Region’s new tourism app launched

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

TOURISTS to Gisborne and the East Coast are now able to locate some of the region’s high-profile attractions from their smart phones, even without mobile coverage.

Tourism Eastland identified last year that it could capitalise on the huge growth of mobile phone use to better promote the region, and marketing manager Kerry Taggart says both visitors and locals can now access better information about the region with the launch of The Official App – Out East.

“With the upsurge in mobile internet browsing we knew we had to do something in the mobile environment to better promote our region to potential visitors. What’s even more compelling is that 80 percent of mobile internet browsing is spent in apps.”

Ms Taggart said although much of the region had limited access to mobile phone coverage and Wifi, the new app still worked in those places because it used satellite technology to show the user their location.

“This is ground-breaking technology. With the launch of The Official App – Out East, the Eastland region is the only region in New Zealand with a 100 percent offline regional guide.

“The fact our app works 100 percent offline means that anyone travelling Out East can now find the products, services and things to see and do when they need them, wherever they are in our large region with limited connectivity.”

All free attractions and sights were included in the app, alongside all businesses included in the official Out East visitor guide.

“If anybody has got feedback or extra things they think need to go on there, they just need to get in contact with us. The beauty of it is we can update it on a daily basis.”

Non-commercial attractions would be included free of charge but a fee would apply for commercial attractions not already included.

Visitors to gisbornenz.com using an iPad or iPhone are automatically given instructions on how to download the app, which is updated every time a user visits the App Store.

An android version is due to be launched later this year.

It was not possible to tell how many times the app had been downloaded since it went live on December 23, but 25 percent of those who had downloaded it had been European, she said.

The project was funded by Gisborne District Council, with financial and administrative support from the Opotiki and Wairoa District Councils and Heart of Gisborne.

Tourism Eastland president Stuart Geddes said the Opotiki and Wairoa i-Sites also had important input into the app.

“This was a large project for our organisation and we appreciate the support of our partners.”