Smart City Playbook

Tourism

Usecases

Digital Platform for Connecting City Residents with Visitors “Diyafah Al Madinah”

Diyafah Al Madinah is a digital engagement platform that allows city residents to interact with visitors by offering them potential key services. As Al Madinah city is known for its hospitality and generosity, this initiative aims to harness these qualities through a platform.

Building a new economic channel, residents can offer a wide scope of services ranging from accommodation, food, charity, tours, sports and wellness events, and even souvenirs with the list of services continuously expanding. Besides enabling visitors to create deeper connection with the city, this platform can also boost and grow the economy in Al Madinah city, due to the additional commercial aspects it will offer its residents vis-a-vis the visitors using the app.

KEY

CHALLENGES

Visitors have limited access to high-quality, scalable, and flexible city resources and services

Authorities are not empowered with the necessary tools and capabilities to devise tourism plans, promote the city sites, and respond to visitors’ needs

Visitors are confined to religious activities and sites

KEY EXPECTED BENEFITS

Increased Spending

New revenue streams will emerge with new ways to spend across the city

Better Satisfaction

Visitors will enjoy a more hospitable and delightful experience while in the city

ALIGNMENT TO SMART CITY OBJECTIVES

Welcoming

Personalized

Pleasant

TARGET USERS

Tourist

Explorer Pilgrim

Tourist Guide

Resident

USE CASE

JOURNEY

Hamza is a tourist from Dubai who loves to try new things and learn about cultures. Upon arrival to Al Madinah city, he discovers a new platform that connects visitors to city residents to get the unique local experience.

Once Hamza registers to the “Diyafah Al Madinah” , he syncs up  with a local couple, offering to guide him throughout the city for the rest of his trip in exchange for a small fee. Upon his arrival, the couple meet Hamza at the airport and invite him at night to experience cooking of local cuisine, discovering a variety of local food and traditions.

The next day, the couple organizes a full-day plan with Hamza to take him around the city, explaining the history of each monument, historical and cultural site, and showcasing the daily life and traditions of the city residents. They also suggest cultural events to attend and restaurants to go to that reflect the traditional culture of the city.

At the end of his stay, Hamza uploads several photos to the platform to share his experience with interested tourists, while also sharing his feedback and review on the experience and the local couple’s hospitality. This will encourage more visitors to take part of this experience, getting a more personalized, unique, and enriched stay.

POTENTIAL SERVICE FEATURES

Services marketplace

Recommendation and personalization engine

Discussion and socialization
forum

Interactive map of events



KEY TOUCH POINTS

Mobile app

Website

Social Media

Local Community

Implementation
Timeline

Within 6 months

12 – 18 months

Over 24 months

Technology Commercial Viability

Currently commercialized

1 – 3 years to commercialize

5+ years to
commercialize

Regulatory Conduciveness

No New Policies and
Standards

Some Policies &
Standards to be
Introduced

Complex Policies to be
Introduced

Investment Requirement

Low

Medium

High

Use Case Ownership

Government Driven

Piloted by Gov. & Transitioned to Private Sector

Private Sector

Startups & Entrepreneurs

IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS

Availability of data in the required format along with information about data sources

Integration and participation  of diversified data sources (e.g. hotels, restaurants, malls)

Internet network coverage and connectivity across the city

Availability of continuous connectivity to monitor and track movements in real time and in a secure manner

POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

IN THE MARKET

Tourism

Use Cases

City Living Museum

Advanced
 Wayfinder App

“Al Madinah Explorer” Digital Platform

City B2B Tourism Marketplace

Smart Airport

Smart District

Platform for Connecting City Residents with Visitors “Diyafah Al Madinah”

Digitally
Augmented Hosts

Rapid Deployable Accommodation System “Hayyak” Initiative

Responsive Crowd Management