LUMS students develop first-ever tourist smartphone app

LAHORE: Students from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) have developed the first-ever smartphone application called ‘Lahori Khoji’ to provide people with guided tours of Lahore’s walled city.

Dr Ali Usman Qasmi, a professor, and historian at LUMS  announced the launch of the new application as part of World Heritage Day celebrations. Usman Qasmi shared that the application has been created by students after conducting extensive research.

“Students read classical texts on Lahore’s history, made several trips to the walled city, identified key sites, pinned them on google maps, and wrote historical notes about them,” he added.

His friend and Lahore-based historian, Faizan Abbas Naqvi, also known as Lahore ka Khoji, assisted students with their research and curated their walking trails.

Faizan helped students in finding relevant sites in the walled city and provided them with historic insights about each location. Hence it was only fitting to name the app Lahori Khoji to honor Faizan Naqvi.

Qasmi also pointed out that the app is a product of research carried out by undergraduate students who are not professional historians. The app can be download from Google Play Store.

Earlier, on the occasion of World Tourism Day, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has launched the android-based Punjab Tourism app.

CM Buzdar had inaugurated the Punjab Tourism app besides launching the Department of Tourist Services (DTS) app on Sunday.

The app contains information about 511 tourism spots and other details related to routes, hotels and facilities being provided by the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP).

CM Buzdar said that the DTS system app is introduced for the tour operators where they can make online registration. The chief minister directed concerned authorities to add facility of online payments.

Usman Buzdar said the provincial government formulated a new policy that transformed tourism as an industry. He added that the tourism sector plays an important role in socio-economic development and the best source to generate income for locals.

He said tourism not only helped in the empowerment of rural communities by generating employment and boosting trade but also enabled them to protect their heritage and allowed other people to experience their incredible cultures and traditions.