Business Model

After the launch of the “Bucharest - Play the story” game, INCDT plans to develop and launch the mobile application with the same name. With this mobile application we intend to create a different tourism experience that addresses to visitors that are willing to take the challenge of discovering the city of Bucharest in a different way.

• INCDT is the initiator of the game and it will be the link between different partners involved.
• Bucharest City Municipality will have the role to promote the game application after launching and to facilitate the communication with other public institution.
• Tourism services like restaurants, travel agencies, hotels can be promoted through the application and can then support the application through sponsorship.
• Tourism assets like: the National Museum of Art of Romania, the Romanian Athenaeum, Romanian Patriarchy, Old Court Museum, the Manuc Inn - are directly involved in the game. They will provide useful information, interesting stories, necessary for the development of the app. They will promote the app after launch. They will help develop the application by supporting the award system for participants.
• The Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Culture will promote the app and will facilitate the communication with other public institution.

Study the impact of "Bucharest - Play the story" -on-line version and analyze the competition

The data provided by the Facebook page of the game will be analyzed (game insights): page views, actions on page likes, page followers, post engagements, reach, reviews. The information is needed to correctly identify the characteristics and dimensions of the target group.

A competition's analysis study will also be conducted to identify the main applications that use games as a means to promote tourism and cultural objectives, of the promotional activities related to these applications, and of the interaction with the players. Bucharest tourist guidance applications will also be spotted as well as other board games that promote Bucharest (ex: Questo – game app to explore different cities).

Following these research we will answer the next questions:

• Why is this game successful?
• What is its rank and has it been consistent?
• Why do people want this game? (Look at the reviews, posts, etc.)
• Does this game provoke an impulse buy?
• Does this game meet any of my needs?
• Did I become a fan after trying it?
• Will the customer use it again?
• How are they marketing to their customers? (Check out the screenshots, icon design, and descriptions.)
• What is the competitive advantage of this game?

Build a partnership between different stakeholders

Creating and maintaining a partnership both in the preparation phase and in the phase that will follow the launching of the application is absolutely necessary to ensure the application's sustainability. The partnership will be involved in creating / developing the game, promoting it and developing the idea of gaming for tourist purposes.

Develop a PWA mobile app

The game is composed from 6 levels, associated to 6 heritage assets. The game is free and can be played by those who own a smart phone (on-line and off-line).

For the beginning, the game involves the interaction between the player/hero and the mobile application.

The player gets several tasks related to the assets on the proposed route, each asset corresponding to a level of the game. After solving all the tasks, the player/hero will receive clues that will help him/her to solve the final challenge, which will lead him/her to the final prize. The award system will be supported by the involvement of public authorities and local entrepreneurs and will consist of: city tours, restaurant discounts, free admissions to certain museums, etc. For a special prize, the player will be encouraged to publish on the Facebook page of the game his/her own version of the story, to become our hero and our favourite author - "bestseller author".

Tasks

Ø At each level, the player have to:

1. Read the small story of that period and the description of the asset

2. Find and go to the asset

3. Answer to a question via mobile app

5. Check in on Facebook at the site.

6. Make representative photos and/ videos of the asset and upload it on Facebook.

7. Receive the clue for the final level

8. Receive the coordinates for the next asset (level)

Ø After the 6th level, the player would have 6 clues and he will have to solve the anagram to unlock his/her prize.

Launch (test) and promote the "Bucharest - Play the story" app

The official launching of the game will take place at the Romanian Tourism Fair, on occasion of an event attended by the members of the network that supported the development of the game, representatives of the press, and associations that promote Bucharest in a very special way. There will also be an event focusing on the launching of the application; it will be organized for the target group along with urban development and promotional associations working with such concepts.

To promote the application, both classic promotional tools (leaflets distributed in key tourist locations), as well as digital and social media marketing will be used (a paid campaign on Facebook and a Google ads campaign spanning over 6 months).

• Organic installs
• Social media (Facebook/Youtube/Instagram) ads
• Search Engine Marketing
• App store optimization
• Push and in app notifications
• Partnerships
• Mobile site redirection
• Mobile app wall ads
• Content marketing
• PR
• Event marketing

Extend and develop the app with other stories

The concept of promoting the patrimony through the game will be extended, and, with the help of the network formed, new themes will be identified for the promotion of Bucharest (Bucharest – city between Orient and Occident, Bucharest - Treasure Hunt etc).

