The municipality is using quick response codes to help to share interesting stories about the past.
In the Netherlands, the municipality and city of Vlissingen (Flushing) has now added QR codes to Bellamypark (Bellamy Park) in order to share seven videos and seven historical stories about the location with locals and tourists, alike.
Scanning the quick response codes directs the user to the official Zeeuwse Ankers tourism website.
From there, the QR codes will have guided them to the historical stories and the videos about that history so they can view them then or later on their smartphones or tablets. The initiative is designed to help to share more about the 700 year history of the city as well as of that specific part of it. A considerable portion of the content shared over the quick response codes is focused on the execution of Don Pacheco, the late-Medieval Spanish nobleman, as well as of author Annie MG Schmidt’s first work experience in the library, in addition to the young life of the poet Jacobus Bellamy, after whom the park was named.
The QR codes will provide an easy and cost effective way to unlock the historical secrets of the area.
Using quick response codes as a part of local tourism strategies is becoming increasingly commonplace due to the fact that they are easy to use and they rely on devices that are now being carried by the majority of tourists. They make it possible to use virtually any free scanning app in order to access information online.
Because they rely on the internet to provide their content, they are not limited to the small amount of space afforded by printed signage. In this way, tourists don’t have to settle for only a line or two about the history or significance of a location. Instead, they can enjoy full text write-ups of a story, in addition to audio, video and pictures that support the written content.
This particular QR codes project is linked to the Zeeland Anchors website which is a partnership of organizations focused on the area’s heritage, culture, landscape and tourism.
