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Enhancing the use of Technology for Tourism in Edinburgh
TEAM Tourism Consulting
ETAG Conference, 25 January 2011
The brief
Strategy and action plan for technology to:
• Be used by visitors to/in Edinburgh
• Enhance the visitor experience and
generate new income
• Help businesses achieve efficiencies,
growth and better customer service
Agenda
• The Big Picture
• Current visitor experience of technology
in Edinburgh
• Expert Review of Edinburgh destination
websites
• Views of ETAG stakeholders & tourism
businesses
• Next steps
• Implications for tourism businesses
Agenda
• The Big Picture
Source: ITU - World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database.
Internet users forecasts by world region
Source: eTForecats (www.etforecasts.com), July 2001.
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
1997 2000 2003 2006
Internet users by region, 1997-2006
by regions
USA
N. America
W. Europe
E. Europe
Asia
S/C America
M. East/Africa
Internet users forecasts by world region
Source: eMarketer, February 2008.
0
500
1000
1500
2001 2004 2007
Worldwide
0
500
1000
1500
2001 2004 2007
USA
Increasing Number of Wireless Internet users(eTForecasts)
Non-Wireless Internet Users Wireless Internet Users
0
500
1000
1500
2001 2004 2007
Western Europe
0
500
1000
1500
2001 2004 2007
Asia-Pacific
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
iPhone app
User Generated Content (UGC)
TripAdvisor
• 40m visitors per month
(July 2010), up 60% YTD
• 20 million members,
up 33% YTD(comScore Media Metrix)
• 14 languages, 23 countries
• UK site: 4.5 m unique visitors(Expedia.co.uk - 3.4m)
Agenda
• The Big Picture
• Current visitor experience of
technology in Edinburgh
Wifi hotspots
in city centre
Around 100 WiFi
hotspots in and
around the key
tourist areas
A combination
of paid and
free (with
food/drink, on
Airport Bus) etc
Wifi conclusions
• The existing WiFi provision is far from seamless, not easy
to access and will not stand up to volume traffic
• No completely free provision at all
But........
• Firm BT Openzone base in key high volume tourist areas
• The Cloud well established in peripheral areas & some
key areas
• Both are accessible on the street
Dialogue required with BT & The Cloud to understand
options
Agenda
• The Big Picture
• Current visitor experience of technology
in Edinburgh
• Expert Review of Edinburgh
destination websites
Websites review results
• Ten customer facing sites offered by ETAG
stakeholders
• Audit: percentage of perfection 59% -
83%
• Strategic evaluation: 5 sites - 80% down to
13%
• Plenty of opportunities for improvement –
detailed analysis made available
• Edinburgh lacks:
one excellent destination site that inspires
and services the user in all phases of the
Customer Journey
Agenda
• The Big Picture
• Current visitor experience of technology
in Edinburgh
• Expert Review of Edinburgh destination
websites
• Views of ETAG stakeholders &
tourism businesses
Stakeholder needs and opportunities (1)
• Single high quality destination site and portal for Edinburgh
• High quality mapping and pool of rich content
for use by all stakeholders and tourism businesses
• Rich content to include:
– In-depth information and interpretation/story
telling for those who want it offers
– Up-to-the-minute info on events and special
offers
• High level of willingness/enthusiasm of stakeholders to provide rich content
Stakeholder needs and opportunities (2)
• Online real-time booking of accommodation, with a large pool of accommodation and
commission income to support marketing
• Two way links between accommodation and
ticket booking systems to enable dynamic
packaging
• Itinerary planning tools for web and apps
• Location based services via smart phones/tablets, based on mapping/‟near me‟
searching [NB. potential to take people to the
less visited parts of the city, smaller attractions, venues, etc]
• Joint free „Edinburgh‟ mobile app?
Stakeholder needs and opportunities (3)
• Cooperative approach to CRM and SEO
• 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
• Edinburgh „City Card‟ to include WiFi
through BT Openzone or The Cloud
[NB. City card is an item for retailing and for
inclusion in conference delegate packs.]
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 email to accommodation with useful info
Agenda
• The Big Picture
• Current visitor experience of technology
in Edinburgh
• Expert Review of Edinburgh destination
websites
• Views of ETAG stakeholders & tourism
businesses
• Next steps
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
Agenda
• The Big Picture
• Current visitor experience of technology
in Edinburgh
• Expert Review of Edinburgh destination
websites
• Views of ETAG stakeholders & tourism
businesses
• Next steps
• Implications for tourism businesses
Implications for
tourism businesses
• In your promotions and at your points of
contact with visitors, make sure to tell your
guests about the best destination website(s)
and mobile applications and where they
can access WiFi around the city
• Attractions: take advantage of new
technical opportunities to improve
information and interpretation for guests,
using location based services
Implications for
tourism businesses
• Accommodation operators:
– Ensure that your accommodation
availability can be accessed dynamically
(real time) by distribution channels -
visitscotland.com, booking.com, Late
Rooms, etc
– Provide good, high bandwidth Internet
access for guests, free or low cost, with
knowledgeable advice on how to access
it
Implications for
tourism businesses
• Listen to what people are saying about you
on social media/UGC sites and engage in
discussion – use Google Alerts
• Participate in the main social media sites
yourself, particularly Facebook and Twitter:
e.g. follow VisitScotland, Marketing
Edinburgh and other influential voices
• Take advantage of free and low cost
promotional opportunities available through
TripAdvisor, etc
Implications for
tourism businesses
• “Look before you leap” and consider
partnering with other businesses in
implementing new technology
• Watch out for potential future training
opportunities in social media, CRM etc. and
the proposed tourism blog on new
opportunities through technology
Implications for
tourism businesses
• ETAG „Technology Solutions for Tourism‟
event on 24 February
– VisitScotland Digital Strategy
– Case studies
– Technology companies providing solutions
www.newmediatrendwatch.comAnalysis of new media use in all major markets
Published by European Travel Commission
Based on monthly research by TEAM Tourism Consulting
