Iceland has launched the innovative first ever human search engine which will offer tourists a human contact to find out information that can be useful while visiting the country.
‘Ask Gudmundur’ – which features seven locals named Gudmundur or Gudmunda – provides visitors an alternative to online search engines through volunteers who want to share their inside knowledge of the North Atlantic island by offering local secrets and advice in the hope that tourists enjoy the “ultimate Iceland experience”.
The seven people share one of Iceland’s most popular names and aim to offer a personable experience. Individually, they represent each of the country’s seven regions and are to spread their in-depth knowledge on the social media platforms of ‘Inspired By Iceland’.
The service launched on 28 April with Gudmundur Karl Jonsson, or Gudmundur of the North, urging people across the globe to submit their questions, such as asking ‘Is it always cold in Iceland?’ or ‘What is the best place to visit in the North?’
The search engine will run until autumn and questions can be submitted on Inspired By Iceland’s Twitter and Facebook accounts with the hashtag #AskGudmundur. Weekly videos will also be uploaded onto YouTube.
Promote Iceland’s director of tourism and creative industries Inga Hlin Palsdottir explained that they want the world to embrace their new service and share their questions, adding that each of the seven Gudmundurs are specialists in their region and will offer a truly personal approach.