Cutting the ribbon at the Sideling Hill Tourism and Travel Kiosk from left are Kim Shirer, Allegany County Director of Tourism Programs; Barb Buehl, Allegany County Director of Tourism; Robert Hutcheson, Allegany County Commissioner; Jonathan Hutcherson, President Exclamation Labs; Tom Riford, President and CEO Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau; Al Feldstein, Maryland Office of Planning; James Stakem, Allegany County Commissioner; George Edwards, Maryland State Senator; Margot Amelia, Executive Director of Tourism Development for the State of Maryland; Sarah Duck, Director of Marketing, Garrett County Chamber of Commerce.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Exclamation Labs Launches HAWK™ Kiosk System as Part of National Tourism Week

Cumberland, MD, May 15, 2008 - Jonathan Hutcherson, founder and President of Exclamation Labs, joined Executive Director of Tourism Development for the State of Maryland, Margot Amelia, with state and county officials at a ribbon-cutting Thursday for the Hospitality and Welcome Kiosk (HAWK™) system serving travelers at the Sidling Hill welcome center off Interstate-68 West. The event was timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of National Tourism Week.

“This is a great day for Exclamation Labs,” said Hutcherson, “as we showcase a new generation of technology developed right here in Maryland. The HAWK system helps travelers find local attractions, up-to-date events and even room availability tied into an expanding online network of internet and kiosk data.”

Unlike standard kiosks adapting PC hardware and software that often fails in demanding travel settings, the HAWK system was designed from the ground up to use leading-edge technology. HAWK hardware was originally designed to withstand the rigors of offshore oil rigs and factory floors, and it is powered by specialized HAWK software to handle high-volume use, easy travel information updates, and rapid print-outs for traveler convenience. The kiosks are fault-tolerant, continuing to provide service even when Internet connections are interrupted, and are fully integrated across the award-winning Forest™ Destination Marketing System now powering numerous tourism websites across Maryland.

“Destination Marketing Organizations in Maryland are now leading in adopting this full suite of capabilities,” said Hutcherson. “The Forest Destination Marketing System has proven its ability to reach out over the Web with integrated data and marketing to attract visitors, and now we meet those same travelers as they use HAWK self-service kiosks when they arrive in our area.”

Exclamation Labs has established a growing network across Maryland, with HAWK indoor and outdoor kiosks in visitor’s bureaus, pedestrian malls, universities, resort hotels and interstate welcome centers locations in both eastern and western Maryland. HAWK kiosks with the Web-powered Forest Destination Marketing System were chosen for both of Maryland’s state-sponsored resorts—Rocky Gap Resort and Conference Center near Cumberland and the Hyatt Regency Eastern Shore.

Web sites built upon the Forest Destination Marketing System have garnered two statewide awards at the Governor’s annual tourism conference. The tourism-centric system which now includes on-site HAWK kiosk capabilities is ideal for Destination Marketing Organizations, urban business districts, major resorts and hotels, and campuses.

“We wanted to bring the same online marketing expertise to tourism that we have brought for years to our major corporate clients,” said Hutcherson.

The kiosk project in Western Maryland was funded by the Allegany County Department of Tourism, the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, and the Appalachian Regional Commission as administered by the Maryland Department of Planning and managed by Tri-County Council of Western Maryland.

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