Boljoon Digital travel guide

CEBU, Philippines -  A digital travel guide highlighting the heritage sites and unique places of interest in the town of Boljoon in southern Cebu was launched on April 26, offering Boljoon-bound travelers information on-the-go.

The mobile app, named “Boljoon Guide,” is part of a nationwide campaign spearheaded by Smart Communications Inc. and Cebu-based new media startup InnoPub Media – with its overall development and release made possible with the support of the town of Boljoon and Grassroots Travel, a community-based tourism organization.

“Boljoon Guide” is available in versions for Android and Windows Phone, and works offline without the need for internet access, although internet connectivity is required to install the app into smartphones and/or tablets.

The digital travel guide for smart devices has “Where to Go” and “Where to Stay” sections, along with a “Getting There” section, an updated emergency numbers directory with active numbers (meaning users simply have to tap on the numbers to make a call), and more.

Easy to navigate and lightweight in terms of hardware requirements, “Boljoon Guide” also comes in a mobile web version, accessible via http://boljoon.myguide.ph.

Apart from launching the “Boljoon Guide” app, the proponents of the digital travel guide also deployed interactive tourism markers in different parts of the Boljoon town center.

These markers contain quick response codes (QR Codes) and near-field communication (NFC) stickers that, when scanned or tapped with a compatible smart device, trigger the download of more information about a given structure or site.

Smart devices have become indispensable communication tools for travelers, and the new “Boljoon Guide” goes beyond satisfying the demand for mobile-based on-the-go information, as it readily and conveniently takes much of the work of planning a trip to Boljoon.