New mobile website caters to both visitors and locals

By Dave Fidlin | Downtown News

The San Diego Tourism Authority’s official website took on a dual persona last month with the launch of a mobile version that has a layout different from the traditional desktop version.

Desktop web surfers will continue to see many of the previous features on the tourism authority’s website, sandiego.org. But mobile handheld users will have a slightly different experience on the new m.sandiego.org site.

Both versions of the SDTA’s website have information on hotels, attractions, restaurants, transportation and tours throughout the San Diego area.

The new mobile site is not to be confused with an app, though it does have some of the same features handheld users have come to expect from apps. Users of smartphones, tablets and other handheld devices can access the new mobile site through a web browser. Navigation is made simple through “back” and “home” options and users can venture to the SDTA’s regular website with one click.

Kathleen Kubota, the tourism authority’s senior director of marketing services, said the mobile site has been in the planning stages for about a year. The actual building process began four months ago.

“We ran into a couple of issues early on, but once all the obstacles were moved out of the way, I think the turn-around on this was pretty quick,” Kubota said.

Joe Terzi, president and CEO of the SDTA, said in a press release that development of the mobile site was based on data. He asserted about 25 percent of the tourism authority’s traffic comes from handheld devices.

“We had to create a sleek, seamless connection to travelers on the go,” Terzi said in the release. “Now, with the swipe of a finger, San Diego visitors can book a hotel room, discover what restaurants, attractions and activities are nearby and even create a ‘favorites’ page.”

An estimated 7 million people visit the SDTA’s website annually.

While the bulk of SDTA’s marketing efforts are geared toward the more than 32 million people visiting the greater San Diego area each year across the globe, Kubota said the information is also beneficial to locals looking to seek out leisure options in the future.

“People use our websites in different ways and for different reasons,” she said.

Regardless of whether a person is a local or visitor, Kubota said the split versions of the SDTA’s website are aimed at meeting people’s different needs.

“We wanted to be able to reach people who were on the go with quick bites of information,” she said. “The mobile app is truncated and doesn’t have the robust content you’ll find on our (desktop) site.”

The mobile site has more interactive features than the traditional desktop site. Once a user logs onto m.sandiego.org, he or she is prompted to share their exact location. The intent, Kubota said, is to give visitors information on venues and amenities that are in close proximity.

“I think the ‘what’s nearby’ feature will be really helpful – especially to visitors,” Kubota said. “It has mapping capabilities, and it can help people figure out restaurant options and use other types of search features.”

Plans also call for the mobile site to feature exclusive offers from member businesses and organizations. A mobile user will be able to show electronic coupons on his or her handheld device without printing them.

The tourism authority enlisted the services of mobiManage, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based software development company specializing in mobile websites and apps. The SDTA mobile site was developed through the use of Sitecore, a Microsoft .NET CMS platform.

The SDTA has more than 1,000 active member organizations. The new mobile site will allow them much more flexibility with their marketing efforts and special offers aimed at customers on the go, and they will be able to publish content directly onto the traditional and mobile sites through an extranet feature.

While SDTA staff and members and mobiManage officials worked out a number of bugs before the official launch of the mobile site, Kubota said it remains a work in progress.

“Our intent is to roll out more features and enhance the mobile site over time,” she said. “We’re hoping this will be a great resource.”

Editor’s Note: The author of this piece decided to do a test of m.sandiego.org. Here are his results:

Using my handheld device — an Android smartphone — this reporter recently tried out SDTA’s new mobile site.

During the “test drive,” which was done during peak midday hours, I did not have any difficulty navigating the site. All of the information loaded quickly and there weren’t any noticeable bugs.

The mobile site clearly has a number of tabs under such headings as “What’s Nearby,” “Discover San Diego,” “What to Do” and “Where to Stay.”

I chose to click on a tab labeled “Events” and appreciated the depth of information available. At the touch of a button, I could locate information on walking tours, museum exhibits, lectures and an assortment of other events taking place in the immediate and distant future.

Throughout the site, handheld users have opportunities to filter their searches by date, region and category. “Interactive” was a word that quickly came to mind as I browsed.

My 10-minute visit to the mobile site was a pleasant, informative and expeditious experience.

For more information about the San Diego Tourism Authority, find them on Facebook as “Visit San Diego,” follow them on Twitter at @visitsandiego, visit their website, sandiego.org or on your handheld, try out the new m.sandiego.org.

Dave Fidlin has been a professional journalist for more than a dozen years. Throughout his career, he has contributed to a variety of newspapers, magazines and websites across the nation. He has a special affinity for San Diego and its people. Contact him at [email protected]

Key Features of m.sandiego.org

Offers – redeemable coupons
Favorites – build a list of activities
Events – around SD County
What’s Nearby – dropdowns of places in immediate vicinity
Discover San Diego – info about surrounding areas
What to Do – attractions, arts, beaches, cruises, parks, sports
Where to Stay – you can search and even book
Plan your Trip – travel guides and visitor information