There has been a lot of work done in the mobile app arena with regards to delivering content to mobile devices such as the iPod Touch, iPhone and Google Android platforms as well as Blackberries and other mobile devices.

We're contacted often about mobile apps and how they may be able to assist in providing tourism operators and sightseeing companies another opportunity to deliver content while creating new revenue. In most cases, the deployment of mobile apps is not something we recommend for people looking to create a single revenue source from these types of deployments.  

So we'd like to debunk that myth that mobile apps are going to create gobs of money for your coffers. 

The reason is the business model is not sustainable in any meaningful way. Unless you plan on creating mobile apps for destinations around the globe, the revenue created by the distribution of apps will not support your business financially in the short, medium or long-term. 

In fact, we have turned down projects because we did not want to be involved in the development of mobile applications that would ultimately lead to the failure of a new business focused on creating a viable business model from the sale of apps for a walking tour in a destination. 

Mobile apps are gaining success with museums and cultural organizations because they are using mobile applications as a way to reach new audiences, to engage, entertain, educate and involve visitors in interactive experiences. 
 
If you are looking to create a mobile app in your destination we recommend that your strategy compliments other areas of business, used to reach new audiences close to home and from afar. Mobile apps are great for reaching new audiences, increasing engagement while improving the quality of the visitor experience. 

Additionally, mobile apps are used to create new opportunities for social interaction within the context of the musuem experience (for example). Social media tools such as Twitter, FaceBook, and Flickr involve visitors in a social experience, to be shared with friends and family as well as a larger cultural community.  This goes beyond museum walls with the potential to engage people with memorable content regardless of their geographic location. 

But as we always say, it's not about the technology, it's about the experience. It's critically important that content is a key consideration in terms of the experience you're planning to provide. 

There are many converstations happening in musuems and cultural organizations in terms of how to best engage vistors with engaging experiences that create new opportunities for sharing and connecting with visitors on many levels - and beyond social media. 

Some of these resources include conversations such as Twitters from MoMA's "What features would you like in an museum iPhone app?", Museum Mobile and Blogs like experienceology to name a few. 

But where does this leave you in terms of how mobile apps fit into your content distribution strategy? A few sightseeing operators are using mobile apps to provide walking tours in their destinations. But their strategy was not to create a viable business model that saw profits pouring in from Apple iTunes. They are using walking tour apps as a way to extend their reach and their brand off the bus or boat. Or conversely, to attract new visitors from their walking tour apps onto their buses (for example). 

If you're looking to create a significant return on your investment with mobile apps for your sightseeing business, we'd make the recommendation that you evaluate your goals and objectives. If new revenue is the only reason for creating a new walking tour, then you will likely be dissappointed with the resulting Return on Investment ("ROI"). In summary, if the only goal is more cash in the bank, we suggest looking for other ways to create the next big revenue generator.