Digital guide will help visitors discover city’s hidden gem

The Discover App, now launched in Oxford through a partnership between Oxford City Council and Discover, offers curated suggestions for dining, shopping, and activities covering the central area of Oxford, including the city centre, parts of Jericho, Osney and East Oxford.

It is designed to support both visitors and residents in exploring lesser-known areas and businesses.

Councillor Ben Higgins, cabinet member for future economy and innovation at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Oxfordshire County Council are delighted to have played a role in supporting this project via funding secured from the Contain Outbreak Management Fund, which was delivered and managed by Enterprise Oxfordshire.

“The Discover App for Oxford offers a great opportunity for visitors to the county, as well as local residents, to truly explore all that the city has to offer.”

The project was part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Enterprise Oxfordshire’s Visitor Economy Renaissance Programme.

This £1.64 million programme was designed to support the region’s tourism sector following the pandemic, with funding also secured from the government’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund via Oxfordshire County Council.

Helen Ryan-Wallis, director of strategic development and programmes at Enterprise Oxfordshire, said: “We are so glad to see Oxford go live on the Discover App and to begin to see the outcomes of this project be realised, supporting the flow of visitors across the city.

“Tourism is a significant part of our economy, which is ultimately for the benefit of Oxfordshire and enhances our residents’ quality of life – so it is vital we continue to champion our visitor economy for the benefit of visitors, our communities, and businesses.”

The wider Visitor Economy Renaissance Programme ran between 2022 and 2024 and included support such as the Visitor Economy Grant Scheme.

This provided £840,884 in funding to 52 businesses, as well as additional business support to improve competitiveness in the sector.

The Discover App project supports key priorities in the Oxfordshire Visitor Economy Vision & Destination Management Plan 2023-2028, which was commissioned by Enterprise Oxfordshire as part of the Renaissance Programme.

The app aims to improve digital wayfinding for pedestrians, raise awareness of underexplored areas, and increase visitor footfall across the city.

Enterprise Oxfordshire, formerly OxLEP, rebranded on April 1, 2025.

Oxfordshire County Council now serves as its sole company member.

The organisation continues to drive economic development through business support, skills, investment, and trade support services.

It also supports long-term strategies for sustainable economic growth.