They create a tourist app for Sumapaz

The idea was born the day teacher Pedro Luis Cifuentes, with his keen insight, realized that tourists arriving in Fusagasugá were disoriented about what places to visit. “There was almost nothing related to the topic. Only some hiking routes appeared. So I thought: why not offer a more enjoyable experience with an app that solves that problem?” he says.

And so it was. The university held an internal call for new projects in 2019. “With the Arado research group, we applied, we won, and now we are in charge of implementing the initiative, which we named: Web Application to Generate Tourist Routes in Sumapaz.”.

But how does it work? “The user accesses the Rutas Sumapaz Online application through their Google browser. Four options then appear: archaeological, architectural, sports and adventure, and ethnological. They then select the desired duration of the tour—one hour, two hours, or more. Next, they choose whether to travel by car or on foot, and a window appears asking which municipalities they wish to visit, such as Arbeláez, Fusagasugá, Pasca, or Silvania. The system then creates the corresponding route.”.

It is currently in the testing phase and is available for consultation. “We have a group of research assistants gathering more data on each of these municipalities and verifying its authenticity,” says Professor Cifuentes.

Regarding its full functionality, he comments: “We believe it will be ready next year so that tour operators and the general public can consult it and better plan their trips. This application will be fundamental, as it will allow all the actors in this sector of the economy in the region to coordinate and be more efficient,” he affirms.

In this way, UCundinamarca supports the research of its teachers as a way to generate development in the regions where we have a presence.

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