The first Web and Mobile Programming Event in the field of Tourism (HackaTourism 2020) was held from 16th to 18th of Bahman month, 1398 (February 5-7, 2020) at the International Campus of Sharif University of Technology on Kish Island, with the support of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology of the Presidency, Sharif University of Technology, Kish Free Zone Organization, and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, in collaboration with Islamic Azad University and Medical Sciences University.
In this scientific marathon, which was held with the aim of introducing participants and officials to startup ideas, tourism industry innovations, handicrafts, health tourism, and investment in these areas, 170 participants in the form of 21 teams from different provinces of the country presented their scientific solutions focusing on 5 challenging axes in the field of programming to overcome the country's most important challenges in tourism and commercialize their innovative ideas.
At the closing ceremony of this scientific and tourism event, which was held at Sharif University of Technology Kish Campus with the presence of Dr. Mahmoud Fotouhi, the president of Sharif University of Technology, and Gholamhossein Mozaffari, the CEO of Kish Free Zone Organization, Ali Solak Ghaafari, the head of the International Campus of Sharif University of Technology Kish, referred to the Hackathon 2020 as a turning point and the beginning of new activities and innovation in the tourism industry. He added: Tourism can be one of the most important sources of income and employment in the country, and in this regard, the island of Kish, with its unique location, capacities, and suitable infrastructure, is a great opportunity and asset for the country. Finally, the programming groups "Scoutk", "Travelo", and "Brickpoint" were introduced as the first to third groups of this event, and the "Kuhrange" group was also recognized for its achievements. The prizes for this marathon amounted to $3,000, $1,500, and $1,000, respectively, for the first to third groups.
