Technology key to enhancing visitor experience

THE customer has long been king for the Cairns and Great Barrier Reef tourism industry.

However, in this new decade where the market is dominated by consumer need we must look closely at changing expectations and how we can exceed them.

Recognising the role technology plays in the visitor experience is essential.

Most tourism businesses have embraced technology to receive bookings and promote their product in the digital world, but the savvy consumer wants more.

Nearly every visitor is armed with a smartphone, giving tourism operators an incredible opportunity to place the story of their experience in their customer’s hands.

A free smartphone app can deliver a new appreciation of the role your business has in presenting a destination and break down language barriers, ensuring all nationalities understand what they are seeing.

The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway app, launched two years ago, incorporates interpretative information with entertaining features through the use of augmented reality, the ability to track the visitor’s rainforest experience in real time and to share photos on social networks.

Of course, technology is just a means of enhancing what our destination offers.

No matter what business we are in, we all need to recognise the role our natural attractions play in marketing Cairns and Great Barrier Reef.

The reef, the rainforest and the world’s oldest living culture are our story and we need a unified voice to ensure maximum amplification of Cairns and Great Barrier Reef as one of the world’s best destinations to experience nature.