Ottawa Tourism has launched a new tourism assistant, a gamified, learning chatbot named Faya.
Faya offers a fun, new, and interactive approach to exploring the museums, cultural sites, and outdoor activities of the city.
With mobile contracts increasingly allowing holidaymakers to roam abroad at little or no extra cost, the innovative new service is perfect for UK holidaymakers wishing to explore Canada’s capital.
Faya invites users to go to an attraction (like a museum) and do activities upon arrival (like finding a new exhibit) using Facebook Messenger.
To engage Faya, holidaymakers simply need to send her a message and share their location.
The user will then be presented with a list of the nearest museums or national heritage sites to visit along with directions needed.
Once engaged, Faya will prompt visitors with various actions (called a “playlist”) to complete.
Users can simply capture a photograph or a video of themselves completing the action – such as taking a selfie with a dinosaur, enjoying a sweat treat BeaverTail, or skating on one of the many participating rinks, and share it with the Ottawa assistant for verification to unlock a unique badge.
The objective is to explore the city of Ottawa with the intention of unlocking as many badges as possible.
The locations currently include Ottawa’s iconic Parliament Hill and all of the city’s national museums; additional playlists are set to be added.
Faya can be accessed through the Ottawa Tourism Assistant Facebook page.
“Ottawa Tourism is thrilled to be partnering with the innovative locally-based tech company, MC2, and local businesses and attractions in introducing Faya to city residents and visitors.
“This social initiative will change the way people experience Ottawa’s attractions, allowing them to get to the heart of Canadian heritage and culture,” said Michael Crockatt, Ottawa Tourism president.
Ottawa is Canada’s capital, a dynamic showcase city of more than one million people.
Located in Ontario at the Quebec border, it’s a place where you’ll hear English and French spoken in the streets; where you can discover Canada’s proud heritage at impressive national sites and famous landmarks.