What’s claimed to be the world’s first satellite tour guide has been launched in South Africa.
Aimed at the estimated market of at least 500,000 self-drive tourists visiting the country each year, the virtual tour guide is activated by GPS satellite technology.
Called SmartGuide, the virtual tour guide is an on-board mini-computer which is activated at places of interest to give historical or regional information as well as travel directions. A commentary is heard over the car’s sound system.
SmartGuide is the brainchild of electronics engineer and guesthouse owner Brian Segal who got the idea after helping guests with tourist route directions. “After numerous hand-drawn maps of scenic routes and attractions off the beaten track I realized I could use my engineering skills to develop a tourism product that could be very useful to self-drive visitors," said Segal.
The invention has the endorsement of South African Tourism, KwaZulu Tourism and Durban Tourism and was showcased at Indaba with delegates being able to sample the system installed in conference shuttle buses.
So far the system is plotted for routes in the Western Cape and Garden Route but Segal plans to extend the system’s reach over all major tourist routes in South Africa by the end of this year.
SmartGuide will be distributed through major car rental agencies, including Budget and Europcar, guesthouses and hotels, including Protea President Hotel and Holiday Inn, and provincial tourist authorities including Cape Town Tourism.
Segal said the system was available to self-drive visitors at a cost of R89 a day, including VAT and insurance. He added that there were sufficient supplies of the virtual guide to satisfy current demand but production could be ratcheted up at short notice if required.