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Travel embracing online gaming to enhance visitor experience

December 14, 2011 | Online Travel

Among the more popular approaches are scavenger hunts that have been modernized through mobile technology to create a more engaging and dynamic way for travelers to explore a destination.

One of the firms putting its unique twist on this approach is WhaiWhai, an Italy-based company that has developed an interactive game for such cities as Rome, Venice, Florence and Milan. Claiming that, “any city can become the setting for an adventure where you are the hero,” the company produces guidebooks comprised of jumbled short stories that can be deciphered when you receive clues through text messages and respond to a special number with the correct answer. Built around the legends, history and events of a destination, as you solve the riddles you’re given more clues and information which help to educate and lead you around the city. The game comes in standard and customized versions that can be adjusted for duration of play and difficulty. Originally developed as a paper product, their latest version for Manhattan is available electronically from the iPhone App Store.

Taking a similar approach is the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based company Stray Boots, offering interactive gaming tours for 13 U.S. cities, including New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Seattle. Users sign up on the company’s website and receive their special code and game instructions via text message, then navigate through the city utilizing their cell phone’s GPS. You’re challenged to find landmarks, take photos and answer trivia. You can even type in “hint” if you find yourself stuck or “skip” to move ahead. As you complete the challenges you’ll earn points, making it easy to compete with friends and other travelers. A typical game lasts two to three hours, and each scavenger hunt costs about $12.

For those interested in creating your own version of a scavenger hunt, look to companies like SCVNGR, which offers a builder program that allows you to build treks for venues and events. That’s the route taken by VisitNorfolk (Virginia) which deployed its own SCVNGR treks to help visitors explore the city’s Ghent neighborhood and beyond. The platform enables location-based questions, riddles and other game-like activities all designed to highlight the unique aspects of the destination.

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