A country’s beauty, such as its culture, landscape, monuments, food, etc., is only valid as long as tourists talk about it. Not only that, but a country’s economic growth also relies on tourists. Keeping the ‘Wow’ factor up always is a big challenge for the tourism industry, despite modern technology and advancement in digital media.
That is because we aren’t leveraging the right one – mobile technology. Adopting mobile-based engagement strategies, such as QR Codes, is the right way to go. It is like using your customers’ most adaptive and convenient infrastructure (the smartphone) to provide a simple solution (interaction, communication, and engagement) through QR Code scans.
Where do tourist agencies lack?
It is evident that tourism and tourists represent a country. Tourist agents and tours & travels companies play a considerable role in increasing a nation’s GDP and boosting its credibility. Therefore, their top priority should consistently be delivering unsurpassable, celebrating experiences to tourists so that they speak about the city to their friends and family. But what’s lacking is continuous engagement between tourists and agencies.
For instance, we often hear visitors complaining about ‘the place was not on the map,’ ‘we couldn’t reach the sunset point in time,’ ‘we couldn’t enjoy the museum tour because it was in local language’ etc.
Everything is there, at the right place – but pertinent information is not available. So, tourist agents should realize that every aspect of tourism should make tourists happy, from signboards to audio guides to travel booklets and event tickets and itineraries.
The Solution: QR Codes for Tourism and Travel
The agencies can quickly and efficiently provide all the required information using QR codes. QR codes for Tourism and travel can help in a plethora of ways.
For instance, the tourism industry can use QR codes for –
- translating in the local language,
- acting as an engaging audiobook,
- providing the recipe to traditional cuisine,
- acting as a travel guide,
- showing how to drape a saree (if it’s India) or how to wear a plaid (if it’s Scotland),
- and many more such applications.
Since you only need a smartphone to scan QR codes, and everyone has it today. What could be a better way to increase the information flow and improve the experience if not QR Codes?
How are QR Codes implemented?
As we have gathered by now, QR Codes are two-dimensional barcodes that can store more information than barcodes, including URLs, audio and video links, PDF, Google maps, web pages, images, and contact cards. All a tourist has to do is take their smartphone out, scan the QR Code using the mobile camera, and get the required information. They can also download or save the link to view the information later.
QR Codes can be printed on books, signboards, flyers, travel guides, event tickets, t-shirts, DVD players, labels, tags, product packaging, posters, banners, and many other places. And each of these can provide tourists with the information they are looking for.
Each tourism industry stakeholder, such as the transport department, hotels, civic administration, local guides, and restaurants, can use QR codes to help improve tourists’ travel experience.
Ways to implement QR Codes effectively
Many cities have successfully implemented QR Codes technology to engage tourists and dispense information. Even if they don’t understand the local language, they will recognize a QR Code and scan it. For instance, tourist agencies can use QR Codes in the following places to provide more information.
In Hotels
QR Codes can be printed on hotels display boards, brochures, feedback forms, menu cards, elevator, and access cards. For instance, you can get a downloadable PDF QR Code printed on the room access card that redirects tourists to popular tourist destinations in the city along with Google map links to each place.
On Transportation
QR Codes can be printed on buses, cars, other vehicles provided by the tourism agency to share information about the place, such as links to war videos, heritage, and history, recipes of famous cuisines, nearby bus stops, directions to nearby western union, etc.
In Public Places
You can install QR codes in public places, such as bus depots, parks, museums, heritage sites to support and guide tourists. For instance, the USA’s Central Park has several QR codes that store social media links, interesting cultural facts, and directions.
On Brochures and Tickets
Agencies can print the itinerary, schedules, event information, such as game timetables and other things in world languages. For instance, the use of QR codes was prominent in the FIFA World Cup in Brazil for providing information.
In Important Offices
QR Codes can effectively translate local language guidebooks and posters for tourists. Along with the city administration, you can also deploy a network of QR Codes at different public utility places to help tourists report complaints. QR codes can redirect the tourists to a feedback or registration page to report issues upon scanning.
With QRCodeChimp, you can efficiently generate beautiful QR codes without any professional help. QR Codes can be customizable in colors, in different shapes, and with the company logo. Make sure you add a compelling call-to-action to encourage tourists to scan the code.
