Smart, InnoPub launch free tourist app to guide Bohol visitors

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CEBU CITY — Tourists visiting Bohol, including those traveling for the annual Sandugo festival, now have a handy guide to the province, with the free Bohol Guide app.

The release of Bohol Guide is part of a nationwide Digital Tourism campaign by wireless services leader Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) and Cebu-based new media startup InnoPub Media that harnesses mobile technology to deliver tourism, cultural and historical information.

The program is implemented in partnership with the Bohol Provincial Government, a statement released to the Philippines News Agency (PNA) in Cebu said.

“Aside from enhancing tourist experience, the Bohol Guide can also help local communities and businesses—some of which may still be recovering from the earthquake two years ago,” said Smart Public Affairs Group Head Ramon Isberto.

The app is a comprehensive resource about Bohol and provides information on where to go, what to do and where to stay when in the province.

From the iconic Chocolate Hills, to the serene Man-Made Forest, old heritage structures including Spanish-period churches and the beautiful Panglao Island, Bohol has a lot to offer its visitors and the app provides information on all these.

The app also lists the different Surprise Tour packages launched by the Bohol Provincial Government to highlight eco-tourism and heritage destinations.

A portable directory of transportation service providers and tour guides and operators accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 is available in the app.

It also contains a listing of restaurants, pension houses, hotels and resorts that are members of the Bohol Association of Hotels, Resorts, and Restaurants (BAHRR).

The listings are active and users of the app need only to tap on the information to call the hotel, resort or restaurant, send an email and even know its location and get a suggested route to get there.

The Bohol Guide contains a special section on Anda town, a tourism enclave about 100 kilometers from Tagbilaran City.

This section contains information on places to go in the town, including the enchanting Lamanoc Island, and where to stay when in Anda.

The app can be downloaded for free via Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Download information can also be found at apps.myguide.ph/bohol.

“Mobile is the best way to deliver information, especially in tourism,” said InnoPub Media co-founder Max Limpag.

“By using mobile, we are able to tap key features like location-awareness, quick connectivity and mobile e-commerce,” LImpag said.

Bohol Guide is an offline-capable tourism app.

After downloading and installing the app, tourists can use it anywhere, even without an Internet connection.