AroundU

New App for today’s Mobile Lifestyle

Travellers

1/ The Service

The app consists on a role-play LBS game, that will mix real life and fantasy “achievements”

Guests will have access to this application by checking-in. It would be suitable for iPhone, Androids, and Blackberry

How it works?

Guests create their avatar on the application platform

Then, on a accurate 3D map of the Hotel neighbourhood the guest/player will pinpoint spots representing our partners: luxury shops, restaurants, clubs, and other must-see places (gym, cinema, museums,…)

Once the avatar enters one of the

marked spots, the app presents the partners

interior with augmented reality

tools, so he can visit the surrounding

without leaving the hotel room

What is interesting with this concept, is that everyday, the hotel will launch a mission, or “assignment” offering rewards to the guest

For instance, every morning a new challenge will be unveiled on the app, it can be enigma, race, treasure hunt, etc.

Examples:

« Free drink tonight at the bar for the guest who will stamp the more partners before 03:00pm » Then guest would have to go and stamp themselves in the more spots marked possible

Enigmas: “try to find out what shop offers our guests 10% discount today” to find clues, go to this coffee or this restaurant. / Guest will go there, and on their app, they will have the clue once they have stamped themselves.

Other advantages

Possibility to join this game to the loyalty program of the hotel – great users earn more points

Enhance the brand awareness of the Hotel by this innovative tool, thus attract more potential fans

Development of a new way of being tourist, and innovative travellers are seeking for this

Generates partnerships with other retailers, it is a win-win agreement

BUT: The drawbacks are the cost of implementing & launching such an app + the fact that it will need full-time employee(s) in charge of creating

deals and challenges

Such an application is more suitable for big hotels chains, that will support the cost

2/ Similar services existing?

As far as I know, there isn’t any service computing a game with real life promotions such as this one.

Yet, there are application offering services close to mine, so lets discover them

Imaginative travellers

It is basically an online treasure hunt:-You have to set up an account-Then based on a clue, the player has to pin a point on the map, trying to find out a famous landmarks or destination- If he answer correctly to 5 answers, he is entered into the draw to win a trip

Gowalla

Gowalla vs AroundU

Gowalla is a LBS too , but offers in addition social network facilities, whereas mine is a gaming application.

Gowalla doesn’t give access to real promotions, with actual partners, it is closer to Poynt or Foursquare in its use, but one common point is the stamping system, based on the location.