COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 13, 2023

QUESTION NO.8

QUESTION: Councillor Lyn Hagin Meade

To ask the Manager if an augmented reality (using smartphone interface) historic tour project, like the historic Dublin Discovery Trails in Dublin's Docklands has been considered for development of SDCC tourism and SMART City programme?

REPLY:

The Smart Dublin initiative was founded by Dublin’s four local authorities with a goal to future proof the Dublin region by trailing and scaling innovative solutions to a wide range of local challenges. Within that framework, the Smart Tourism Initiative was established to focus on introducing new technology and supporting innovation in the tourism industry in Dublin.

South Dublin County Council has been involved in the Smart Tourism initiative, contributing in particular on two work streams: Data and Insights, and Digital Trails. The work on the latter included developing a digital trail toolkit with Fáilte Ireland, which is designed help identify best practice for destination and businesses who wish to develop digital trails. Experience from the early work done on the South Dublin County Heritage Trail app (https://www.dublinsoutdoors.ie/apps/ ) contributed to the knowledgebase for this toolkit.

The recently launched ‘Discover Dublin Docklands’ using a new augmented reality app to help visitors experience the history of that location, is the first trail developed as a result of the work Smart Tourism initiative did on digital trails. The Dublin Discovery trails is built on a platform which can accommodate other trails as they are developed. South Dublin County Council has shown interest in this new technology subject to funding and will monitor the development and success of the new platform closely.