Location-based augmented reality comes to the Village of Ashcroft with an original tour of their history.
ASHCROFT, BC – The Village of Ashcroft partnered with the award-winning augmented reality company, QuestUpon, to create an original walking tour for people to experience the authentic stories of this official hot spot of Canada.
Ashcroft is nestled along the banks of the Thompson River and has played an important part in the development of the interior of British Columbia. During the Gold Rush days, it was one of the starting points on the wagon road to Barkerville. This has provided Ashcroft with an enormous amount of history that deserves to have its stories brought to a new light for the modern audience of today.
“When we saw how other communities were using QuestUpon to breathe new life into their historic storytelling, we were inspired with the potential for Ashcroft to showcase our rich history,” said Michelle Allen, Chief Administrative Officer of Ashcroft.
The Historic Ashcroft Quest takes the visitor on a self-guided and interactive tour through the village, guiding them with GPS coordinates to various points of interest with their mobile device. Scavenger hunts, historic trivia, collecting items, seeing animals or characters in augmented reality, and viewing historic photos in the exact place they were taken, are all just part of the fun that visitors will encounter. It’s authentic and experiential storytelling in the real world.
“When people first think of location-based augmented reality, many assume it’s a Pokemon Go game,” said Tammy Meyers, COO and Co-founder of QuestUpon. “But when they experience a Quest, we see people shift from their initial perceptions and get really excited about what they’re interacting with.”
“I got shivers when I experienced the quest,” said Kathy Paulos of the Ashcroft Museum. “It was compelling to see our town’s history in the actual locations where that history happened. It gave me a real sense of place.”
The Historic Ashcroft Quest is easy to use and fun for families and kids of all ages. It’s a free download at the app stores, ‘QuestUpon’, on iPhone or Android.
About the Village of Ashcroft
The Village of Ashcroft is a welcoming, safe and attractive community characterized by an exceptional climate and strong sense of history and opportunity. The town is set amid a spectacular recreational environment where hiking, golfing, and fishing thrive. The area’s provincial parks are marked by semi-arid grasslands and rolling hills that form the Highland Valley Plateau. Ashcroft is an unpretentious town committed to its history, creative community, and relationship with the land.
For more information please visit http://www.ashcroftbc.ca/.
About QuestUpon – Award recipient for ‘Most Innovative Entertainment Company’. QuestUpon creates interactive and engaging experiences for the 21st century audience, bringing things to life in the real world with technology, including 3-dimensional and animated augmented reality. QuestUpon provides a full range of uses to the user, providing a new way to experience their environment for an extreme level of engagement. The platform allows for a variety of quest types including urban races, guided tours, treasure hunts and games. The founders have a long history in mobile platform and game development with their associate company, PlayMobility. For more information visit www.questupon.com
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Media Contacts:
Village of Ashcroft Michelle Allen, Chief Administrative Officer Phn: 250.453.9161 admin@ashcroftbc.ca
QuestUpon Technologies Inc. Tammy Meyers, Co-Founder | COO Phn: 604.807.4464 tammy.meyers@questupon.com