INESC TEC project promotes interactive visits to the city of Porto
Tourists visiting the city of Porto can now know its history, monuments and historical characters in a leisurely way through an INESC TEC project, the TravelPlot Porto, developed by Soraia Ferreira, a collaborator at the Telecommunications and Multimedia Unit (UTM).
29th June 2012
The TravelPlot Port is an innovative and interactive project that allows tourists to visit Porto in an interactive way. The project provides multiple platforms - including an iPhone app, a Website, a map, live events and social networks (YouTube, Twitter and Pinterest) – and it is a kind of unconventional tour guide that helps you explore the city.
The history the TravelPlot Porto is divided into nine chapters which correspond to historical events that took place at the city of Porto. Each chapter corresponds to a "story line" on the map and each of the 42 historical locations corresponds to a 'stop'. Using the analogy of subway maps, you can choose any line and get off at any stop. The concept is innovative in that it allows visitors to know the city through a treasure hunt. Therefore, visitors will enjoy a personalised trip around the city.
Tourists can also find places according to their preferences and interests: a cruise on the Douro River, wine tasting experiences and the cuisine offered by the partners associated with the project are just some of the experiences allowed by TravelPlot Porto.
This project was developed by Soraia Ferreira as part of her PhD thesis entitled “Location Based Transmedia Storytelling: Enhancing the Tourism Experience”. In addition to being a researcher at INESC TEC, Soraia Ferreira is also a lecturer at the University of Porto in the Advanced Digital Media Programme, a project with the participation of the University of Texas at Austin (USA).
The TravelPlot Porto is also a social responsibility project as it has joined the initiative "Um Lugar Pró Joãozinho". The mission of this project is to build a new pediatrics wing at the S. João Hospital in Porto. Partners Douro Azul, Vinhas d'Alho and Porto com Arte will help by donating one Euro to the "Um Lugar Pró Joãozinho" cause for each purchase related to the TravelPlot Porto project.
The TravelPlot Porto will take place from July 17 to September 9, 2012. For more information go to TravelPlot.
Photo Credits: TravelPlot