In Metro Detroit, the Detroit History Tour company is well known for its storytelling and great bus, boat and walking tours. But the coronavirus has made the tourism industry basically come to a standstill. Thankfully, the tour company’s founder hasn’t stood still when it comes to innovating her business.
Bailey Sisoy-Moore, Executive Director of Detroit History Tours, knew it might be a while before people wanted to get back on a bus with 50 strangers. The one thing she did have was a lot of time to think about what needed come next – a way for people to take tours on their own schedule with anyone they wanted to and still keep to social distancing.
“The pandemic was our inspiration to rethink our core company mission and find new ways to excel at it. Our goal is to educate people on the rich history of Detroit. Now, in addition to our in person tours by bus, foot, and boat, we are able to offer tours- anytime, safely, affordably, for any group, for decades to come,” Sisoy-Moore said.
Sisoy-Moore developed an app — “That’s right, me (the girl who can’t make her phone work right)!” she said — that allows people to take a world-class tour through their phones.They download the app for free, select from the catalog of tours, buy the tour of their choice for $20, and enjoy.
This is a major bargain for Sisoy-Moore’s tours, which are well reviewed and are filled with stories about old Detroit.
The app can be accessed by name “Detroit History Tours” in both the Apple and Android App Store or via the provided links:
iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1517322834
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mytoursapp.android.app2493
Each tour is GPS location-enabled to present information at historical stops and provide directions from one location to the next. Tours can be done by foot, bike, or car. Each tour remains the property of the owner allowing guests to enjoy tours multiple times or return to them as reference material. The app launched on July 10 with 3 distinct tours.
● Indian village neighborhood
● Belle Isle, Detroit’s Island Gem
● Art and Oddities of The Detroit People Mover
Plans are in place for 2-3 new tours to become available each month, starting in August, for purchase through the app which will automatically update.
Coming in August:
● The Roaring Twenties; A True Crime Tour
● Midnight to Dawn: The Detroit Underground Railroad Tour
● Holy Detroit: Houses of Worship Tour
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