Did you discover a hidden gem, find a beautiful viewpoint, or want to share a historical fact? Great! By adding a point of interest (POI), you enrich the RouteYou map for yourself and others.
This is also the perfect way for hospitality, accommodation, or public domain operators to put their location in the spotlight for hikers, cyclists, and other recreational users.
This is only possible via the website.
Your POI in 5 easy steps
To get started, go to the main menu (top left on the website) to 'Points of Interest' and choose 'Add a point of interest'. An interactive page will appear where you can fill in all the information about your POI in 5 sections.
TIP
You can also create a POI directly while planning a route and complete it later.
More info about adding a POI while planning a route.
1. Basic information
In this first section, enter the minimum data required to create a POI.
Read more about translating a point of interest / POI.
Tip: Be specific. 'The Thick Oak of Vlezenbeek' is much more attractive than simply 'Tree'.
Search: Don't want to scroll through the list? Type the category in the search field and we'll find the best match for you.
Choose specifically: Our types are smartly structured. If you choose 'Art Museum', your place will also be found by people searching for the general type 'Museum'. The reverse does not work, so choose as detailed as possible!
Choose the best shape for your POI and determine the exact position on the map.
Shape: point, line or polygon
At the top left of the map, you can indicate whether you want to draw a point, line, or polygon.
Most places are a point on the map. For a nice climb, you can draw a line, and for a park or forest, a polygon (area) is ideal.
Enter the correct location
Do you know the area, the exact address, or maybe the coordinates of the place? Enter them in the search field at the top right of the map to jump directly there.
Handy map options:
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Settings button: Here you can:
- Adjust the background map.
- Make existing points of interest (POIs) in the system visible.
If you select this option, existing points of interest will appear on the map. If you click on an existing POI, the name, type, and position will be copied. You can still adjust this, but it saves you a lot of typing! - Make existing routes in the system visible.
You can show one or more routes as a reference. To search for the desired route(s), use the same method as for the standard searching for routes via the website. Useful if you want to use your own route to mark points where you want to tell or show something.
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My location: This zooms the map to your current position. Depending on how your browser determines your position (e.g., GPS, WiFi, etc.), this location may be more or less accurate. You can always move your point of interest to the desired position.
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Street View: Drag the Pegman onto the map to view a Google Street View image of the location.
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Full screen: Go to full screen mode to more easily mark a point, line, or polygon.
You decide who can see your information:
- Public: Everyone can see your point of interest
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Private: Only you can see the information.
GOOD TO KNOW
If you add a private POI to a route that you make public, the information about that point of interest will be visible to everyone who views your route. However, the POI itself remains private and will not appear as a separate result in the general search lists.
Keep your text short and powerful. Do you have a lot to tell? Split your text into logical blocks (such as 'History' and 'Architecture'). You can even link these different pieces of information as separate items to the same location. Useful if you later want to create a thematic route about architecture, for example!
Read more about one location with multiple POIs.
2. References
In this section, you can add external links to give your point of interest extra value.
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Link for more information
Enter a URL here (e.g., https://www.yourwebsite.com) that will be linked to the "More info" button in the description.
Use this to link to relevant information that is already on another website.
This is ideal for things that change frequently, such as prices or opening hours. This way, you don't have to update it on RouteYou all the time.
Source name
It is polite and reliable to mention your source (such as an author, book, or specific organization). This way, users know where the information comes from.
Note: Mentioning a source does not automatically give you the right to copy copyrighted texts.
Read more about copyright.
Link to the source
Enter the URL that belongs to the source you entered above. Users who click on the source name will be redirected directly to this website.
3. Address & contact details
In this section, you can manage the address of your point of interest. This address will be neatly displayed on the final page of your POI.
- You can enter the address details in two ways:
1/ Retrieve from the map: Have you already marked a point on the map? Use this button to automatically fill in the address based on that location.
2/ Indicate on the map: Do you prefer to enter the address first? Fill in the fields manually and click this button to move the marker on the map exactly to that address.
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Make contact details visible
Do you want visitors to be able to call or email you directly?
Then check the option 'Show email address and phone number on the point of interest page'. This is ideal for hospitality businesses, museums, or accommodation where people often want to make a reservation or ask a question in advance.
4. Visualization
Do you want to make your point of interest stand out or apply your own style? Here you can adjust the color of the icon.
ATTENTION
This feature is available for users with a Premium account or higher.
5. Images and videos
A picture is worth a thousand words. By adding media, you make your point of interest much more attractive to other recreational users. This also improves the score of your POI.
More info about the score of a POI.
You can easily upload images or link videos (e.g., from YouTube) to your location.