5G Smart Tourism set to kick-off with support from Bristol Futures

Bristol Futures Global (BFG) has been chosen by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) to lead the recently announced £5m 5G Smart Tourism programme.

Over the next 12 months, BFG will work closely with WECA senior officers and a dedicated project management team to coordinate and steer the work of the 25 project partners; ensuring overall success and helping to maximise wider benefits for West of England businesses.

“I am delighted to be working closely with WECA and the project consortium on this exciting, new initiative” said Stephen Hilton, BFG Founder and Director. The project builds on the ground breaking 5G work of University of Bristol’s Professor Dimitra Simeonidou. “Applying this technology to the region’s visitor economy brings huge potential to create innovative, new added-value experiences for visitors” explains Hilton. “It also allows for the testing of 5G-enabled business models that hold potential to generate significant new revenue streams for tourism providers”

The 5G Smart Tourism project forms part of the DCMS 5G Testbed and Trials programme. This seeks to accelerate the UK’s digital economy and demonstrate the transformational benefits for citizens and society. The next phase of the national 5G programme will see the creation of a major Urban Connected Communities Demonstrator so as Hilton says, “watch this space!”

To see a video interview with Stephen Hilton about the 5G project click here