Building a Tourism Booking and Local Business Directory Platform for Bago TT

Project overview

Bago TT wanted a single digital hub where local businesses, residents and visitors in Trinidad and Tobago could find one another. The platform would let businesses showcase their services, and let tourists plan activities and book them in advance, including Reef Tickets with a Barbeque option.

RuteAppz developed a business directory app and website for the project, with apps for Android and iOS, covering business listings, search, chat, advance booking and PayPal payments as specified in the project brief.

This case study describes the project as documented in that original brief. Bago TT's current public website (tourtobagotravel.com) may include features beyond the scope described here.

Business challenges

Combining tourism and local commerce in one platform created four requirements:

• A comprehensive business directory. Businesses needed detailed profiles with images, descriptions, working hours, social media links and websites, so locals and visitors could find them in one place.
• Customer engagement. Users, businesses and the platform admin needed a way to communicate directly.
• Advance booking and payment. Tourists needed to reserve Reef Tickets ahead of their visit and pay securely.
• One multi-purpose platform. Business promotion, customer interaction and tourism booking had to work together rather than as separate tools.

The RuteAppz solution

RuteAppz built a customized platform that combines a local business directory, business promotion and ticket booking. Businesses publish their own profiles, users search and chat, and tourists schedule Reef Ticket bookings in advance. The brief specifies PayPal for booking payments, and delivers the experience on Android, iOS and the web.

How the platform fits together

The platform connects local businesses, residents and visitors, and the platform admin, with search, chat, booking and payments around them.

Local business directory

Local businesses can create profiles that include images, a description of their services, operating hours, a website and social media links. Users find businesses by category, name or location, and can open a chat with a business to ask about its services or promotions.

Tourism booking

Tourists can book Reef Tickets through the platform, with a Barbeque option, and schedule their booking in advance of their visit to Trinidad and Tobago. Payments for these bookings are specified to run through PayPal.

Customer communication

Chat is built into the platform in three ways: between users and businesses, between users and the platform admin for support or enquiries, and between customers who want to share reviews and recommendations.

Web and mobile experiences

The project brief describes apps for Android and iOS, together with a website for the business directory that extends the platform to desktop users.

Technology and integrations

• Apps for Android and iOS, and a website.
• In-app chat between users, businesses and the platform admin.
• PayPal integration for booking payments, as specified in the project brief.

Bago TT's current public website does not describe its payment methods, so this case study does not state whether PayPal is in operation today. The project brief does not specify programming languages or frameworks, so none are listed here.

Capabilities and intended business benefits

What the platform was built to provide

• A searchable directory of local business profiles.
• Reef Ticket booking with a Barbeque option and advance scheduling.
• Chat between users, businesses and the platform admin.
• Android, iOS and web access.

Intended business benefits

• Greater visibility for local businesses.
• A more convenient way for tourists to book in advance.
• Better communication between businesses and customers.
• A structure that can support new businesses and features as the platform grows.

These are the outcomes the platform was designed to support. No performance figures have been supplied for publication, so this case study makes no claims about customer numbers, bookings, revenue, transaction volumes or growth.

Related RuteAppz services

• Android app development: custom Android apps for directories, bookings and marketplaces.
• iOS app development: custom iOS apps for the same kinds of platforms.
• All RuteAppz services: custom software, mobile and web platform development.