In Time for Apple's Big News, ‘Visit Coronado’ App Issues Update

Tourism officials are pleased with the progress of the “Visit Coronado” app and on Wednesday launched an updated version of it to coincide with Apple's iOS 6 announcement.

The free app, said Todd Little, executive director of the Coronado Tourism Improvement District, has been downloaded 2,500 times since its July release. It is available on both the iPhone and Android platforms.

Optimizing the app for the iPhone's software update includes new features, most prominently the addition of restaurant menus. Bugs also have been fixed as part of the app's second update and it is speedier.

For those who prefer the iPad, Apple's tablet, Little said an app for the device is expected by Dec. 1. It's set to make the best use of Apple's retina display, which critics often praise as stunning and a cut above other viewing experiences.

“What we want is to blow everybody's mind with the iPad version,” Little said.

The tourism district has been working on the apps since February, at a cost of about $10,000, which comes from fees Coronado's largest hotels assess on themselves for promotion of the community.

Those fees also fund grants to support events that draw visitors to Coronado, such as .

Little estimates that more than 400 Coronado businesses and attractions are listed on the app, along with about 1,000 photos.

The app gives the community a veneer of tech-savviness, but it serves more practical purposes: selling Coronado to those planning to travel and directing them once they get here.

“It's an initiative for local business to stay in business,” Little said.