A mobile application for domestic tourism in Uganda

Abstract

This study covers a mobile application designed for use by domestic tourists in Uganda. To achieve this study, a research study was carried out using interviews and questionnaires, as well as an analysis of the existing mobile applications. Relevant documentation was also undertaken as a contribution to the knowledge base. Working from the literature review, questionnaires, and interviews; limited, inadequate, and scattered tourism information was the main challenge faced by Ugandan citizens resulting in their scarcity in domestic tourism. The other reasons included low disposable income among Ugandan Citizens, expensive tour packages from the travel agencies, ignorance about the tourist sites in Uganda, and quack tour guides who fleece tourists. It is from those challenges that this study was conducted to identify and collect requirements using Interviews and Questionnaires. Unified Modelling (UML) was used to document the system development process, producing artifacts like Use Case, activity diagrams, etc. The system was implemented using native Java for Android. With a firebase database which is a backend-as-a-service and also supports other environments like iPhone Operating System and JavaScript/html5 frameworks. It offers real-time databases, different Application Programming Interfaces, multiple authentication types, and hosting platforms. The system also fetches real-time data using a NoSQL serverless Backend as a service also known as Baas service with a firebase database to store data. The Interfaces were implemented using Java and XML. The final product was a mobile application that provides relevant tourism information to a tourist in one centralized location. The developed mobile application enables tourists to make informed decisions and also guide themselves to their destinations in a cost-effective way without requiring the services of travel agencies and tour guides, making it very easy to plan for their trips since they will have all the relevant and required information.