Blue Mosque Photo by Babak Gholizadeh
In your travels you will encounter QR
(Quick Response) codes as more and more museums, cities, parks and even UNESCO World Heritage sites are using QR
codes to provide visitors with information.
While exploring Istanbul, Turkey last year I noticed many of the sites, such as the Blue Mosque, had QR codes. I knew these codes could be
scanned, but I was unsure how to do this.
These codes, much like the barcodes
used in grocery stores or by the post office, can be scanned by smartphones or tablets that have a camera feature and
link you to information on a website.
Numerous free QR scanner apps are
available to download, such as QR reader for iPhone, RedLaser-Barcode Scanner,
and Quick Scan QR Code Reader to name a few.
But note, if traveling internationally,
unless you have access to WiFi, it can be very expensive to go online to scan
QR codes. Some museums are now providing
scanners for visitors to use.
In case you do not have access to an
online connect, simply photograph the QR code with your camera of your
smartphone as you are taking pictures at the site the code pertains to and then when you return
to your hotel or home you can read the code form the image in your smartphone. It is a great way to keep track of what you’ve
taken pictures of.
To the right is an example of a QR code. Scan it and see where it takes you. You can scan it right from your computer
screen.
Below are examples of QR codes used at tourist attractions.
New York City Tour: http://gothamguide.com/Tours.htm
I am not yet sure how I feel about the use of QR codes at tourist sites, what are your thoughts?
