Local Explorers adds QR code check-ins to Connecticut wine passport app

Local Explorers has added QR code passport stamping to the Connecticut Farm Wineries Passport app, giving visitors a second check-in option alongside GPS. Seven of 35 wineries now offer the feature, and the app logged 6,663 stamps in the past 12 months, most of them through GPS.

Why it matters: - The new QR option gives Connecticut winery visitors a simpler alternative to GPS check-ins. - The change is meant to improve ease of use and increase engagement with the app and with local wineries. - The feature also shows how Local Explorers tests new tools on a small scale before wider rollout.

What happened: - Local Explorers added QR code passport stamps to the Connecticut Farm Wineries Passport app. - The app was originally built for the Connecticut Farm Wine Council in 2022. - The QR code feature launched after feedback from wineries and app users. - A small pilot with three wineries in 2025 tested QR code stamping before the broader launch.

The details: - The app lets users learn about the Connecticut Wine Trail, participating wineries and their offerings. - Users can earn points toward prizes and digital badges by checking in at wineries. - Until recently, the app used GPS exclusively for check-ins and passport stamps. - Seven of the 35 wineries in the app now offer QR codes or GPS for guest check-ins and passport stamps. - The participating wineries are Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Preston Ridge Vineyard, Jones Family Farms Winery, Jonathan Edwards Winery, Hopkins Vineyard, Bethlehem Vineyard and Winery, and Arrigoni Winery. - Over the past 12 months, users recorded 6,663 passport stamps through the app. - Of those, 6,434 were GPS stamps and 229 were QR code stamps. - The QR total stands out because only seven wineries currently offer the option. - Local Explorers said the QR activity represents engagement that may not have happened otherwise. - Susan Erickson, vice president and co-founder of Local Explorers, said the goal is not to replace GPS but to offer a familiar option for users and businesses that prefer QR codes. - Erickson said more engagement with the app should also mean more engagement with Connecticut wineries.

Between the lines: - The rollout suggests Local Explorers is favoring incremental product development over a full-scale feature release. - The company is using real user behavior to guide future app changes. - The QR feature may have wider use beyond Connecticut Farm Wines if the early results continue. - Local Explorers positions its apps as tools that help communities connect visitors with local businesses and attractions.

What's next: - Local Explorers will likely watch whether more wineries opt into QR stamping. - The company said the approach could be extended to other organizations if the feature keeps showing value. - The broader app suite will continue to evolve with development, training, maintenance and updates provided by Local Explorers.

The bottom line: - The QR rollout is a small feature change with outsized potential to make winery visits easier and keep users engaged.