SmartGuide application in the Republic of Moldova
About this good practice
Many tourists face challenges with limited guides, scattered information, and the cost or inflexibility of traditional tours. The SmartGuide app turns your phone into a real-time personal guide, offering high-quality maps, audio guides, and rich insights, allowing you to explore freely, anytime, anywhere—without worrying about schedules or language barriers.
With SmartGuide, tourists can explore independently with interactive, informative content right on their smartphone or tablet. Access rich insights about attractions like museums, monuments, and markets in real time, making every journey through Moldova effortless and captivating.
The SmartGuide app brings value to a wide range of stakeholders, enhancing tourism experiences while boosting local businesses and cultural institutions.
Key Stakeholders:
• Local authorities & tourism organizations promoting destinations and improve visitor experiences.
• Museums, guides & tour operators showcasing cultural heritage with interactive tours.
• Local businesses gaining visibility and attracting more customers.
Who Benefits?
• Tourists by personalized, immersive tours for all interests.
• Businesses & cultural institutions by increased visibility & engagement.
• Travel agencies by enhanced tour packages promoting Moldova.
• SmartGuide makes exploration seamless, supporting both travelers and the local economy!
Resources needed
The SmartGuide tourist platform, featuring 400 attractions across 13 Moldovan districts and two cultural-tourist routes, was developed for 39758.00 USD through a project by Moldova's Investment Agency, supported by the Czech Innovation Fund and UNDP.
Evidence of success
In the first quarter of 2024, Moldova saw a 22.3% rise in tourism, with 54.4 thousand visitors. This growth is linked to the increasing use of mobile apps promoting the country's attractions. Ten tourism providers trained to create digital content for the SmartGuide app were awarded 500 euros for their top-performing attractions just a month after its launch.
Potential for learning or transfer
The SmartGuide app is a powerful, adaptable tool for tourism, with huge potential for global use. Easy to implement, it enhances experiences in rural tourism, ecotourism, gastronomy, events, virtual museums, and more. Users can explore history, culture, and geography through engaging audio guides for key landmarks, available in multiple languages to break down barriers for international tourists. The app can even satisfy the needs of people with disabilities, providing personalized city guidance through voice and text-to-speech tech. Beyond tourism, SmartGuide is a cost-effective, eco-friendly digital guide, though it requires stable internet and regular content updates to remain effective.
Further information
Good practice owner
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