Tourism is going hi-tech in Ottawa with wireless Internet to be available at major landmarks by the end of this year.
Bidding closed Aug. 30 for partnership with the National Capital Commission to launch wireless zones in downtown Ottawa and Gatineau.
“The main objective is to provide Canadian citizens with more information on services, programs and activities to offer a better understanding of the capital.” says Guy Laflamme, the NCC’s vice-president of the branch responsible for Capital Experience, Communications and Marketing.
Wireless Internet will be available at different landmarks, including Parliament Hill, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, National War Memorial and Confederation Park.
The NCC is planning for Wi-Fi to be available by early December.
“When our lease at Infocentre came to an end this summer, we decided not to renew, but to instead review our visitor services,” says Laflamme, who adds that renovations to maintain the Infocentre would cost the NCC $5 million.
“We want to continue our tradition of services, but through a kiosk in the World Exchange Plaza. In doing this, we will have a smaller ecological footprint, reduce costs and use new technology.”
The NCC is in the process of analyzing proposals to see who it will partner with for the new service, says Laflamme.
The federal agency is looking for a partner who would help to supply the technology needed for the Wi-Fi plan, including tablet computers.
The wireless is being paid for from the NCC’s budget, but the final cost will depend on the proposal selected.
He says their goal is to offer wireless free to visitors, but this may have to be offset by including advertisements. Laflamme says that when the Wi-Fi becomes available, anyone within the wireless zones will be able to use it.
The NCC has been gradually updating its tourist attractions with technology.
This year, the federal agency won first place in a national media marketing competition for its Decoding Art project.
The project offers visitors multimedia clips on smart phones through Quick Response (QR) codes that explain historic sites in Ottawa, such as the Terry Fox monument.
Neil Knudsen, chair of the Ottawa Wireless Cluster, an association that promotes wireless companies, says Wi-Fi access for tourists is very proactive.
“I think it’s fabulous because more and more people have smart phones and don’t want to pay roaming charges. It’s another way of reaching out to people, in addition to their visitor centre.”
Knudsen says he considers the Wi-Fi push to be a significant undertaking for the NCC.
“This is an organization usually associated with parks and roads, and now they’re advancing tourism and making it easier to explore the capital.”
Misty Wade Hovey, communications manager of Ottawa Tourism, says Wi-Fi will make travelling more efficient for visitors.
“It’s a way to provide better service and try different things,” says Wade Hovey, who points to the example of the Discover Ottawa app for smart phones, which is sponsored in part by the NCC and Ottawa Tourism.
“We have to change the way we deliver, the way we communicate, so we invest in our website and its content,” says Wade Hovey. “This move by the NCC is a sign of the changing times.”
Laflamme says the NCC plans to have guides equipped with tablet computers at major tourist destinations so people without smart phones can have the wireless experience. For guests who prefer low-tech tourism, Laflamme says the NCC will still offer live assistance.
“We want to offer the same kind of service we always have,” he says.
“Not everyone is comfortable with new technology, so we will still have visitor information services out of the kiosk. Priority remains to provide face-to-face service.”
Laflamme claims the NCC is breaking new ground with its plans.
“A number of Canadian and international cities have Wi-Fi zones,” he says.
“Where we become unique is in the variety of technologies we are using: the tablets, audio, video and QR codes. For the entire package, we’re probably the first.”