The EU project Aladdin aims to develop a mobile destination system that combines both the provision of a mobile incoming tour operator workspace and a mobile content and service management system for destinations. Through this, tour guides at the destination can provide a range of services to travellers, interact electronically with their back office and access information on arrivals, flights and accommodation, for example. Meanwhile, SMEs at the destination, such as restaurants, event organisers and tourist attractions can use the platform as a marketing channel to offer services and provide information to travellers in an attractive and accessible manner Aladdin provides incoming tour operators with a variety of services that help to improve their business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) businesses and to reduce processing time during the different phases of the incoming tourist life cycle. The implementation of the mobile workspace for incoming tour operators and the mobile leisure environment requires substantial development of new applications and services, as well as adaptation of existing solutions.
The Aladdin system is developed on the paradigm of a service-oriented architecture (SOA). This architecture, made up of different components and interconnections, stresses interoperability and location transparency of service providers and service customers. The interoperability is based on the ability of the Aladdin service to be invoked by any potential mobile or fixed client of the service.
Expected results and impacts Aladdin supports the participation of small/medium enterprise (SME) partners in the continuous process of innovation and technical adaptation that is demanded by the competitive European travel market. The project intensifies the international cooperation between SMEs and universities, and enables the SMEs to benefit directly from the Aladdin project outcome.
Research partners contribute with their scientific and technological research in order to improve their knowledge in an innovative, practical and tourist-related project.
With focus on the tourism market Aladdin aims to provide small-to-medium-sized travel organisations with an innovative mobile service and information platform to increase their business opportunities and lead them to a sustainable enhancement of their competitiveness.
A broad array of location-based and custom-tailored mobile information and services will be offered to tourists during their stay and tour guides at the destination will be supported efficiently in their daily work while using the mobile application of the Aladdin system. Furthermore Aladdin encourages local SMEs to contribute content and services for a mobile business marketplace at the destination by providing them with a new, easy-to-use and flexible marketing channel for their destination services and information.
Promising market In addition the so far non-existent competition in the area of mobile applications for tour guides opens a promising market for a standard that is supposed to assure the success of the Aladdin system beyond the co-operative research project. Thereby Aladdin will consider different usage scenarios, having in mind the variety of holiday types, such as culture, city or sun destination trips and different types of travellers, like business and leisure travellers in groups or as individuals. A detailed business analysis and specification carried out by the research partners of the project will be the basis for the final implementation of the Aladdin system.
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