Smart app reveals Edinburgh's secrets

Smart phone owners will be able to download an app which will give them access to a guide around the capital's best kept secrets based on insider tips from others who live in the city.

The trail uses Foursquare, the latest in social networking software which uses global positioning systems to track the phone users movements.

Users of the app, which was produced by Destination Edinburgh Marketing Alliance (DEMA) in association with The Scotsman, will be able register their location via their phone, check out other people's reviews and tips about the area, as well as interact with other Foursquare users.

Those who do check into the app as they follow the trail will receive points and those who gain the highest score will be in with a chance of being named 'mayor' of Edinburgh - the term given to the one person who uses it the most often - and will win a prize.

Michael Milne, DEMA web and digital marketing manager, said that the aim of the app was to add another dimension to tourist trails: "We were trying to link in various venue and hotspots that we have in the city that were not the usual places, that were a bit different, and to recommend places to people visiting here. We were trying to look at how to make it a bit more interesting and dynamic than just put the trail on something like a Google map.

Users who have Facebook accounts will also be able to see the whereabouts of friends who also have the app on their phones, allowing to meet up while out on the trail.

A website devoted to the scheme can be found at thisismyedinburgh.com.