Students at Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus) through the Independent Entrepreneurship Program (WMK) invented an app entitled ‘Gunungku.’ The app was designed for mountain hikers in Central Java to help them buy hiking tickets and get information about mountains.
The developer team of ‘Gunungku’ consists of five students at Udinus from various departments. These students are Maziya Ats Tsaqofi and Aurelia Chiara Suryabangun, both are Informatics students, Ahma Khotibul Umar—an Information Systems student, Aisha Pramudya Putri —an English student, and Prasada Agra—an Accounting student.
According to Maziya Ats Tsaqofi, the idea of Gunungku emerged from an experience from one of the team members, Ahmad Khotibul Umar. In the past, Umar had some difficulties in ordering hiking tickets.
“From this problem, we have conducted research and interviews with a hiker community. The results show that many of them still have many problems in ordering tickets onsite, including scalpers who sell the tickets at such abnormal prices,” Maziya explained.
Based on the analysis, the team would later develop the Gunugku app, which has two main functions, including simplifying ticket-buying systems onsite and providing information concerning mountain ranges in Central Java.
“We made the app to help hikers, particularly beginners, so they can be more prepared and not confused with processes like choosing a hiking trail,” Maziya added.
Providing Safety and Simplicity to Hikers
Not only does it provide simplicity in ordering a hiking ticket, but Gunungku also possesses a safety feature. According to Prasada Agra, the ‘Gunungku’ app was designed to store important data, including emergency information. This feature would be useful if a hiker were to be trapped in emergency situations, such as being lost.
“Our app is still in its prototype stage, and it will later be tested first before its official launch. It will approximately take six months until this app is to be released on Play Store,” Prasada uttered.
The developer team also planned to tie a partnership with various hiking posts in Central Java, including Mt. Merbabu and Mt. Prau. Even though many mountains have their own integrating systems, the team is still committed to integrating all hills in Central Java within one platform.
With this innovation, Prasada hoped their app to help hikers explore the beauty of Indonesian mountains, as well as provide them with a more secure and organized experience.
“Thus, the ticket ordering process will be simpler, as we have coordinated with numerous hiking spots. We want our app to be a solution for hikers in exploring Indonesian tourism potential,” Prasada concluded. (Humas Udinus/Alex. Foto: Humas Udinus)
