Tourism boost: New app to digitise local travel industry

A NEW Jamaica travel app is coming to the country’s tourism industry. With international travel tourism all but coming to a standstill in 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, staycations and road trips became the new rave as Jamaica’s Government and tourism industry made a massive push to get more locals to rediscover Jamaica.

Jamaica Outingz, an innovative mobile-based app created by Jamaican public relations and marketing agency K.H.A.D.Z Communications Group, is expected to digitise on-island leisure travel and create a complete, hassle-free adventure for local and international travellers looking to explore Jamaica beyond the doors of luxury resorts and hotels.

“One of the things this pandemic has taught us is that we have to reconsider the way we look at travel and tourism,” said Khadine Daley, chief executive officer of K.H.A.D.Z Communications Group and a 20-year veteran in the Jamaican tourism sector. “As the use of mobile devices continues to proliferate across the globe, more travellers, including locals, are researching, seeking advice and making decisions on where to stay, eat, drink, shop, explore and relax while on the go. That type of convenience is a must, and that is what the Jamaica Outingz app will provide.”

She continued: “For those who love to explore and take road trips, this highly interactive app will help them to organise their itinerary all in one place, with additional features where they can gain rewards and points for booking these experiences.”

A first of its kind for Jamaica, the travel app will allow users to search and select activities to curate their full travel itinerary across the island, all from their smartphones. The app will feature popular and less known attractions, restaurants, stops and adventures, allowing users to book tours as well as see where to stop along the routes, to ensure that they get the full Brand Jamaica experience. Travellers will also be able to purchase event tickets and get updates on happenings around the island.

“In addition to locals and stopover visitors, cruise ship passengers can also make their last-minute, on-island travel bookings, while business visitors can use the app to make ground travel arrangements, all cashless and contactless, but very convenient with its real-time updates and notifications,” Daley said

The digital transformation of Jamaica’s tourism and travel industries has become even more critical over the past decade, as travellers are requiring more digital products to make their trips more seamless.

“Jamaica is one of the world’s leading destinations, which makes it imperative that the digital transformation of the Jamaican tourism industry happens swiftly. The ability to travel cashless and plan and book activities from your mobile phone is a need of almost every modern traveller and a must-have for destinations looking to create the best experiences,” Daley said.

Jamaica Outingz is partnering with licensed transportation and tour guide services to take travellers to their desired destination safely.

“These partnerships are important not only to give users a very seamless and hassle-free experience when they are planning their trips, but also help with the digitisation of the industry, as it will all be done through the app,” Daley said.