AIM-IT to launch first PDA Navigation Guide for Lebanon
2 July 2007 in News, Featured, AIM-IT by Wayan Vota
The AIM-IT program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the International Executive Service Corps (IESC), in collaboration with Lebanon’s Ministry of Tourism and Federation of Touristic Syndicates, is launching the first PDA Navigation Guide to tourism and eco-tourism sites in Lebanon, on July 10 at the Ministry of Tourism
The PDA Navigation Guide fully utilizes the power of ICT to increase the competitiveness of rural tourism by encouraging tourists discover landmarks and natural beauty hidden in rural and remote areas of Lebanon. The PDA Guide to tourism provides hand held digitized maps of Lebanon with directions and guidance to over 11,000 Points of Interests across Lebanon.
Upon launching the new GPS enabled portable guide to tourism in Lebanon, USAID / IESC, in collaboration with Federation of Touristic Syndicates, will distribute 70 PDA Navigation Guides to select tourism establishments in order to loan and distribute, free of charge, to tourists visiting Lebanon.
Increasing Access to Eco-Tourism in Lebanon
Lebanon’s rural eco-tourism sites represent a great tourism attraction for international tourists visiting Lebanon. In the last few years, across many countries, the international tourists have increased their interests in discovering rural eco-tourism sites. Lebanon is a country that is naturally blessed by having many tourism and eco-tourism sites of great diversity.
The PDA Navigation Guide will help tourists access the many attractive tourism sites hidden in remote and rural areas of Lebanon. In addition to helping tourists find undiscovered eco-tourism sites, the PDA Guide will help tourists access the rural businesses operating in the vicinity of the eco-tourism site. Once at the touristic attraction, the tourists can use the nearby search module in the PDA Guide in order to find all the nearby businesses.
As a result of the increased visibility to tourists, the tourism establishments and the small businesses operating in rural communities will gain additional sources of income, helping them attain sustainable operations.
Papou Coulibaly is young boutique owner in Ouélessébougou. Previously, Geekcorps partnered with Papou to create a Cybertigi - an Internet access point for the local community via a wireless link to a Community Information & Learning Center (CLIC).