The Color Hunters

Included the image we have created / used for this project

Inspiration

Upon arriving in Hong Kong for their studies, our teammates quickly recognized a significant gap in localized tourist information accessible to visitors. While they were aware of the city’s rich cultural tapestry, they found it challenging to engage with these experiences as mere tourists. This sentiment was echoed by local team members, who noted that tourism often clusters around a limited number of popular spots, leaving many hidden gems unexplored. In light of the rising trends in "check-in" tourism and specialized travel experiences, we believe there is a unique opportunity to highlight Hong Kong's lesser-known attractions. By developing a solution that promotes a more diverse and immersive tourism experience, we can encourage deeper connections with the city's vibrant culture, enabling visitors to engage with the authentic spirit of Hong Kong beyond the typical tourist trails.

What it does

Our solution offers a gamified experience designed to help tourists explore Hong Kong's hidden gems through an extensive city hunt challenge featuring questions curated by locals on a variety of topics. As participants navigate the city, they collect game coins by answering location-specific questions, which not only enhances their exploration but also deepens their understanding of the local culture. Upon completing a certain number of city hunt questions, users can unlock delightful digital postcards, providing a sense of achievement and fulfillment. Additionally, these coins can be redeemed for special rewards such as coupons and tour packages offered by our partners. This interactive approach allows tourists to gain new knowledge, make meaningful observations, and forge connections with the vibrant spirit of Hong Kong while enjoying a truly enriching adventure.

How we build it

We first researched the history and future of Hong Kong's tourism industry. This research revealed a shift in traveler behavior from a "shopping-oriented" to an "experience-oriented" approach. Focusing on this, we proposed directing visitors to less popular but distinctive attractions to alleviate pressure on popular destinations. During the design process, we considered both the tourist experience and the merchant's profit model, initially creating a low-fidelity UI design and then developing a demo using Flutter and Amazon Q. Then, we created a high-fidelity UI design for the app and completed the app prototype.

Challenges we ran into

One of the challenges we have encountered is ideation. While we have established our project focus on creating diverse tourism destinations, enhancing cultural immersion for travelers, and extending their travel durations, we have struggled to generate effective solutions. Many solutions are nice but not good enough. It has been difficult to define our core functions and maintain the uniqueness and appeal of our product, which is essential for encouraging ongoing user adoption. During the programming process, we wanted to integrate AI to intelligently summarize tourist attraction introductions, so we needed to access the AI model's API, something we hadn't done before. We first searched online to learn about the AI model's API, then had Amazon Q generate the code framework. After several debugging sessions and accessing the API key, we successfully implemented the desired functionality.

What we’ve learned

Throughout our work on this project, we have gained valuable insights and experience that will shape our solution's success. First, we established specific goals focused on optimizing user experience, defining clear learning outcomes, and enhancing engagement levels. To bring our vision to life, we created mock-up prototypes that allowed us to visualize concepts and test functionality before committing to full-scale development. Additionally, we recognized the importance of a well-structured reward system and developed a comprehensive business plan to ensure its effectiveness. Leveraging the capabilities of Amazon Q Developer, we acquired essential technical skills that enabled us to integrate interactive elements, such as location-based services and gamification features. This multifaceted approach not only enhanced our understanding of user dynamics but also equipped us with the tools necessary to create an engaging and rewarding experience for our users.

What’s next for The Color Hunters

We firmly believe that our idea has significant potential to evolve into a thriving business while promoting in-depth local tourism. To ensure sustainable growth within this ecosystem, we aim to develop features that foster continuous user engagement and satisfaction. One key aspect is implementing a mechanism for collecting user-generated questions, allowing tourists to contribute their insights and enhance the richness of the experience. Additionally, we envision incorporating a variety of question formats, utilizing AI to verify users’ answers, which would not only add an element of fun but also maintain the integrity of the game. Furthermore, we plan to integrate AI systems that recognize users’ preferences, enabling personalized question suggestions tailored to individual interests. These enhancements will not only enrich the user experience but also create a dynamic and interactive platform that evolves based on the community’s input, ultimately making local tourism more engaging and enjoyable for everyone involved.