Road trippers on the West Coast now have an easy way to learn more about the places they drive through, thanks to Cal State Fullerton alumnus Kevin Costner ’78.
The renowned actor and marketing graduate co-founded HearHere, an iPhone app that shares engaging audio tidbits matched with the surrounding regions.
The release of the new app is timely, as travelers are ditching flights and turning to road trips amid the pandemic, said Ellen Kim, director of the Center for Entertainment and Hospitality and professor of management.
“A recent survey by the U.S. Travel Association shows that people feel safest when traveling by personal vehicle,” she explained. “Road trips make it easier to avoid public transportation and crowded areas, decreasing the risk of getting COVID-19. It also helps that gas prices are very low these days.”
Jennifer Chandler, professor of management, who studies innovation and technology in the service sector, added, “Hospitality industries are using smartphone applications to keep us connected in unprecedented ways. This app provides context-specific entertainment that is somewhat customized, which is a beautiful thing. Then the road trip itself is entertainment and the journey truly becomes the destination.”