MEDIA RELEASE

Kailua Village Business Improvement District will soon launch a free smartphone application that users can download to learn more about history, significant sites and things to do along Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast, the state’s second Hawaii Scenic Byway.

The Kona Royal Footsteps APP is an interpretive experience that focuses on Alii Drive’s roughly seven miles of roadway with seven centuries of archaeological, historic and cultural traditions and more than two dozen impressive points of interest.

Thanks to efforts by Kailua Village Business Improvement District, the Local Byway Committee, a grant from Hawaii Tourism Authority, and to HTA-funded County of Hawaii County Product Enrichment Program funding, the Kona Royal Footsteps APP shares a tremendous amount of historical information and photos along with ocean recreation, shoreline access, area accommodations and more.

“While we know that visitors to Historic Kailua Village will find the APP extremely helpful when planning and then during their stay, we are also excited about the educational value of the Kona Royal Footsteps APP for residents and particularly for island students,” said KVBID president Eric von Platen Luder. “Volunteers from the Local Byway Committee and KVBID invested hundreds of hours developing APP content that reveals fascinating information about places all along Alii Drive.”

Users who click on Hawaii Royal History in the application may, for example, select to learn more about Significant Sites, Heiau and History & Culture. Discoveries such as where King Kamehameha I perfected his surfing skills are revealed.

Care was taken to use and revitalize Hawaiian place names at popular surf spots. Points of Interest are mapped with easy-to-use Google maps.

Downloads for the free application will be available in online APP stores by the end of February using smartphones or tablets and searching “Kona Royal Guide,” or “Kona Royal Footsteps.”

The mission of the Kailua Village Business Improvement District is to make Kailua Village a model sustainable community that is a better place to invest, work, live and play.

KVBID is working cooperatively to improve and maintain the physical appearance and aesthetics of public right of ways, open space and parks, increase cleanliness and security, and attract long term sustainable business and community activity in Kailua Village.

— Find out more:
www.HistoricKailuaVillage.com