London Uses Mobile Gaming App to Help Tackle Overtourism
Photo Credit: Mr. Bean look-a-likes, pictured here, on the London Eye helping to promote the Play London with Mr. Bean game. London and Partners
Skift Take
Many travelers are glued to their phones, so why not put them to even greater use? That's what London tourism officials are hoping to do but whether this will actually help disperse tourism throughout the city rather than generate revenue for already crowded attractions remains to be seen.
More than two billion people worldwide play mobile app games, and London & Partners, the city's tourism board, only needs a fraction of those gamers and travelers to visit to help carry out its mission to tackle overtourism in central London.
Play London With Mr. Bean is a free mobile app game that shows travelers different attractions around London that, when visited, earns the points to redeem for vouchers and discounts around the city. The idea is to disperse those visitors across the city to avoid congestion.
The game involves different levels, such as visiting a certain number or type of attractions, before travelers can advance to the next. They can also make purchases in the app by redeeming points they earn.
"Play London is really meant for someone who is staying in London for several days and has time to visit many attractions," said David McKie, global business development director at Pointvoucher, a Copenhagen-based mobile gaming company that developed the gam
