Wonder WHAM holiday plan
For most tourists, holidays take time and effort to plan and organise. Endless hours of communication spent with travel agencies, flight companies and hotels in order to get the best destinations with the cheapest fares. The IST EU funded project WHAM now takes care of all holiday concerns by providing on-the-move, real time, location-dependent, customised tourism and travel information via a set of advanced software modules and Value Added services. The project has been developed in three European pilot sites in Spain, Greece and Finland and divided in seven work packages. Real-time data on public, private and sponsored information from different sources is collected, categorised and stored in a database. It is later presented to the users on their PC or mobile device in a common format, independently of the source and based on the user's already submitted profile and preferences. The user can then view pre-trip or re-planning information, accommodation and transportation information services on his/her specified route and desired destination i.e. actual flight, short-sea shipping schedules and have access to that information 24-hours a day. In addition, an intelligent push service gives users the option of having SMS information messages delivered to them based on their individual needs, such as incidents, services and activities concerning the area of their choice. The initiation of a general message board allows users via the web to openly express their opinions and also view messages from previous users while an Intelligent Value Added Service (VAS) offers advanced interaction between customers and intermediate users (owners or SMEs of the proposed services). Tourist Promotion Agency of the Greater Madrid Tourist Bureau (TURMADRID) in Spain, Levi Ski Resort in Finland and the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games 'Athens 2004' vividly expressed their interest in the potential exploitation of WHAMs' services. The project appears highly suitable for providing any type of information ranging from prices and menus in restaurants, hotels and transport timetables, to museums, operas and expositions. As European citizens develop day-by-day into more eager globetrotters, the need for complete, accurate and reliable information will in the future become more pertinent in bettering their quality of life.
