26 March 2009

VisitBritain goes mobile

Maps, what’s on guides, the weather, restaurant and accommodation details via mobile phone are being made available by VisitBritain.

The national tourism agency is offering a free mobile application downloadable from its website.

The mobiEXPLORE UK application can be downloaded via visitbritain.com/mobile .

It lets users view UK maps including street maps and the London Underground map, access local ‘what’s-on’ guides and lists of the best local restaurants and hotels, real time weather reports and receive discount vouchers.

VisitBritain is supplying the mobiEXPLORE UK application with its events and destination guides along with attractions and quality assessed accommodation data from its database.

The organisation’s head of online marketing Justin Reid said: "With the fall of the pound, increasing affordability could attract many more inbound visitors to Britain.

"Presenting our tourism assets in an innovative way could encourage more internet users to explore our country and its wealth of attractions, accommodation and destinations.

"To ensure visitors enjoy their time here and come back, we need to make it as hassle free as possible with useful information supplied in a format that is best for them.

"Providing visitors with up-to-the-minute news on the best places to eat, drink, sleep and visit - all at the push of a button - meant that MobiEXPLORE was an obvious pairing. The application fuses the best parts of the traditional guidebook with the benefits of internet search."