Visitors to Belfast’s Maritime Mile can now use their mobile phones to converse with previously silent landmarks such as the Big Fish, thanks to a pilot "smart city" project called "Hello Maritime Mile".
The result of a collaboration between Belfast City Council, Titanic Foundation, Tourism NI, Ulster University and Hello Lamp Post, the project will run until March 17 and aims to create a "playable city experience" for tourists and locals alike.
By sending a text saying "hello" to particular landmarks, people can "chat" with objects along the stretch of the Maritime Mile that starts at the Big Fish on Donegall Quay and finishes at the HMS Caroline in Alexandra Dock.
Transforming How Visitors Engage With Destinations
Tourism NI digital business analyst Claire Sharpe commented, "New technologies have transformed how visitors can engage with a destination, and enable the tourism industry to look at creative and innovative ways to deliver experiences for our visitors which are authentic, compelling and memorable.
"Tourism-technology partnerships such as this one help the tourism industry in Northern Ireland to connect with new audiences and encourage visitors to explore beyond our most popular attractions to discover more about the area that surrounds them."
© 2019 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
