Mobile travel guide mobiExplore has launched in the UK, giving users free access to information on 100 destinations around Britain.

The service allows people to search and find local services and information, including agents, hotels, B&Bs, camping areas, cafes and restaurants.

Agents and other companies can register for free to have their business information included on search listings.

Originally launched in Croatia in 2007, mobiExplore was downloaded by 520,000 people in its first year and aims to have a million UK users within a year.

The application from mobile technology provider Gideon Multimedia can be downloaded to a mobile via computer or SMS text request without charge and does not require people to be online to use it.

mobiExplore also provides maps, up-to-date events information, places of interest, weather reports, special offers and promotions.

Following the UK launch, Gideon plans to roll out travel guides to Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Greece, Hungary, Portugal and Holland by June 2009.

Vedran Prazen, managing director for Europe at Gideon, said: “Whether a tourism board, carrier or agent, this is a way of connecting to users that is not intrusive as people are actively requesting information. Firms can add their information for free and if they want to always be first in the search ranking they can choose to activate pay-per-click. The system is very flexible and firms can customise their own edition.”

For more information, go to www.mobiexplore.com.