The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) on Wednesday (November 24), launched the new tourist mobile app called ‘Xplore Jamaica’.

Those residing in Jamaica and those visiting the island can now use the Xplore Jamaica app to access information on the different licensed and coronavirus (COVID-19)-compliant tourist entities within the six resort areas.

The app can be accessed on the Google Play store and will soon be available to IOS users.

Available in nine languages, the app can be used as a travel guide and a cost estimator, it can also be used to share comments and reactions through a complete travel blog. Xplore Jamaica also allows one to view restaurants and shops in the surrounding area.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett lauded TPDCo’s efforts and achievement with tapping into the technological world, detailing that with the Covid-19 pandemic, access to information has become even more important.

“I applaud TPDCo for its efforts to tap into this technological era and revolution, where Gen-Z, in particular, is keen on working smart and not hard, and expect to find all they need at the click of a button and with all the necessary features available,” Bartlett said. He added that the app provides a technical solution to minimize interactions at all ports of entry and aid TPDCo’s information officers in providing quick and accurate information to those visiting.

Bartlett said maintenance for the app will cost approximately $500,000. In addition to this, there are also costs associated with the use of internal professionals.

Wade Mars, executive director at TPDCo, commented on how efficient the mobile app will allow them to be, noting that its existence will not affect the value in the quality of service provided.

“This mobile app will not take away the value of quality of our services, instead it will allow us to be more responsive and will give our guests the opportunity to connect with the destination even more,” Mars said.

He also highlighted that there has been a steady inclusion of technology in the tourism industry, which was once heavily dependent on physical interaction.