Chamber unveils new app to catch travelers' eyes
By Ty Johnson
Published in News on December 19, 2011 1:46 PM
Renovations to the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce's 1904 building brought the old building to the present, but a Goldsboro-based software company is aiming to put the Chamber a few steps into the future.
In Touch is giving those visiting Goldsboro a powerful new tool when they're deciding where to eat and stay in town thanks to a collaborative effort between the Chamber and Goldsboro Travel and Tourism.
In Touch Wayne County, an application that can be downloaded to mobile phones, aims to put the power of information into the hands of tourists and visitors to Wayne County, although the program really puts the power in the hands of Travel and Tourism Director Betsy Rosemann. At least when it comes to attracting new events to the area.
"We can create more buzz," she said of events in Wayne County in the future. "It's focused on people who don't know our area and getting them information ahead of time and when they're here."
And that becomes a lucrative bargaining chip when it comes to competitive bidding for events like the ones Mrs. Rosemann intends to bring to the area, especially sporting events, as the app can be used to share information among the masses with minimal effort. Scores, schedules and more can be posted onto the application.
The app's debut was marked by the unveiling of a kiosk featuring a version of the program at the Chamber during the organization's Holiday Mixer Thursday night, which also served as the grand opening for the completely renovated Chamber office. Similar kiosks will be placed in hotels across the area and in the Paramount Theatre in downtown Goldsboro.
Members of the In Touch team were on hand for the event to demonstrate the product, which is being used exclusively in Wayne County. Plans to expand the application to other markets are in the works, but Goldsboro native Mike Smith wanted the product to benefit his hometown first.