The Sylvan Lake Chamber of Commerce has created an app to help locals and visitors connect with businesses in town.
The app, called Sylvan Lake Town App, has been a dream for the Chamber for sometime, and been in development for roughly a year.
Denise Williams, executive director of the Sylvan Lake Chamber of Commerce, says an app has been talked about around the board table for several years.
“We have been talking about this for several years. We wanted to create an app that would compliment our tourism industry and the town map we put out, but also something to help our local businesses,” Williams said.
The app will work with the tourism sector, by informing visitors of places to stay eat, local events and even what the weather will be like during their visit.
Williams says the Sylvan Lake Town App will help visitors plan their next visit.
“I did some travelling last year and with each town I visited I downloaded their app, and it was so helpful,” she said.
The Chamber identified an app as a missing need for the community through a “visitor friendly assessment.”
Williams says the app was a need to help continue the visitor friendly feel that Sylvan Lake works to put forward.
By assessing the average age of the visitors coming to Sylvan Lake, it was recognized that apps on mobile devices are a big part of their life.
“If you look at your phone it is probably full of apps,” Williams said, adding the younger a person is the more likely they are to have more. “Apps are a big part of how they live their lives, how they communicate and work.”
The Sylvan Lake Town App will help businesses communicate what is happening at their store or restaurant.
They can list their website and social media and a short message about a sale or promotion.
The app also features a list of events and festivals. This section shows more than just the Town-run festivals, and can include a show at one of the local bars or pubs.
“Can you imagine coming to Sylvan and it’s raining? What would you do? This will help our visitors plan their next step.”
The app isn’t only for tourists, Williams says it is also a great resource for local residents.
She says the app is a great way for businesses to connect with the local clients, in one place.
This is especially important with the current state of business.
“Through the app you can state your new hours, whether or not your sell gift cards online, or a new promotion,” Williams said.
During the month of April, the Sylvan Lake Chamber of Commerce is giving away gift cards purchased at local businesses.
The contest is a promotional campaign for the launch of the app. The only way to enter the contest is by using the app.
Williams says her favourite part of the app so far, has been the launch campaign.
“We wanted o do our part to help local businesses and hopefully be a positive role model, and have others buy gift cards as well.”
One gift card will be given away every day in the month of April.
The Sylvan Lake Town App is available on both Apple and Android devices. To enter the contest, download the app and click on the gift card giveaway icon at the bottom of the screen.