A new app for your smartphone has hit the market, and it’s aimed at tourism in the Brainerd Lakes Area. VisitBrainerd.com Executive Director Richard Polipnick says “With more and more events and activities happening on the weekends, it gets hard to find information.” He continued to say “we really felt the easiest way to deliver was really just to put it in the palm of their hand with an app.”

The app features a variety of information including events, where to eat and stay, as well as fishing, birding, and bike reports all at the touch of your fingertips. Polipnick says “they can open up the app and go directly to upcoming events. They can pull up a list of restaurants; they can one-click navigate to that business, or they can one-click call that business.”

And in today’s world of instant gratification, having the information available right in the palm of your hands is a win for everyone involved. It’s quick access to information that people really want, says Polipnick. “The app is very easy to navigate, very easy to use.”

Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce President Matt Kilian agrees with the sentiment and says it’s good for the businesses as well, but adds “when tourists come to the Lakes Area, they’re looking for places to visit, things to see and do.” He continues saying, “there are a lot more tourists these days that want to just bring up the information real time, online or on their telephone, and when you’re able to do that on this app, it’s a huge benefit for the area.”

And while the app was designed to boost tourism in the area, Polipnick says it’s a good resource for locals as well, saying “it really gives them that quick access to update them on upcoming events, specials and other deals.” He also said he and his company believed if you built it for the local, it would serve the visitor as well.

The app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store on your Android device or the App Store on any Apple product by searching for “Brainerd Lakes Area Updates.”

By — Justin Prince

Sports Director in Bemidji