Trinity is looking to develop a new app to provide tourists with self-guided tours of its city-centre campus.
The Irish Times reported yesterday that College plans to spend €150,000 on the project.
In a tender document, Trinity invited potential contractors to pitch plans for “an integrated platform,” that “should manage and deploy user-friendly, engaging, interactive and informative content to users.”
The deadline for applications is May 12th.
The app comes as part of a “campus-wide plan” to revitalise tourism after a year of lost income as a result of the pandemic.
According to the Irish Times, the plan states the College “is rethinking the modes through which we commoditise visitor interactions, and to channel opportunities for additional promotions and additional spend in relevant ways”.
The app will include both free and paid services and will provide “self-guided tours” of the campus. It will also allow for tourists to book accommodation, buy gift shop merchandise and promote on-campus restaurants, as well as paid for and free live virtual tours and exhibitions.
The closure of the exhibition, which was announced as the rest of College came to a shut on the March 10th last year, was originally predicted to cost Trinity in the region of €3 million.
The exhibition reopened last summer, with tourists having to book online and entry on a timed basis at a maximum of 25 people per half hour. It subsequently closed again due to government restrictions.
Last week, the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) expressed frustration at the university for reopening the campus to tourists during undergraduate students’ exam period.
In a tweet, TCDSU President Eoin Hand said: “This is something I have been trying to postpone until after the exam period. Disappointed this couldn’t be agreed.”
The Book of Kells exhibition will open to visitors from Monday, with tickets available online.
Guests must wear face coverings, with the exception of children under the age of 13 as well as those with special needs.
The Irish government continues to advise against all unnecessary travel, with tourism not currently a valid reason to travel to Dublin.
Additionally, passengers arriving must either pay for a 14-day stay in a quarantine hotel or, depending on their country of origin, can self-isolate at a place of residence.
