HawaiiGaga.com, a travel website that showcases the best of Hawaii and its amenities, is pushing the new Maui GPS Tour Guide – a virtual tour guide “that talks to vacationers as they drive around Maui.”
Yes, smartphones are replacing humans in yet another entirely new industry.
Using the GPS built into the iPhone or iPad 3G, the Tour Guide knows exactly where travelers are and alerts them to hidden beaches, scenic attractions and hikes, and also tells them about the island’s history, geography and unique plants and animals.
According to the official press releasing touting the upcoming release of the Maui GPS Tour Guide, this new new offering is the first iPhone application of its kind available to Maui visitors.
Although it isn’t yet clear if or how this mobile platform will be used to generate mobile ad revenue, the opportunity to do so is powerfully tangible. For users of the app, however, the vital functions provided are equally as tangible.
“Imagine having a Maui expert drive with you to tell you about the island,” says HawaiiGaga.com developer Cathy Pretorius. “The Tour Guide helps visitors locate difficult-to-find attractions, but also educates them about sensitive eco systems, ocean safety, and areas popularized by guide books but are considered ‘Kapu.'”
Based on the information presented in the app’s official announcement, the Tour Guide in question is broken into 5 Tours (small fees apply to each, with a bundled pricing backage available): West Maui, Central Maui, South Maui, Haleakala, and the Hana Highway.
“Combined, they cover the entire island and include the many historic sites of Lahaina, the highway beyond Kapalua, all the attractions of the Hana highway, including the highway past Hana, Haleakala National Park and the sounds of some endangered birds found in the region, Iao Valley, and the many snorkeling sites and beaches of South Maui,” the company says.
The Maui GPS Tour Guide is on track to be released next Friday, July 8th.
