Former park ranger designs tourism app
Former council park ranger has launched an iPhone app to guide tourists around Liverpool.
Larry Murphy first came up with the idea of a push-button interactive guide to his home city several years ago, but had to wait for the technology to catch up.
In April, he left his job with Liverpool City Council to found App Tours UK in April and to start work on the project.
The local history enthusiast teamed up with Liverpool-based software developer Red Ninja – and this month they launched the Liverpool Tourism Guide App onto Apple’s App Store.
The app includes information on more than 180 places of interest in the city, an events guide and tours of the city.
The tour is available in English, Spanish and Chinese.
Mr Murphy said: “I’ve had plans for this for seven or eight years, but there was never the technology there to do what I wanted to do.
“It needed to be in people’s hands, rather than on some sort of CD-ROM. It needed to be something people could carry round.
“So I sat on the idea for a while.
“Then my job changed. I was a park ranger and used to do guided tours around the city’s green spaces. But I went to housing management, and then ended up working for the city centre management team for the council. That built up my experience and contacts.
“While I was there, I saw the idea for Liverpool Discovers. It gave me the idea that we should be putting information in a different way.”
Mr Murphy met Lee Omar, of Liverpool developer Red Ninja, who helped him create the app.
Mr Omar said: “We moved on from the original idea of having snippets of information about sites around the city.
“We put ourselves in the shoes of a visitor to Liverpool. They want real-time listings and information on where they can find food, hotels or transport.
“It’s really important that it’s been developed locally.”
The £1.99 app will soon be available for Android users, and a BlackBerry version will be available later this year.
Mr Murphy said: “The reception so far has been absolutely wonderful. We’ve had some really good reviews on the app store. We’re in the top 50 travel apps in the world.
“It’s absolutely wonderful working for myself. I still see the people I used to work with in the city centre team, because they are now looking at me as one of the main tourism people who can help get people to the city.”
Keith Blundell, head of tourism at Liverpool City Council, said: “We are pleased to be working with App Tours UK and using the latest technology to help visitors discover this thriving, modern destination.
“In supporting a local company who have produced the app, we are maximising the value of tourism to the city’s economy and demonstrating that success in the future will be built on new and innovative partnerships.”
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