What is the TourIST Project?

The TourISt project was selected by the European Commission to test and demonstrate best regional practice in using information and communications technology to strengthen the economic benefit of tourism and marketing — in Hampshire and six other European partners in Madeira (Portugal), Kemi Tornio (Finland), Aosta Valley (Italy), Vδsterbotten (Sweden), Burgenland (Austria) and Guadeloupe (France).

The project will last two years and will become a European-wide blueprint for interactive information and communications services for tourism, hotels and supporting leisure and business services.

Hotels in Hampshire

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What will it involve?

A series of inter-related strands of work —

1. Tourism & Information Management & Communications System — developing and testing an "intranet" system to enhance effectiveness of links between tourism professionals; and to improve services to customers (Back Office systems).
2. Public Access Services — to develop a public access interface to the Back Office Tourist Information and Management System through 24-hour public access terminals and through the Internet.
3. The Internet as a Marketing, Information & Trading Service — testing and developing the use of the Internet and other media as an interactive marketing and trading service to promote and sell local and Hampshire-wide tourism products and services.
4. Integrated Tourism and Travel Information — enhancing and developing current technology (e.g. TRIPlanner terminals) and developing new services to provide real time integrated travel and tourist information services, including public transport timetables, traffic information, route guidance, etc.
5. Thematic/Special Interest Tourist Trails and Packages — testing the use of information technology to support marketing and provision of special interest or theme holidays with Hampshire (e.g. golfing tours; military heritage).
6. Booking, Reservation and Payment Systems — researching, developing and testing pilot booking, reservation and payment services via e.g. the Internet, E-mail to fax.
7. Meeting Training Needs - identifying priority needs; developing and evaluation solutions, particularly for SMEs involved in the tourism industry in Hampshire. Enabling people at all levels to exploit to the full the use technologies available.
8. Integrated Information & Communications Services - developing pilot applications for "seamless" access to wider information services, e.g. business services, environment, distance learning.
9. TourISt Project Evaluation — developing and implementing assessment and measurement processes (qualitative and quantitative, social acceptance, economic benefits) for "before", "during" and "after" TourISt.
10. Market Investigations — drawing from existing research and undertaking market surveys to define user needs: tourists; SMTEs; local authorities; tour operators; tourist information centres, etc.

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Your involvement?

You can get involved in TourISt at a number of levels:

1. Participating as a pilot site for one or more of the above work packages (or part work package)*;
2. Providing input about local needs and feedback on pilot actions (a "user" role);
3. Exchanging information about current local actions or knowledge of wider UK/European IT developments in the tourism industry: best practice; learning; prospective developments of interest, etc.
4. Receiving regular project updates on TourISt pilot developments, learning and results.

* We are likely to be looking for around 2 or 3 pilot sites

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What's the timetable?

The TourISt project is starting now! The overall timetable for the key stages of the project is:

Stage 1A

Confirm partnerships, working arrangements, business plans, deliverables. (by September 1997)

Stage 1B

Define user requirements, preliminary pilot trials; develop specifications for full pilots; preparatory work for implementation and evaluation. (by October 1997)

Stage 2

Implementation; training; evaluation of individual pilot actions. (by September 1998)

Stage 3

Project Evaluation. (by December 1998)

Stage 4

Marketing/publicity; disseminate results. (by March 1999)

Stage 5

Proposals for transfer of TourISt "model" into other sectors. (by March 1999)

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What next?

• By end June — Let us know if you would like to participate in the TourISt project; and if so, the kind of involvement you would like to have (see "Your involvement" above);
• Ideally, give us feedback on existing local actions relating to the TourISt project
• During July — If you would like to be involved, we will work with you to define outline work package tasks and associated resource/timetable requirements for your areas of interest; and "sign up" local partnerships.
• At the end of September — We will hold a "start-up" project partners meeting. Purpose? To finalise work packages, contributions, timetables and deliverables. Also, to have the opportunity to hear about interesting national/international initiatives relating to information technology in the tourism industry.
• September/October — Pilot work starts!

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Who to contact?

For further information; or to feedback your interest in the TourISt Project; or to exchange information on relevant projects, please contact either:

Sue Faulkner, TourISt Project Manager (tel 01962-846868), e-mail tourist@mail1.hants.gov.uk
OR
Amanda Vaughan, Project Assistant (tel 01962-845392), e-mail tourist@mail1.hants.gov.uk

or you may write to us at:
Elizabeth II Court (Room 301), The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8US, England

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