BukSU IT alumni develop digital tourism app

MALAYBALAY CITY—Bukidnon State University (BukSU) Information Technology (IT) alumni launched a digital program that serves as a one-stop hub for tourism-related activities that cater to local and international travelers on September 13, 2023, at the Kaamulan Folk Arts Theater in Malaybalay City.

The VISITOUR.PH is a web- and mobile-based application designed to provide updates from local government units, deliver tourism recommendations, facilitate advanced travel bookings, and establish direct connections with local tour guides.

The brainchild of this initiative can be traced back to a group of IT graduates who honed their skills during an internship at a tech company.

VISITOUR.PH co-founder and president, Emmanuel Bongayon, said that the digital platform was created for sustainable tourism. He said they have collaborated with different local government units to ensure that everyone can benefit from their platform.

He added that their team has already partnered with three provinces, two cities, and 47 municipalities. 19 partner local government units are from Mindanao, of which 13 are within Bukidnon.

The VISITOUR.PH team comprises 18 technical experts and eight of them are IT graduates from BukSU.

The start-up company behind VISITOUR.PH is set to establish its main office in the city.

According to Bongayon, the platform can also be used to showcase various creative artists who wish to advertise their creations.

VISITOUR.PH has seven main features, which include a travel guide, navigational app, listing directory, booking app, business platform, e-wallet (for merchants), and remittance app.

Travelers and visitors can now access the extensive array of services offered by VISITOUR.PH through its user-friendly website or by downloading the application on their Android and iOS mobile devices. (Information Unit)