A Tourism App which is intended to provide visitors with a firsthand view of destination Dominica has been officially launched.
The Tourism Destination App, “Explore Dominica” as it is called was launched at a ceremony held at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Office (ECCB) in Roseau on Thursday.
This is the first destination App that has been endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture here in Dominica and Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) through the Ministry of Tourism has been continually developing the product on island.
The App was created by a Dominican company Mirage Technologies and has been in the making for over a year.
“This App has gone through many alterations and I think right now what we have is a solid art platform that will allow visitors, even before they come to Dominica to map out what they are going to do in Dominica and when they actually reach in Dominica hear the different sites they can go to, hear the different restaurants that they can go to, hear the different hotels that they can go to,” Minister for Tourism and Culture Senator Robert Tonge said while addressing the launching ceremony.
Tonge said he is “very pleased” that the App has been created by one of Dominica’s young entrepreneurs.
According to him, this App will be a very important one not only for the creator, but for the local stakeholders here.
“If you are a tour guide you can place yourself on there and get recognition if you are a restaurant you can place yourself there and get recognition if you are a car rental company you can put yourself on there and get recognition,” he explained. “It allows the App creators to earn an income and it also helps to promote, not only the country, but it also helps to promote the various stakeholders here.”
Tonge went on to say that what the Ministry of Tourism has done is to ensure that the part of the App to deal with sites, “that we help in terms of populating the information, making sure the right information is there and making sure the safe sites are there just to ensure that once persons come to Dominica and they do use the App and go to those sites they will have a fantastic time.”
He pointed out that in everything that one does there is going to be many challenges.
However, he believes the important thing is to try to overcome those challenges
“The important thing is to find people who can encourage you, to help you, to mentor you, to show you the right path to take so whatever you present will be the best that you can present,” Tonge noted.
Meantime, Marketing Executive of DDA, Samantha Letang said the Explore Dominica App puts Dominica on the map.
“As you know our visitors are becoming more tech savvy and with the inclusion of an App such as Explore Dominica puts Dominica on the map,” she said.
Letang added, “We can actually get persons to visit Dominica shores even before coming on shore.”
For this App, she stated that the DDA is very excited about the prospects that it has for Dominica’s development in its product.
The App is available for both Android and Apple devices and can be downloaded on both the Google Play and Apple Stores.
Local inventions, innovations and advancements should be welcomed with open arms especially if they make life easier for all. Potentially, Dominica should be a haven for tourists. Its natural features are exceptionally breathing. Sadly though, the infrastructural developments that are required for easy access to and around the island fall woefully short. Lack of visionary planning is a monumental setback to the advancement of the country. If there were an international airport, a very modern cruise berthing pier and safe roads and bridges, Dominica would have possibly been the most sort after tourist destination in the Caribbean. Lack of Strategic Planning, Proper Focus, Cooperation ( getting the mass majority of citizens working and pulling together) and Fairness are negatively impacting on the country’s progress.
Looks nice and the information is good, hope tourist will know of it when they come.
Against my better judgement I installed the App, opened it and 2 hours later it was still looking for updates rather than showing me any contents I was expecting. it’s laughable but it has to be said, in true Dominica fashion more mediocrity! God help this country…
Yes, in true Dominican Nature you’re a hater when another Dominican try to do something but what have you done for Dominica that was so good? Nothing
I have done things for myself, thank you very much. As far as Dominica is concerned I stopped doing things for my country some 15 years ago when it was plain and clear to me where Skerrit was taking the country and started manipulating his stupid supporters. Now, why should I help a country that does not want to help itself?? Do answer me you blind apologist for your corrupt master. I sold my property and belongings in Dominica some years ago and I live very comfortable in Western Europe, a lifestyle that all you Skerrit supporters in Dominica can only dream of. But you all keep wallowing in your ignorance and keep begging for crumbs of your masters table. Happy slavery!
Hi, Thank you for showing interest in the app.
Sorry your experience has been frustrating so far, however, the first time opening the app quite a bit of information is downloaded. If you are using a 3G network and the service is sketchy depending on your location this will occur. So please just try again when your service is better..
Trust people to take anything and make it political
Lovely. Any thing to promote Dominica I’d a +
can it allow me to travel around the island like how google mapquest acts as a navigational system in OTHER COUNTRIES? Already we dont have road signs, foreigners must find it absolutely frustrating travelling around Dominica either by foot or vehicle.
Never mind road signs, the dictator does not even keep the once nice road network up to date, never mind repair all the bridges damaged by Erica and Maria. But Dominicans love their billionaire PM.
It is sad to say that we are trying to get tourist on the island, but where is the airport and the airlines. To get to Dominica it is expensive because we do not have an airport, the two different flights makes it very expensive. We either overnight in another island or we spend hours on hours waiting for the next flight. it is not easy to get to Dominica like the other islands, so I know people would rather go to other islands. To get tourist we have to make everything easy for them.
Remember that it is not easy to get to Dominica like the other islands. to get to the island most time people have to be doing overnight somewhere else or stay in transit for almost a day. Unfortunately the tickets are very high. that leave visitors to seek other Islands that are easier to commute.