Drive Market Finds Its Way With GPS Enabled Smartphone App

Dec. 10, 2012 - PRLog -- The smart phone app, which is available for both iPhone and Android, is the first of its kind in Queensland and offers general information on key destinations in the region as well as more detailed assistance for those accessing mapping information and specific data.

TTT chair and Member for Barron River Michael Trout said the free downloadable app, which has been in development for 12 months, was a must-have for anyone travelling north.

“The app is geo-positional and designed to give the drive market traveller a very clear picture of what features they want to stop and see or tours they would like to take.

“Users will even have the ability to book accommodation on the road by simple and direct access to operators' contact details through the app,” Mr Trout added.

Drawing its data from the Australia Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW), users are guaranteed current up to the minute information regarding more than 700 products in the region.

This includes visitor information centres, free council provided facilities as well as more specific product information on local attractions, maps and even the weather forecast.

"The app covers three unique North Queensland drives – the Savannah Way from Cairns to the Northern Territory border, the Overlanders Way from Townsville to the Northern Territory border at Camooweal, and The Great Tropical Drive from Townsville to Cooktown."

The app was developed after TTT obtained a grant from the Rural Resilience Package. Spearheaded by Pinnacle Marketing who were awarded the contract to manage the project, Mr Trout said TTT chose to be non-parochial recognising that those taking a drive holiday would no doubt visit areas to the south and west of the Tablelands.

“If the Tablelands Cairns area was not on the particular person’s original itinerary, it is hoped they would consider visiting this area based on the information the app provides to them,” he added.  

Tourism Queensland director for the Tropics and Great Barrier Reef, Jeff Gillies said the app was an excellent example of a local tourism organisation reaching out past its borders.

“The Drive North Queensland app is a really exciting project. It is fantastic to see collaboration on such a wide region of north Queensland.

“We clearly have an amazing, diverse range of experiences making it the perfect destination for an extended visit or journey. Within this region we truly have the best of Australia,” he said.  

The app, which is available from today from the App Store, iTunes and Android, will be marketed under Drive North Queensland. For Drive North Queensland’s coordinator Russell Boswell, the smart phone app added another dimension to the www.drivenorthqueensland.com.au web portal.

He believed the app’s geo-positioning feature would become an invaluable asset for travellers, allowing them to program their route, select attractions to see along way and book accommodation.

Not only for serious travellers, Mr Boswell described the app as a lot of fun. “Not only does it offer practical advice for self-drive traveller, it is also a great way to store and share photos with friends via social media using the photo booth function.”

Michael Nelson, director of Pinnacle Marketing, believed the app’s partnership with the ATDW strengthened its proposition in the market.

“This isn’t just a directory, it is a highly sophisticated travel tool. We have recognised the needs of the self-drive traveller and delivered it with this app. We have given travellers the ability to gain real time information and to access that information through iPhone, iPad and Android phones.”

ENDS