The Empire State Development's Division of Tourism is enhancing visitors? experiences with its free I Love New York mobile application, which offers concierge functions and location-based alerts for popular destinations.

Users will be able to receive quick access to information on thousands of top activities and locations, which are set to be curated within the app. The Division of Tourism is also rolling out a television ad campaign in conjunction with the app, featuring tourist destinations such as Rochester?s The Strong Museum and the Catamount Ski Area in Hillsdale.

?Leveraging mobile is crucial for a tourism organization,? said James McNally, director of business development at Fuzz Productions, Brooklyn, NY. ?Not to undersell the value of the concierge, but when we travel, we discover/view/save/share/register/plan using our phones. 

?Whether a tourism organization can put out a better mobile resource than a dedicated, for-profit service company is an open question.?

Tourist-friendly features
Users seeking to form the perfect travel itinerary can leverage the step-by-step concierge feature and browse through hundreds of events, which can then be saved to the in-app calendar. Consumers can opt-in to receive location-based text alerts for favorite locations and share them with friends and family on Facebook and Twitter.

?The magic of mobile is in its very name: it enables unprecedented communication and engagement on-the-go,? said Shira Anderson, marketing manager at Como. ?So the relationship between mobile technology and tourism doesn?t just make sense; for today?s modern consumer, it?s the perfect union.

?Particularly for those eager to engage in spontaneous adventures?or who simply didn?t have the time or energy to create exhaustive pre-trip plans?a mobile app allows travelers to discover activities and destinations, check out local tips and tricks, and benefit from unique deals and discounts.?

The app also offers quick access to Google Maps in case visitors need directions to specific spots. This feature can be customized, thanks to Internet-based filters designed to help plan the ideal outing for users.

Visitors may select areas of interest to explore within the app, such as ?family fun,? ?arts and culture? and ?food and drink.? Additional information on specific regions and cities can also be found.

Activities in specific cities can be whittled down to ?adventure? and ?attractions,? among other groups.

The ?I Love New York? app is available for download on the iTunes and Google Play app stores.

?Given consumers? increasing reliance on smartphone apps?and New York State?s pioneering reputation?many tourists won?t just respond well to the app, they?ll be expecting it,? Ms. Anderson said.

?Visitors and residents alike will be excited by the prospect of finding information more quickly, discovering additional activities, and more importantly, getting updates about what they may not have been aware of before they left on their trip so they can modify their itinerary on the go.?

Enhancing winter campaign
The Division of Tourism is also rolling out television advertisements to augment awareness of the mobile app. While tourism in winter is generally high in New York, the state hopes it can build on that momentum as spring approaches.

In 2014, New York?s tourism industry saw the number of yearly visitors increase by 8.75 million, prompting the sector to add 22,000 jobs.

Interested consumers can visit iloveny.com/mobile to preview the app and receive information on the state?s major regions and cities. Those with more specific interests may also choose to download the New York Fishing, Hunting & Wildlife app, which offers relevant news and weather alerts, GPS mapping features with a built-in compass, social networking options and real-time events.

Visitors seeking to tour some of New York?s scenic parks can download the Oh Ranger! NY State Parks iPhone app to maximize their outdoor outings. The app enables users to discover historic site, state parks and nature centers by searching via zip code, filtering desired activities such as hiking and boating and submitting comments about personal experiences.

The travel sector is becoming increasingly more tied to mobile, as hospitality brands compete for consumers? attention in the growing mobile booking app space (see story).

??Official? apps like this do enter the market with a stamp of objectivity or reliability that may resonate with some users,? Mr. McNally said. ?However, companies that specialize in travel resources and events and hyper-local content are all vying for this market (some quite well), so this app enters a competitive space.  

?NYC has done a pretty solid job with apps around MTA information, which do serve as a valuable resource.  It will come down to factors that are key for any new product: is the UX on point, and is the content relevant and more easily accessible than in other sources.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York