News

Texas travel kiosk capturing tourism data

June 23, 2003

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Stopping at a highway rest area in Texas could help you discover some of the state's best-kept secrets - all courtesy of a stand-alone computer kiosk.

Whether you're looking for a nearby restaurant that cooks a good juicy steak, or looking for something as simple as making a quick stop at a local antique store, a new pilot program is underway in Donley, Hardeman and Gray counties designed to provide travelers with detailed information available at their finger tips, according to a story in the Texas A&M Ag News.

"At a lot of these rest areas, they don't have a way to hand out maps or provide tourism information because they don't have the staff," said Dr. Andy Skadberg, a recreation, park and tourism sciences specialist with Texas Cooperative Extension.

But the new touchscreen computer kiosk system solves that problem. Travelers are able to receive a Texas map from the information kiosk once they complete a short survey, the article said.

The survey is associated with a computer application called Tourism Market Match. The survey asks travelers questions such as where they have traveled from, if they are traveling in a group, what country they are from, and other demographic information. Business owners and tourism planners can also see a statistical analysis of the data over the Web in table and graphic formats on the fly, the article said.

The kiosk project called TexBox is part of a pilot effort between the Texas Department of Transportation and Texas A&M University. In April, three kiosks were part of grand opening activities at three TxDOT safety rest areas in Hardeman, Gray and Donley counties.

After Skadberg pitched the idea to TxDOT officials, he was next faced with the challenge of developing the regional information system and finding a machine capable of dispensing maps.

"I did a Google search and found a map machine," he said. "All a person has to do is walk up to the kiosk and complete a survey and they will receive a Texas travel map." The article did not list kiosk vendors.

At the heart of the system is an application called TexBox. The system was programmed by Skadberg's wife, Dr. Yongxia Skadberg, who also programmed the Tourism Market Match system. Andy Skadberg said TexBox can give travelers a detailed snapshot of where to go and what to do within 50 miles of the rest areas.

The challenge for small rural communities struggling with a declining economy is developing alternatives to traditional agricultural activities, Skadberg said. Many communities are looking to tourism as a primary economic development strategy, the article said.

On average each rest area gets about 614 visitors per day. There are about 100 rest areas in the state. TexBox will provide a way for these smaller communities to show off what they have to offer, Skadberg said in the article.

"If travelers stop and use TexBox, they will get a break from the road and be refreshed for the next leg of their trip, or they might find a place to stay for the night. It provides weather information, travel safety tips, and even provides some local history about the people and places nearby. The thought here is that it will entice someone to stay at a local hotel or visit a local antique store."