Technology and tourism
BuDgET airfare has enabled Filipinos to see more of the world, and it has changed so many people’s lives. Travel is always good because it gives us a chance to catch glimpses into other cultures and how other people live. But admittedly, I wish we booked more flights to local destinations than cities abroad. At least, an equal ratio would be great. in the past three years, I’ve traveled to different spots in the Philippines for work and i’m proud to say that our country is indeed very beautiful.
Boosting local tourism shouldn’t rely solely on the efforts of airlines and the hospitality industry. it is our duty as citizens of this country to help improve tourism in a responsible way. i use the word “responsible” because we don’t want all beautiful spots in the country turning into another Boracay. Every little bit of help counts. in 2012 smart Communications and innopub launched a digital tourism program, a nationwide initiative that harnesses technology to deliver tourism, cultural and historical information to mobile users. it has since been implemented in Antique, Baguio City, Cebu, Davao and Metro Manila, among other areas.
The government of iloilo, in partnership with smart Communications and innopub Media, has also presented the interactive tourism markers that will be installed at town halls and select tourist destinations all over the province.
These markers are equipped with quick response (QR) codes and near field communication (NFC) chips. When scanned through a mobile app, the QR and NFC devices will activate a browser window that will provide detailed information about the site on the user’s smartphone.
“These QR codes can help maximize tourist visits in the areas where these are deployed. We thank the iloilo Provinicial Tourism Office, our LGU [local government unit] tourism partners, smart and innopub for this initiative,” said Department of Tourism-Western Visayas’ Rene Cortum during the launch.
“By making information on travel and culture accessible to more people—that is, through their phones—the digital tourism program can help further enhance tourism here,” said smart public Affairs Visayas-Mindanao head Maria Jane Paredes.
Through the markers, tourists can discover information on Iloilo’s LGUs, such as local history and best destinations in the area. For instance, travelers to Carles may learn more about islas de gigantes, with its aquamarine waters, lush greens and stretches of white sand. students and design enthusiasts, for their part, may read about the Rendicion de Tetuan or the 1859 spanish victory over Moroccan forces, which is depicted in bas relief at the san Joaquin Church, among other cultural and historical trivia.
QR and NFC readers are either preinstalled on most smartphones or available as free apps. This makes it easier for most mobile users to access information through the interactive tourism markers, according to InnoPub cofounder Max Limpag.
The markers are part of the iloilo Digital Tourism program, which was unveiled during the 117th semana sang iloilo earlier this year. The program includes the iloilo guide app, a mobile guide that features information useful to visitors and students, such as historical background, local folklore and other interesting cultural trivia. it also lists things to do and places to see.
The iloilo guide app, as well as the other digital tourism guides developed by innopub and smart, may be downloaded for free on both Android and ios devices.
Moving on to another topic, i heard that the newest trend among influencers is faking it but in a different way than what we’re normally used to.
Apparently, up and coming influencers are buying stuff from brands and passing off their posts as paid content just so they would look like they are in demand and that they’re working with premium brands. Another reason for this is so that when big brands are having major campaigns and working with top influencers, they won’t seem like they’ve been left out.
normally, this is something i would ignore but hearing students say their ambition in life is to be an influencer really makes me sad and this “faking it” trend will only make them even more eager to follow in the footsteps of people they see online having a great time and making a lot of money.
First of all, the likes of Cecile Zamora (also known as Chuvaness), Laureen Uy, Janina Manipol and many others have been bloggers and/or influencers for a good number of years. They didn’t set out to be influencers. Blogging was a passion for most of them and they’re now reaping the rewards via paid collaborations and amazing freebies. Most of them have college degrees and i do know that they spent money to buy a lot of those outfits and accessories you see them in.
So I say this to kids: Being an influencer is not something you can achieve easily. it takes years and a lot of hard work. Don’t make it your day job.