We attended a seminar about combining gamification elements with travel business in Vuokatti this Wednesday. It was interesting to meet and hear about the thoughts coming from travel industry: Companies are starting to realise the possibilities, though they are still struggling with the concept: What could realistically be done and how would it help?
The most common idea seemed to be that game companies would to make a separate game about your tourist attraction – the utilities of this process were not clearly grasped. Travel companies were also thinking about advertising on mobile game banners or adding informational layers on their travel destination through a convenient application. Games were also often thought to provide an extra entertainment for kids while visiting the place with their parents.
All of these options are doable. But only reasonable if they 1) give added value to your guests, 2) give added value to your travel destination / company and 3) are fun and easy to use
How about starting the planning process from scratch here: a unique solution made just for your company and your customers. We might actually end up turning a tourist-attraction into a game instead of making a game out of it. (But only if the points 1) 2) and 3) would be best fulfilled this way.)
Some examples of playful tourist applications here:
