Free Dundee App for Tourists and Residents - Simply Indispensable

Dundee App Screenshots from iPhone 5
Click on image to enlarge

Last week the City Council launched a new app to help boost tourism in the city. 

It has been developed by Waracle one of Dundee's cutting edge technology companies.

While the App was developed for tourists, residents with smart phones will also find it indispensable as it provides the most comprehensive, on the move, listings guide to the city. The app allows users to search activities by category. 

This app channels listings from the What's On Dundee website, which is staffed by a full-time team meaning the app is continually updated with up-to-the-minute events and activities. It is also the only app to include complete listings for films screening in the city at Cineworld, Odeon and Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre Cinema.

The Dundee App also has an innovative ‘shoogle' function. With a quick shake of the handset, the app generates a completely random event happening that day making it a unique and exciting way to try different activities and ‘shoogle' your way around the city.

The app is free to download on Apple or Android now.

Potential of Cycling Tourism in Dundee Needs to be Added to Tourism Action Plan

Earlier this week Transform Scotland published their report, The Value of Cycle Tourism: Opportunities for the Scottish Economy.

The report makes a good case for promoting cycling for tourists; which can lead to positive benefits for employment in hospitality related services. I think there are some important messages for the City.

The authors' calculation of the economic impact of cyclo tourism is based on a count of the number of participants attracted to annual cycling events held throughout Scotland. I notice, however, that Claverhouse Rotary Club's Cyclathon around the Dundee Green Circular in early September was not included.

Maybe this is because the event was instigated and promoted as a local charity fundraising event. It's a great day out and one that could well draw in visitors from further afield. Perhaps, with the agreement of Claverhouse Rotary, their Cyclathon could be included in Dundee's annual programme of events which we actively publicise to tourists?

While we have an excellent map of the Dundee Green Circular to issue to visitors, I also wondered where the tourists, who turned up without their own bikes, might hire a bike in Dundee? Perhaps there are places, but none spring to mind. Wouldn't it be good to be able to offer future visitors to the VandA Dundee the opportunity to continue their stay in the city by hiring a bike and cycling down the enhanced largely off-road cycle route to Broughty Ferry? I know that not everyone would want to cycle along the waterfront but some folk would. I surely can't be the only person that wants something completely different after a few hours in a museum or gallery?

I have checked Dundee's first Tourism Action Plan, which was launched last month, and unfortunately it does not mention cycling once. I have written to Mike Galloway, Director of City Development to suggest that this report, from Transform Scotland, is referred to the staff and Consultative Group taking forward the Tourism Action Plan. I think there are some important opportunities and currently it would appear that Dundee is missing a trick.

Proposed Dundee Tourism Strategy and Broughty Ferry

On Monday, Councillors will be asked to approve a Tourism Action Plan for the Council. As a Ferry Councillor, I have been looking at where Broughty Ferry fits into this.

Broughty Ferry is mentioned twice in the twenty page report. Firstly, the report acknowledges that in addition to the city centre and the waterfront developments there are other destinations to be promoted: 
"Dundee also has some key locations which are likely to be of interest and could be packaged as visitor attractions in their own right – examples of this would include Broughty Ferry and also West End or Cultural Quarter."

And when it comes to recommendations and actions:
"Identify key geographies in terms of specific areas within the city which can be packaged as a visitor destination within the city.
Lead Department –
• Activities
- Consider the added value to packaging areas together in relation to tourism offer i.e. Broughty Ferry, West End/Cultural quarter and develop marketing information
• Measures
- Additional visitors to areas identified
• Timescale – Ongoing

I know that Broughty Ferry Traders, the Community Council and the Broughty Ferry Development Trust would all welcome better promotion of Broughty Ferry as a destination. Currently, Visit Scotland's offering on their website leaves a lot to be desired as their information is out of date and incomplete. And measuring success of this proposed Tourism Action Plan by increases in visitor numbers to The Ferry would be a fair and acid test.