Through the development of this game, we aim to attract the attention of consumers on the unique heritage of Bucharest, to create an identity through which to individualize it among other tourist destinations, to inspire them to try a new fun and perceptive visiting experience. We would like the cultural heritage of Bucharest to be innovative, smart, and in line with the interests of young people.

Groups of local young people (students) and tourists arriving in Bucharest, who are interested in European history and culture.

Psychographic characteristics: (personality, lifestyle)

· They grew up in a period of very rapid technological developments. They need to be always connected with others through modern communication tools and this is why they can be often influenced by friends, family or colleagues.

· These people are in a constant search for information and new experiences. Those who are part of Generation Y are travelling more frequently, exploring more destinations. When they travel are interested in the local culture and seek experiences helping them understand local customs.

· They use the latest technology, want to stay connected to the internet and mobile applications are always present in their travels. They use the Internet both in decision-making but also as a help to get additional information at the destination. They embrace multiple modes of self-expression. Three-quarters have created a profile on a social networking site. One-in-five have posted a video of themselves online.

· Consider travel as an opportunity to immerse themselves in an unfamiliar culture, looking to break themselves entirely from their home lives and engage sincerely with a different way of living.

The interaction we will have with the consumers is meant to be fun, interactive (consumers will be stimulated to give feedback) so that in the future the game can become more attractive and the stories offered would be more exciting. Subsequently, in our approach and presentation we try to build a lasting relationship with consumers.

For this type of communication to have the expected results and, moreover, to have an educational role, the developers will resort to the services of a linguist who will write the story, in an attractive language, so as to be proper for the age group that the game targets.

The interaction with the consumer will be done through:

· the mobile application that will be connected to Facebook page;

· YouTube channel;

· direct interaction - the player will be encouraged to interact with stakeholders and locals (he can ask questions to solve a level)

· testing event.

· Human resources - 2 people to develop the story and research, 1 gamification expert, 1 marketing expert, 1 historian, 1 linguist

· External expertise services - ITC services to design and develop the game

· The network of stakeholders - who will be involved in developing and promoting the application

· The material support of the stakeholders (prize, tickets, donations, promotion)

Staff costs

2 people for story development and research x 6 months

1 marketing and communication expert x 1 year

1 gamification expert x 2months

1 historian x 1 month

1 linguist x 1 month

Promotion costs

Online advertising

Design

Print

Events (launching, testing, other meetings with the workgroup)

External expertise

ITC services (mobile game development and design

Administrative costs

The earnings obtained are structured as follows:

- Earnings coming from sponsorships (obtained mainly in the phase of preparing the application)

- Earnings obtained from advertising (after the application will be launched)

Moreover, the development of the app will also bring about a series of benefits for the destination as well:

· Increase the destination notoriety

· Increase the diversity of tourism consumption

· Extend the social network that promotes Bucharest as culture tourism destination

· Creation of an education tool

· Develop Bucharest city as smart tourism destination

Bucharest is one of the favourite destinations of foreign tourists who come to Romania. Consequently, the number of tourists has been increasing in recent years. This growth was primarily due to business tourism, but in recent years the leisure segment has become increasingly important. This results in a more abundant tourist flow in weekends and during holidays as compared to the previous years. The attractiveness of the city as a weekend destination has increased primarily due to the low-cost flights that made Bucharest a much more accessible destination, both in terms of price and due to its good flight connections. The second reason for this increase in popularity is a better image associated with the city as a result of a more active promotion on social media.

The number of young people travelling to Bucharest is also increasing. Demand profile is changing, as tourists are constantly connected to technological novelties and want a dynamic and attractive tourist product.

However, Bucharest is not a "friendly" capital from a technological point of view, and the tourism information infrastructure is quite a poor one. The manners of expressing heritage are generally obsolete, thus inadequate in the context of demand.

Offering an innovative tourist product, specially designed for young, dynamic people that want to know the city in a different way that the classic manner, meets the demands of the target group. The game app will help visitors discover interesting information about the history of the city and about the tourist attractions visited, and, at the same time, it will encourage them to disseminate the experience that they will live among other people.

The impact will be measured by some indicators like:

· Number of downloads

· Number of users

· Number of visitors

· Number of conversions

· Number of actions on page

· Profit

· Return of Investment

· Income.

Funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union. However, European Commission and Turkish National Agency cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.