(UNVEILING THE SOSORSOGON APP. From left, InnoPub cofounder Max Limpag, Smart community partnerships head Darwin Flores, Sorsogon Gov. Robert Lee Rodrigueza and Provincial Tourism Officer Bobby Gigantone)
(Governor Rodrigueza (second from left) and Flores scan the Sorsogon QR code.)
Sorsogon will use more digital tools to spread the word about its exceptional destinations, starting with a mobile app that will make travel around the province easier for visitors.
The Provincial Government launched its travel guide #SoSorsogon on Oct. 19 as one of the highlights of Sorsogon’s popular Kasanggayahan Festival.
Sorsogon Gov. Robert Lee Rodrigueza said the mobile guide will play a key role in the province’s efforts to promote its extraordinary places and experiences.
He added that it wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of partners like PLDT and Smart Communications (Smart).
Earlier this year, the Provincial Government of Sorsogon entered into a partnership with PLDT and Smart to enhance network capabilities and implement the digital tourism program in the province. With faster connectivity speeds in Sorsogon, important tourism, culture and heritage information are now accessible to a wider audience.
Tourism potential
“When a place or destination is so beautiful, so awesome, so breathtaking, so exciting, then it’s ‘So Sorsogon.’ When food is so delicious, then it’s ‘So Sorsogon,’” he cited, adding the tourism tagline #SoSorsogon aims to emphasize how remarkably delightful it is to experience the province.
Darwin Flores, Smart Vice President and Head of Community Partnerships, said he sees a big potential in Sorsogon as an upcoming destination.
However, digital tourism efforts like the newly-launched travel guide that comes in the form of a mobile app, should be done in conjunction with online and social media campaigns, he added.
The best ambassadors of a place are always the people who live there, cited Flores, as he enjoins Sorsoganons to use the #SoSorsogon app and other digital tools to spread word on the province’s stunning destinations.
#SoSorsogon travel app
The #SoSorsogon travel app points visitors to must-visit places and top experiences in the province, said InnoPub founder Max Limpag. It also provides information on accommodation and transportation and lists tourism and emergency contacts in the province.
Limpag said the Provincial Government can also use the app to inform local and foreign travellers of new tourism products through mobile app notifications.
Since the travel app will be downloaded on the phone, Sorsogon Provincial Tourism Officer Bobby Gigantone said it is very easy to use.
He asked Sorsoganons to download the app so they would be informed of updates particularly about tourism from the Provincial Government and share these with their friends.
In partnership with government units, the digital tourism program of Smart and InnoPub is a nationwide initiative that harnesses technology to deliver tourism, cultural, and historical information to mobile users.
The program was launched in 2012 and has since been implemented in Antique, Baguio City, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, and Metro Manila, among other areas. It involves the creation of tourism apps and the installation of interactive markers in selected tourist and heritage landmarks to trigger the download of more information.
