Technology and Tourism in Edinburgh TEAM Tourism Consulting Technology Solutions for Tourism – 24 February 2011

Agenda The TTE Project The Big Picture Views of tourism businesses Draft recommendations Next steps

The TTE Project Prime focus: how technology should be used to enhance the visitor experience in Edinburgh Work undertaken: Technology and market trends Review of technology ‘on the ground’ Interviews with ETAG stakeholders Survey of tourism businesses Expert review of Edinburgh Websites Best practice analysis

Agenda The TTE Project The Big Picture

Very rapid evolution of internet access - Smartphone Source: Morgan Stanley presentation “Internet Trends” at the CM Summit – New York City, June 7, 2010

New computing cycles – 10x more devices Source: Morgan Stanley presentation “Internet Trends” at the CM Summit – New York City, June 7, 2010

212,000 iPhone apps, 3bn downloads 65% are free, average paid- for is $1.56 Android now the No. 1 OS in the world 50,000 Android apps and rising The rise of mobile apps

SMARTPHONES ‘AR’ – Augmented Reality, eg Google Goggles Point the phone, get data overlaid on what you see ‘Better than real life’ ? Augmented reality

SMARTPHONES ‘AR’ – Augmented Reality, eg Google Goggles Point the phone, get data overlaid on what you see ‘Better than real life’ ? Augmented reality

Which of the following do you use most frequently when travelling? (as a % of respondents) Graph source: Survey conducted by WAYN for the World Travel & Tourism Council, carried out in conjunction with Frommer's Budget Travel magazine among nearly 3,580 people (780 US, 2,800 non-US), reported in a tnooz.

Agenda The TTE Project The Big Picture Views of tourism businesses

Business consultation - survey Use of IT and e-business is well established in three quarters of Edinburgh’s tourism businesses But Training and skills issues still exist in the emerging functions: –Managing our own website – 87.5% –Managing customer records – 71% –Use of Mobile Apps – 80% –Exploiting recommendation sites and social media – 93% –Producing effective newsletters – 80% –Internet access and security issues (firewalls) – 70%

Businesses would like Edinburgh to Make more use of mobile apps for look, book & tickets Make more use of social media & blogs Use more location based services – things to do near me Have a more integrated web presence for destination marketing Offer real time events news Enable “In lobby” interactive Tourist Information for businesses Use electronic info boards for what’s on today and attraction waiting times Send a daily to accommodation with useful info

Agenda The TTE Project The Big Picture Views of tourism businesses Draft recommendations

Draft recommendations (1) Proposed actions Single high quality destination site and portal for Edinburgh, using the URL, followed (in due course) by a mobile version (in HTML5) Action to enhance stakeholder websites, in light of website review Support to existing app suppliers to ensure one or more high quality, free ‘Edinburgh’ mobile apps A pool of rich multi-media content, together with high quality mapping, for use by all stakeholders and tourism businesses

Draft recommendations (2) Proposed actions Online real-time booking of accommodation, with a large pool of accommodation, and commission income to support marketing Two way interoperability between accommodation and ticket booking systems to enable dynamic packaging Plan for distribution of content and inventory through third parties, including OTAs High level of cooperation between tourism marketing stakeholders to Implement pro-active social media programme, CRM and SEO on an integrated basis

Draft recommendations (3) Proposed actions Promotion of Edinburgh website, mobile app(s) and other info sources at airport and Waverley, through posters, leaflets, text message to visitors on arrival etc Free/low cost WiFi scheme for the city or WiFi as part of Edinburgh ‘City Card’, through BT Openzone or The Cloud Enhancement of Visit Scotland information centres, to act as showcases, promoting and facilitating use of the best new ICT applications Training for tourism businesses in the use of ‘new’ applications, especially CRM & social media and the provision of interactive information for guests Guidance and support for tourism attractions to use new technology to enhance on site information and interpretation, including WiFi provision Edinburgh tourism techie blog ‘Tourism Technology Edinburgh’ reviews – regular updates of audits, market analysis and best practice analysis

Agenda The TTE Project The Big Picture Views tourism businesses Draft recommendations Next steps

Establish the Tourism Technology Steering Group (TTSG) Secure consensus of the TTSG around a shared vision Prepare a three year Action Plan, based on collaborative working and joint resourcing Liaise with VisitScotland regarding potential for cooperation regarding IT systems and distribution

trend watch.com trend watch.com Analysis of new media use in all major markets Published by European Travel Commission Based on monthly research by TEAM Tourism Consulting

Thank you! For further information: Dr Roger Carter