In a move operators believe is a world first, a loveable cartoon ambassador for Skye has today launched a chatbot to help visitors.
The chatbot, drawing on artificial intelligence, allows users to access 24-hour information covering an array of questions they may have over their visit to the Misty Isle and can be accessed through the Donald from Skye website.
The new feature has been a year in the making and will respond to intrigued individuals in real-time and is the latest venture Donald, and his creator Calum MacDonald, are taking as part of the bid to address the negative backlash Skye has received regarding tourism.
Mr MacDonald said: “It has taken me the best part of a year to be able to bring to life my vision with the Tourist Chatbot but I couldn’t be happier with the results! The bot is pretty good at understanding people, just don’t swear at him or ask him where his troosers are!”
He added: “Skye is the first place to have this and people should be very proud and promote him.
“The uses for this technology are incredible.
“This model is a no brainer to me, every place should have one – it is local knowledge programmed by local people. The information is unbiased and represents all businesses and facilities on the island.”
The tourist chatbot is to provide valuable insights over time that can inform the tourism strategy on Skye and can even relay back to visitors the real-time hotspots, allowing them to divert and avoid areas of congestion.
Since his inception last year, Donald has even been translated into Mandarin to reflect the growing popularity of Skye with visitors from China. A GPS enabled map for the whole island, outlining major amenities and places to visit, has also been created.