Accor launches digital travel guides

The days of the map wielding, guide book toting tourist are numbered, with Accor Hotels’ ‘Sydney iPod guide’ arriving to take travel guides in to the digital age, exclusive to guests staying at selected Accor hotels in Sydney.

The portable city guide presented on the latest Apple iPod touch contains videos, maps and photographic content designed to provide both leisure and business travellers with the best insight into the city.  Normally available to rent for $20 per day, selected Accor hotels are offering their guests a special introductory price of just $10 per day with any overnight stay. 

The Accor Hotels ‘Stay and see Sydney on iPod’ package prices are available at the following Sydney hotels for stays until 29 February 2008:

Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour from $309 per night*

Novotel Rockford Darling Harbour from $299 per night*

Mercure Sydney from $219 per night*

Hotel Ibis Darling Harbour from $249 per night*

(*Valid for stays until 29 February 2008 at above participating hotels.  Rates are based on a limited allocation of rooms and are subject to availability.  All rates are per night single, twin or double occupancy in a standard room and include daily rental of a Sydney iPod guide.)

To book your Accor Hotels ‘Stay and see Sydney on iPod’ package visit www.accorhotels.com.au or phone 1300 65 65 65.

The hotels offer an ideal base from which to explore some of Sydney’s premier tourism precincts including Darling Harbour, Chinatown and CBD shopping areas. 

Unlike guide books, whose information is obsolete the moment they hit the shelves, information on the Accor ‘Sydney Ipod guide’ is continually and easily updated into categories such as: arts & architecture, attractions, casual dining, fine dining, city life, entertainment, getting around, keeping fit, museums, nightlife, shopping, walking tours, maps and photographs.

The digital guide contains a series of short films reviewing popular restaurants and bars as well as profiling some local secrets including shopping destinations, beaches and walking trails and the best way to access them by public transport. All content is free from advertising and put together by a team of locals.

As well as leisure attractions, the travel guide also includes practical information for business travellers such as tips on where/how to stay fit whilst away from home.

It also has a number of other advantages over a traditional travel guide including video previews of suggested destinations, specially developed maps with zoom and movement functions and Wifi access, allowing users to tap in to local networks to access their email or surf the web.

A Report by The Mole