The editors of ConventionSouth magazine, a national multimedia resource for planning events held within the South, officially announced their 2014 list of “The South’s Best Destination Apps and Mobile Sites,” and Greater Gadsden Area Tourism’s travel app was one of those chosen.
These travel apps and mobile sites were selected by ConventionSouth’s editorial team for offering meeting/event attendees the ability to easily navigate the destination as well as trust the information to be accurate.
The complete list of selected destinations with apps and/or mobile sites will be featured in the magazine’s March issue.
“We are very happy to receive this news,” said Greater Gadsden Area Tourism Executive Director Hugh Stump
“We have worked hard to create a travel app that is not only valuable to visitors, but also to our local citizens.”
The app is available free for both iPhone and Android smartphones. Search “Gadsden, AL” in the applicable app store and look for the distinctive “Double G” logo that brands the app.
To select the list, editors requested nominations from destinations across 16 states in the Southeast as well as D.C. and the Caribbean.
From the nominations and research, editors then downloaded dozens of official destination travel apps and logged on to mobile-friendly websites using iPhone 4S smartphones.
Each app or mobile site was then categorized by destination size in order to compare apps/mobile sites of similar-sized destinations. Destination size categories include state/country, first-tier destinations, second-tier destinations and third-tier destinations. Within each category, apps/mobile sites were judged based on several factors, including GPS and mapping features, content geared for travelers and attendees, user friendliness, unique features and visual appeal.
“There are thousands of online travel resources available, however, official destination apps and mobile sites provide meeting attendees with a trusted, easy-to-use tool while they’re in town for a convention or event,” said ConventionSouth editor Marlane Bundock.
“The meeting planners who read ConventionSouth can feel confident in recommending these apps and mobile sites to attendees, because while they may be free, they provide accurate information directly from each destination’s official tourism bureau.”