Smartphone pub tour app backed by Northern Ireland Tourist Board to boost Belfast pubs

15-Dec-2011 - Last updated on 12-Apr-2024 at 10:40 GMT

Jamie Hanna from My Tour Talk (left) and one of the actors (right) that can be heard on the app with Colin Neill from Pubs of Ulster

An iPhone and Android app designed to increase hospitality trade for Belfast pubs in the run-up to Christmas and the New Year is being backed by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the professional body, Pubs in Ulster.

The Belfast pub tour app has been created by My Tour Talk who have developed several mobile apps for visitors that provide specialised audio tours of the Northern Ireland city.

Belfast pub and bar owners have contributed to the development of the pub tour app which has information on 20 pubs and 50 bars. Users are directed to the nearest pub using their smartphone's GPS system and once there the app even advises them on the venue's history opening times and speciality drinks.

The technology is backed by the Northern Ireland Tourist board who have endorsed this and several other tourism apps from My Tour Talk.

“The Belfast Pub Tour is one of a range of apps we have developed in the past year. We are confident in the overall user experience as we carried out extensive research with bar owners to ensure the content is interesting and professional local actors keep the quality of the audio at a high standard," said a spokesperson for My Tour Talk.

Increase pub festive footfall

The hope is that the app will provide a welcome boost to the hospitality industry in Belfast in the run-up to Christmas and the New Year.

The chief executive of Pubs in Ulster, the representative body for the industry in Northern Ireland, Colin Neill said: "It is clear that pubs play a vital role in the overall visitor experience and any initiative that helps boost this is greatly welcomed by the pub industry. The Belfast Pub Tour apps are a unique and innovative way of doing this and have the potential to increase customer footfall in pubs in Belfast during what will hopefully be a busy Christmas trading period."

Smartphone technology in the hospitality industry

Social networking sites and smartphone or tablet computer technology is increasingly being used by restaurants and bars as part of their marketing strategy or to make life easier for their customers.

This week BigHospitality revealed their Top 5 most-watched videos of 2011 and a video investigation into how iPhones were revolutionising how people pay for bills in hotels, restaurants and pubs made it into the list.

The Belfast Pub Tour app costs £3.99 for users to download and can be used even if the device does not have access to the internet.