THE CHALLENGE
THE CHALLENGERichmond County Tourism Development Authority needed a way to promote tourism and local interaction in a more user friendly format. “We had an initial marketing and branding study done, and part of that outcome was a need for a county brochure and tourism office that provided information about Richmond County,” said Richmond County Tourism Development Authority Executive Director, Kelly Chance. “I did some research and wanted to take it a step further and see what we could do with technology.”
THE SOLUTION
Richmond County Tourism Development Authority worked with Meridian to create a wayfinding solution for visitors and locals. Meridian deployed Mzero InterAct on indoor and outdoor kiosks throughout Richmond County, NC. InterAct is Meridian’s highly configurable, easy to use, interactive digital signage software application. The InterAct software allows Richmond County to feature local dining spots, hotels, attractions and entertainment. Each listing can display photos, videos, an interactive map and written content. The software solution is installed on Meridian’s Presenza kiosks, which offer interactive touch screens for easy interaction with digital information.The installment includes three outdoor models located at the Richmond Plaza Shopping Center, the Rockingham Dragway and the Hamlet Depot, as well as twelve indoor models placed throughout Rockingham, Hamlet, Ellerbe and Hoffman, NC. The Richmond County Tourism Development Authority also has a mobile unit for promoting local attractions at events outside of the county.
THE RESULTS
The interactive kiosks provide Richmond County with a new way to engage tourists and connect locals by promoting events, shops, restaurants and attractions. “We’ve already had great success,” said Chance. The solution was unveiled in October when city and county officials, members of the Chamber of Commerce and the Tourism Authority cut a ceremonial ribbon on Richmond County’s new interactive kiosk system at Richmond Plaza Shopping Center. “We’ve just finished the process of getting the community conscious of the kiosks,” said Chance. “We’re now in the process of moving to the next step and offering more opportunities for advertisement.” Richmond County plans to add interactive kiosks to more locations later this year with hopes to further expand the initiative.