In Hand Guides (IHG), an Irish company based in Cork providing low cost embedded audio players, and Twin America who operate CitySights NY and Gray Line New York, today (Friday 29th October 2010) announced a partnership. Under the terms of the deal, which was secured with support from Enterprise Ireland’s New York Office, In Hand Guides will design and manufacture a branded bespoke audio device for their 3 million annual customers with City Sights and Gray Line New York.
IHG estimate that this deal will generate over €500,000 in the next twelve months, which will allow IHG to employ technical and support staff in their Cork base. Publicity has already generated interest with similar tourist companies in Chicago and Orlando. Bus tours in New York City were valued at $3 Billion in 2007 by the City Council. The city licenses 12 sightseeing companies, which operate 250 tour buses.
Enterprise Ireland’s Director of the Americas Gerry Murphy said
“This is a significant contract for this specialist Cork-based company. In securing this high profile New York partnership, InHand Guides demonstrates that small Irish companies can secure significant, prestigious international contracts by focussing on providing quality, innovative products tailored to specific customer requirements. We will continue to support them as they build on this success and work to break into other important US markets.”
From now on both City Sights and Gray Line, New York’s most prominent tour bus operators, will sell the In Hand Guides bespoke audio device. The credit card size audio player will allow customers to freely roam areas of NYC such as Wall Street or the World Trade Centre site and receive a one-on-one guided tour at their own pace. They then keep the ultra low cost player as unique souvenir of their trip to the City.
Coinciding with this major announcement to manage rising demand in the region for its audio player solutions, IHG have opened their first office in the USA supported by Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government body tasked with accelerating innovative Irish company’s growth in international markets. Irish companies now employ over 4,200 people in over 60 offices throughout New York. The In Hand guides office is located right in the heart of the Business District at 345 Park Avenue and their new website has been unveiled at www.inhandguides.com to compliment this.
