What is a “good” location information application?
With a quick search, you won’t find an application in Apple or Playstore that can locate sports facilities and excursion routes, cultural and tourist attractions, as well as information about the services offered in these areas. Perhaps many people end up using Google Maps on a trip, or sometimes use a browser to search for local geographic information services for destinations. Some route services may be behind paywalls, or Google Maps may provide too much information.
In the Rovaniemi area, there are many routes, sports facilities, and cultural and tourist attractions, the information of which would be useful to find in one place. In addition, content from service providers in the sports, culture and tourism sectors can be added to this kind of service, which commuters and tourists can utilize. Metsähallitus Nature Services is developing this kind of nationwide digital service for use during 2024, focusing mainly on outdoor excursion destinations. What kind of added value could be brought to a location application, which would inspire new target groups to start moving in the nature – for whom getting started would require something new and exciting?
Enthusiasm for movement with gamification
In the ideal location information mobile application, you can find all the points of interest in the local area, and where you can filter content that is interesting to you. When it is possible to add a new perspective to this, such as playful/gameful elements, it increases the appeal not only of the area and objects, but also of the application itself.
So what do gamified elements mean in practice? This is going to be innovated together with the development network in a digital conceptualization project led by Lapland AMK. Game elements can be, for example, challenges placed in locations, storytelling, achievements, collection goals or many others. These can also be combined with the content of service providers in the application, which increases the visibility of local companies and the opportunity to see and apply new technology.
Designing the Concept for Digitalizing Exercise and Cultural Destinations -project started at the beginning of the year, and will last until the end of 2024. The project is one of the projects of the ERDF program funded financed by the Ecosystem Agreement between the Federation of Lapland and the City of Rovaniemi. The Rovaniemi Ecosystem Agreement emphasizes, among other things, Arctic tourism and future welfare services. The project works closely with the other ecosystem agreement and networking projects, for example with the Rovaniemi smart sports routes -project.
At the beginning of the year, we will start surveying companies and other parties interested in the concept. In late spring, we will organize the first hybrid workshop, where content for the application concept will be devised with a diverse team from many fields. We are especially looking for entrepreneurs from the Rovaniemi area as well as sports and culture actors that might be interested in participating in the application pilot. It doesn’t require any financial commitment, just time and ideas from you. So don’t hesitate to contact us if the topic interests you in any way!
More information about this project:
Mikko Pajula
Tuuli Nivala
firstname.surname@lapinamk.fi
The project has been funded by the European Regional Development Fund of the Lapin Liitto, and by the Ecosystem Agreement of the City of Rovaniemi. The total budget of the project is €73,338, of which the amount of EU support is €44,000, Municipal funding is €18,333 and LapUAS funding is €11,005. The project schedule period is 1 January 2024 – 31 December 2024.
