WCLA to launch mobile app

LAHORE: Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) is all set to launch its first official comprehensive digital initiative, a mobile application, which will act as a ‘one-stop' reference point for all information relating to culture in the provincial metropolis.

Officials said the purpose of this mobile application is to provide a tourist directory for both iOS and Android users to track down attractions (both list view and map view), restaurants (both list view and map view), events, booking of rides (email to be sent to a particular email) and feedback on any issue to the WCLA.

They said users will be able to find all the information regarding Walled City Lahore in this mobile application. Details about all the monuments, landmarks, tourist spots, eat outs, restaurants, lassi or halwa puri shops, events by WCLA and bazzars will be available in this mobile application. The facility of online booking of guided tours on different routes will also be available in this mobile application, officials maintained.

Hamza Ali, Assistant Director IT WCLA, said the mobile apps are revolutionary changes in the tech world today, as people are getting closer through mobile phones. “For developing tourism a website and mobile application is important,” he said, adding for current peer group, it’s impossible to live without smartphones or any other electronic gadgets.

Mobile app will become marketing trend soon which means soon search engine queries come from smart devices as opposed to a personal computer, he said and added that keeping in view the latest technologies, WCLA has developed this app.

This app of WCLA will be used for Android and iOS both. It will be available on the Google Playstore and Appstore. The frameworks and technologies used in the mobile application are android - minimum supported version: 4.4 (KitKat, API Version 19), iOS - minimum supported API: iOS 9 and the framework is Hybrid (xamarin) platform, Php (Code igniter). This app will be available for downloading in the next week and we will be announcing it officially through social media.

Media & Marketing Deputy Director Tania Qureshi said many marketers trust that mobile application is easier to connect with their customers and best marketing tools to develop business and this is why WCLA has developed this app. “The mobile application will allow the people all over the world to have all information about the Walled City of Lahore at their fingertips. This app will be the first of its kind in Pakistan as no other heritage city so far has taken up this initiative. To stand with the latest technology trends WCLA has developed this app and it will help in promoting the tourism, culture, history and events of Walled City Lahore,” she maintained.

WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari said that mobile applications have revolutionised our world, getting much more power in the hands of customer and more business in the pockets of the entrepreneurs. “In the dynamic technology industry, mobile application development market is at its peak. It is the need of the hour and the latest fruitful business trend,” he concluded.