Potential uses of new mobile technologies to improve location based tourist communication

1. Potential uses of new mobile technologies to improve location  based tourist communication a case from Fanø, Danish Wadden Sea Area, for conveying information on nature, cultural environment and history Niels Chr. Nielsen Institute of Business Communication and Information Science   Center for Tourism, Innovation and Communication, Esbjerg +45 6550 1582 ncn@sitkom.sdu.dk ToLearn mid-term Conference Leeuwarden NL 7.-9. November 2007

2. Structure of presentation • The setting and background of actual project • Technological background and options • Plans and visions • Role of SDU and partners – for discussion / input

3. Pilot region: Danish Wadden Sea Protected areas, proposed World Heritage area and/or National Park

4. Implementation Projects • In each pilot region one innovative activity, proven effective in strengthening the sustainable quality of tourism, will be selected. These activities will receive support in terms of their implementation. The implementation will be monitored and evaluated.. • (from project web site) So we looked around for innovative activities.. and found one nearby!

5. The actual project Initiative by local “Agenda 21” group, a loose grouping of concerned citizens, supported by the municipality. Goals: Nature restoration, leading to increased biodiversity, grazing from local farmers -> distinct meat products, improved accessibility, information/education on nature, sustainable tourism – mediated with information and communications technology. Implementation objective: Informing about natural and cultural history while minimising “visual noise” Role of SDU / TIC: What works in tourism? What’s technologically possible? National/International cooperation and inspiration

6. Setting = North Frisian Island Fanø background: 3200 inhabitants area 56 km2 ( 57 inh. per km2) Towns: Nordby 2600, Sønderho 300 Own municipality (voted for independence 2005) about 1 mio. tourist stays/year, 100% full in high season, no ambition for numerical expansion mostly in the ~ 2800 summer houses, majority hired out on weekly basis main attraction: beach, sun and sand (summer), picturesque villages – but ambitions for more (all year)

7. Activities: Kite flying, sand buggy, blow carts etc. • Kite Fliers Meeting 2007, from • http://www.kitefliersmeetingfanoe.de/Strandgalerie_2007/

8. Living at Fanø is living in the nature

9. Alternative activities • Forest playground, restored duck decoys, folklore, music (Godtfolk) Photo: Helle Kongevang, Fanø 2005

10. Ørreddammene (the Sea Trout Farm) • Failed business adventure 1953-54 • Traces in the landscape • Nature restoration immediately to the N, EU LIFE project: clearing brush/forest, changing hydrological conditions • Local intitiative group comes together on the multi-functional plan (despite otherwise conflicting interests) Where’s tourism in this? A new activity/attraction?

11. Landscape development 1900 1954 2005 1880

12. The area today

13. computer generated model Restorationplan

14. Another restoration project Sønderho gamle fulgekøje (Duck decoy)

15. Approaches to information • New ICT: • Web sites (map interfaces) • Mobile browsing, convergence? • Audio guides (rented/lent to phone) • GPS-guided tours • Geocaching • Traditional: • Folders • Information boards • Marked tours • Guided tours Same, modified or new content? Providers? A role for the local tourist office? Integrated in GuideDanmark, through visitdenmark.com?

16. Visitor information search/use • from Nielsen and Liburd (2008, submitted to JTTM)

17. Mobile Tourist Information • Ground research and implementation test project 2004-5 Partners: Universities, tourist bureaus, tech companies, Danish Tourist Board (VisitDenmark) Mobile interface for the GuideDanmark database (~15,000 entries), background maps, attached GPS Conclusions: Time to start process of learning to produce content for mobile, geo-related tourist information. Build new mediation competences and organisatorial cooperation. In the short run no mass market for mobile tourist information, but what about 2008? Reference: Liburd, J.J. (2005) Sustainable Tourism and Innovation in Mobile Tourism Services. Tourism Review International vol. 9(1): 107-118

18. Other initiatives • Nordic Handscape, open air museums/archaeology: http://www.nordichandscape.net/ • Cultural Environment Portal: • www.kulturmiljoportalen.dk Hot Spot Nord www.visitnordjylland.dk

19. Content? • Depending of contributors, stakeholders History: What happened here? Construct examples or stay with strict truth? Historical maps: raw or interpreted? Activities: What can we do here? Where to run? Nature: What is this, how did it get here? EU (protected) habitat types, protection status – restrictions for use Culture: What is it used for, and by whom? Text, image, video, sound – (when) necessary ? Necessary / auxiliary physical objects, interplay

20. Content contributors? • Local knowledge (making the tacit accessible) • Professionals (teachers, nature guides, Fisheries and Seafaring Museum Esbjerg) • Users through response, debate, webblogs (SMS), need for editing? A web 2.0 / Neogeography site? • Should information be tailored for select target groups? • Topic for Workshop to be?!

21. Visions and ideas for content and activities: from members of the Agenda Group Oct.-Nov. 2007 Bird sounds to phone Tracks with length proportional to migratory birds flying distance Image database of plants and animals Interaction, user generated information, “people as sensors” (observing, measuring) • Topic for Workshop to be?!

22. The way forward? Phone = personal computer.. Hotspot/WiFi on the beach? Google ”Android” promotional illustration

23. “Breaking news”

24. Thank you.