tour operators, but they also run their own tours. And now they will have the possibility to assemble groups speaking two languages. It’s also a comfort gain. They no longer have to alternate explanations in two languages during a single visit. It saves time.
TourMaG – The commercialization of Vox Aura will start in August 2026. How did the testing phase go?
Daniele Marchesiello: We officially unveiled the solution at WTM 2025 in London, last November. Since December, we’ve received numerous trial requests, which allowed us to improve the software aspect. Indeed Vox Aura is Internet-connected and updates automatically.
TourMaG – Do clients need an internet connection during their visit to benefit from the simultaneous translation?
Daniele Marchesiello: Not necessarily; it’s enough that the guide’s device is connected. The link between Vox Aura and the receivers is wireless.
We conducted numerous real-life tests with our clients, including cruise lines, OTAs, tour operators, receptive partners, museums, etc.
Among the Vox Aura options is the ability to add information before the visit or the conference. For example, during a tour focused on the churches of Paris, the guide can specify the route or the vocabulary that might be used on the topic. The solution will pre-fetch all terms specific to a church visit, which can be used from a architectural or highly technical perspective.
Another interesting feature: it is possible to require translation of certain words or proper names, or to exclude translation of others. For instance, in Brussels, the Grand-Place isn’t translated as “Piazza Grande” or “Great Place.”
TourMaG – Does this simultaneous translation tool exist elsewhere, with competitors?
Daniele Marchesiello : While translation apps are multiplying for the general public, the travel industry demands a much higher degree of rigor. In this domain, Vox Group is today recognized as the only player offering a global, fully integrated ecosystem for guiding.
Published by Anaïs Borios Journalist – TourMaG.com See all articles by Anaïs Borios
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