If you have a CVB in town that has asked you to become more involved or you just want to drive tourism in your area, you may be looking for ideas on how to do that. Today, there are lots of ways you can increase tourism for very little money.
All you need is time.
(Go ahead. Laugh. We know it’s the one thing chambers don’t have a lot of.)
Drive Tourism with These Simple Content Ideas for Your Chamber
- Make a video or photo compilation set to music that shows the beauty of your area.
- Livestream the sun setting over something famous or breathtaking in your community.
- Feature business spotlights or highlights of what local businesses are offering today. A photo and description of a luscious local dessert can get people very interested in making the trip.
- Tie your community into pop culture. Was a movie or TV show filmed there or was your town referenced? Maybe a travel eating show came through your city. Livestream from that location.
- Does a local business have a challenge (eating or otherwise)? Livestream while someone is going for it. If that business already does, share their video.
- Create helpful guides like “A Parent’s Guide to <Insert Your Town>.”
- Create top ten lists like: top ten things to do in autumn or top ten things to do for under $20.
- Write an article on famous people who hail from your area. Do a little online research to see if they’ve ever spoken about something they loved about your town. If you’re still in touch with them, or know someone who is, ask them to comment.
- Posts memes about your awesome weather or something you’re known for.
- Create an infographic using stats on your town.
- Reach out to travel bloggers and provide an interesting angle about your area. Don’t forget the sites that cover the weird and whacky. They love things like ghost stories and biggest objects (like biggest peanut).
Want More Ideas to Drive Tourism?
Use these ideas and add them to your Facebook page, Instagram account, Twitter, and Snapchat or whatever social media profiles you use. Try a few paid advertisements to drum up some interest. Create a newsletter just for those planning a trip with local festival information. Your CVB likely sends something like this out but may only feature the really large festivals and events. Make sure you give them access or email them with your big members’ events too.
Finally, get as granular as possible. Ask about visitor’s interests and create content just for them. For instance, if someone visits your site and requests a “traveling with family” brochure, ask them if they want to subscribe to your special family travel newsletter that will keep them aware of family-friendly events and business. Don’t forget niche interests like “haunted happenings”, “local sci-fi mysteries”, or “traveling with your fur babies.”
The true path to success in driving tourism is to create content that is as personalized as possible to the audience. Visitors can get a lot of info on the Internet but the type they’ll value most will speak directly to their needs, concerns, and interests. You can easily become that resource.
One final note:
Whenever possible, consult your CVB to make sure you are both not recreating the wheel.
