Article

Pennsylvania - Land of Kiosks

With the support of the Governor's office, state agencies and kiosk deployers are sprinkling the state with interactive, tourist friendly machines.

February 19, 2002

The founding fathers assembled in Philadelphia more than 225 years ago, making decisions that would have international repercussions. Not just a nation, but a political philosophy - democracy - flowered in that hot summer of 1776.

Now in the early 21st century, another revolution may be taking place in the land of liberty. While it may not change the course of world history the way the Declaration of Independence did, the state of Pennsylvania could be offering some interesting opportunities for the kiosk industry to display its wares.

As part of a technology initiative introduced by former Governor Tom Ridge and continued by his successor, Mark Schweiker, kiosks are being used for a variety of purposes, including marketing, tourist information, and travel guides.

From Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, state agencies and the corporate sector are taking advantage of the state's enthusiasm for technology.

"In Pennsylvania we're harnessing the power of technology to enhance our economy and quality of life in so many ways," Schweiker said.

The starting lineup

Over the past four months, one announcement after another has filtered out of Pennsylvania indicating the state's willingness to encourage technological initiatives. To wit:

* The state announces on Sept. 27 that kiosks will be added to three of the state's heritage parks as part of a $4.1 million series of grants to the parks. The kiosks are located in Bucks County, southwest Pennsylvania, and along the National Road Corridor.

* A $25.5 million grant is delivered to Penn State University on Oct. 26 to aid the funding of a $58 million information sciences and technology building. The grant helps cover a system of interactive information kiosks that will be placed in a Cyber Café inside the building.

* The state makes a $142,000 grant to the Pennsylvania Travel Council on Nov. 29 to install a system of tourist and traffic information kiosks in high traffic areas throughout the state.

Schweiker said it was difficult to measure in direct numbers the economic impact kiosks could have on the state. But he said the state expects numerous benefits from kiosks.

"Our interactive tourism kiosks, which are part of our five-year strategic marketing plan, are helping to increase overnight stays and return visits, translating into more sales for tourism in Pennsylvania and more jobs for our citizens," he said.

Tourism is a major industry in Pennsylvania, a state with a rich vein of significant places and events (think Liberty Bell, think Declaration of Independence, think Gettysburg) and a geographic variety that makes it attractive to history buffs and outdoors types alike.

Jerry Mark, president of Technology Portal Inc., which is assisting the council with its kiosk program, believes the governor's program is a model of government and private sector cooperation that other states can follow.

"Kiosks, especially with travel and tourism being the second-largest industry in the state, is so important," Mark said. "The five-year program that's in place will develop all these products synergistically to promote tourism."

Questions and answers

But why kiosks?

According to Eric Adams, Pennsylvania Travel Council director of publications and technology, the source for this initiative goes back to Ridge, who resigned as governor late last year to become federal Director of Homeland Security in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Familiarity is what Ridge was seeking, Adams notes.

"He was very much of a force behind technology, getting people used to it," Adams said. "That's probably why we got the grant money. Our new license plates have the state's Web site (URL) on them. The governor simply felt technology was something to be pursued."

Kiosks offer several advantages. The information is interactive, allowing users to search for specific information. A networked system like the one Technology Portal and the Travel Council is undertaking will allow the information to be regularly and easily updated.

In addition, information can be made specialized by location; a Travel Council kiosk in Pittsburgh, for instance, can offer information about the area's steel-producing legacy, while a kiosk at Gettysburg can offer tourist information on the legendary Civil War battlefield.

"Domestic travel (to Pennsylvania) has increased along with international travel, facilitating a need for information," Mark said. "The kiosks provide a significant addition or alteration to the process.

"Not only are visitors able to get information with visits and stopping somewhere," he continued, "but they also have the ability to act upon this information at the point of interest."

There is also a level of synergy involved, Schweiker added, noting that the state has already developed other technology initiatives that tie in well with the kiosks.

"We've invested significant resources to create interactive tourism Web sites," he said, "using the full potential of technology to reach prospective visitors directly. Traffic on these sites more than tripled in just three years, helping to increase Pennsylvania's ranking as a state destination."

Information centers

The Technology Portal-Travel Council kiosks, which are being placed in high-traffic areas around the state, offer localized information, including printable directors, weather forecasts, and ticketing capabilities.

The kiosks, which are being manufactured by Apunix Computer Services, have been deployed in five test sites. Mark said the plan is to roll out another 30 kiosks in the first half of 2002 and possibly another 20 before year's end.

"They were very clear about setting high benchmarks," he said. "It had to be a best of breed using the best technology possible. It has to be easy for visitors to use while remembering they can be from seven years old to anywhere."

An advertising component will be introduced over the next six months to create a revenue source, Mark said. With the kiosks being rolled out statewide, he said different advertisers and sponsors could be developed depending on what part of the state the kiosks are deployed.

"There are some other angles that we're looking at, partnering and so on," he said. "We've had to overcome some of the negatives of kiosks as a deployment. It's a new industry and there's been some failings, but we're hopeful."

They're everywhere!

The state's enthusiasm for kiosks has encouraged developments by advocacy groups statewide.

In February, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission and Pittsburgh Regional Alliance will unveil its new regional showcase in Pittsburgh. The project will include electronic kiosks that offer visitors a virtual tour of southwestern Pennsylvania's communities.

But tourism is not the only goal of the project. The kiosks will offer information about the communities that are profiled, including employment statistics, transportation, and other business and quality-of-life issues.

"It gives us an opportunity to showcase our region from the most technologically advanced perspective," Alliance president Ronnie Bryant told the Pittsburgh Business Journal. "It will really be a high-tech presentation and a first-class showing of our region."

The project's initial phase will cost between $3 million and $4 million and has been funded by state and private sources.

A waiting game

The future of kiosks in Pennsylvania will depend upon the course of the state government. Schweiker is filling out the remainder of Ridge's term, which ends in early 2003, and has already announced he has no intention of running for a full term.

How Schweiker's replacement views technology could determine if kiosks projects continue to receive funding. But Mark is confident that initiatives created by the current administrator have set a strong enough precedent to justify keeping technology fresh in the mind of whoever succeeds Schweiker.

"The Ridge-Schweiker administration has been very proactive in promoting Pennsylvania as a technologically advanced state," he said. "Pennsylvania has become an incubator, a greenhouse for biotech firms and others."

And kiosks, provided the next administration continues the work of Ridge and Schweiker.