An island tourism firm has hooked up with a new mobile game development company to create the first mobile app designed to promote Bermuda’s culture.

Hidden Gems: Island Eco Tours’ Ashley Harris said she was delighted to be able to offer the app, designed by Adrian Lodge of Bermuda Island Games, to her clients and others who want to make the most of their time in Bermuda.

She added: “I feel that by working with Adrian from Bermuda Island Games on this project we will be able to engage tourists in a new way and give them a better feel for what Bermuda has to offer.”

And Mr Lodge said: “This is the first of what we hope to be many games designed to promote Bermuda’s unique culture and history.

“It is time that we catch up with the rest of the world and take advantage of the technology that is available today.”

He added: “With the America’s Cup approaching, it just made sense to build a visitor-focused app to appeal to those who are looking to explore and learn more about Bermuda’s lesser-known areas.

“By building the app in a game-like style, it makes it more entertaining and adds a sense of competition that you just don’t get from an informational pamphlet or a standard website.”

The mobile game — Hidden Gems of Bermuda — includes modern features like geocaching and push notifications, to let people know when they are approaching a location of importance and read more information about it.

It is designed to highlight “gems” in terms of activities and areas to attract more visitors and encourage them to spend more while on the island.

The game is also available to residents who want to learn more about the island and compete to bag all of the gems.