Published: April 21, 2008 10:09 am      

GPS seen as tool for tourism industry

Getting around with the help of global positioning systems should become commonplace in the next five years, predicts Ron Aldom, executive director of Somerset County Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re looking at researching the GPS coordinates for Somerset County,” Aldom said.

“That’s going to be huge,” he added.

He envisions the use of GPS technology to be as prevalent in five years as cell phones are today.

“We’re encouraging our members to send us their GPS coordinates,” he said, adding that information will become part of the chamber’s printed materials.

It should be a big help in guiding visitors to the region’s many tourist sites, Aldom said.

GPS is a worldwide radio navigation system formed from a constellation of satellites and their ground stations. GPS uses these “man-made stars” as reference points to calculate positions accurate to a matter of meters.

With advanced forms of GPS, measurements can be made to better than a centimeter.

GPS receivers have been miniaturized to just a few integrated circuits and thus are becoming very economical, making the technology accessible to virtually everyone.

GPS is finding its way into cars, boats, planes, construction equipment, movie-making gear, farm machinery, laptop computers and more.

“Imagine, a satellite guiding you to desired locations,” Aldom said.

He emphasized that GPS will be in addition to other means in place for a person to find his or her way around the region.

Various hand-held computerized devices already are putting information immediately in the hands of visitors to the region, says Lisa M. Rager, executive director of Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Convention & Visitors Bureau at 416 Main St., downtown Johnstown.

Rager expects that scenario to continue and increase during the next five years.

Devices such as iPods and iPhones are allowing travelers to find out immediately where restaurants, plays, services and the like are in a community, she said.

She added this immediate access makes it imperative for those involved in tourism to be sure they have the information needed for travelers immediately available to them.

A traveler’s ability to obtain this information will decide where he or he goes, eats and the like, Rager said.

While Rager said technology is a great tool, she said there’s no substitute in the hospitality and tourism industries for good old-fashioned customer service.

Friendly people who are knowledgeable about their area are extremely important, she said.

Technology might get a person to the door, but once inside, there must be a good product, Rager said.

Aldom agrees.

“I’m convinced technology can only help us,” he said.

But it won’t change what the region has to offer, which he said is a complete menu of outdoor recreation – skiing, biking, kayaking, national parks and more.

“We (Somerset region) are an outdoor recreational destination,” Aldom said.