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What Is a DMO? A Simple Guide for Tourism Teams (and What They Actually Do)
Confused by tourism acronyms? Andrew breaks down exactly what a DMO is, how they differ from BIAs, and how teams are using digital tools like Driftscape to turn casual visitors into local shoppers.

Andrew Applebaum
il y a 3 jours3 min de lecture


Turn Your Local Events Into Year-Round Visitor Experiences
Stop letting your festival momentum disappear on Monday morning. Andrew explains how BIA and DMO managers can use a digital engagement scavenger hunt to turn one-off events into year-round visitor experiences. Learn from real-world examples like Riverview and Carleton Place on how to drive foot traffic, support local businesses, and save money on print materials—all while giving visitors a fun, interactive reason to explore your town every single day.

Andrew Applebaum
Jan 14 min read


How to Promote Your Passport Program Without Burning Out Your Team
Stop burying your team in paper punch cards! Learn how to launch a digital "passport to savings" that drives foot traffic to local businesses while automating the boring stuff. From saving thousands in print costs to winning national awards with zero extra staffing, Andrew shares how BIAs and small towns are using smart tech like Driftscape to boost engagement without the burnout. Turn your seasonal campaign into a high-impact, immersive travel experience today.

Andrew Applebaum
Dec 30, 20253 min read


How to Design a Winter Walking Tour That Locals Actually Use
Don't let the January slump quiet your streets. Learn how to design a winter walking tour app experience that locals actually use. By combining "warm-up" points, audio storytelling, and digital rewards, you can transform your downtown into an immersive winter destination that supports local businesses even in the coldest months.

Andrew Applebaum
Dec 25, 20254 min read


The Tour Guide That Works Around the Clock With No Extra Staff
Stop losing visitors when your doors close! Andrew explains how an audio tour guide app acts as a 24/7 digital concierge for BIAs and DMOs. Discover how towns like Riverview and Sussex use gamification and audio storytelling to drive foot traffic to local businesses and engage thousands of visitors without increasing staff workload. Learn the secret to scaling your destination's stories and saving thousands in print costs today.

Andrew Applebaum
Dec 23, 20254 min read


Put Your Town on the Map Without Adding to Your To-Do List
The constant grind of managing tourism administration stops you from creating memorable visitor experiences. You don't have to hire more staff or work another weekend to build your destination branding. We compare three essential strategies—AI-powered business directories, mobile tour platforms, and gamification—that allow busy BIA and DMO teams to put their town on the map by enabling self-discovery and cutting down on manual admin tasks.

Andrew Applebaum
Dec 16, 20254 min read


How to Launch a Self-Guided Tour in One Week With a Small Team
A self-guided tour doesn't need a huge team or budget. Learn how to launch a professional, engaging mobile tour in just seven days by following a quick-start checklist. We'll show small teams and tourism marketers how to curate content, assemble media, map points of interest, and launch a successful tour that drives foot traffic and engagement. You can use simple gamification, like contests and prizes, to boost participation.

Andrew Applebaum
Dec 11, 20255 min read


Need a Last-Minute Tourism Boost? Launch a Discovery Passport in 30 Minutes
Need a quick fix for low visitor engagement? Forget pricey print runs and months of planning. A digital discovery passport to savings is your solution. DMOs and BIAs can launch this fun, gamified rewards program in under an hour to instantly drive foot traffic to local businesses. Learn the simple 3-step action plan and see how groups like Bruce County achieved 18,000+ visits without extra staff. This is how you turn an engagement gap into an immediate, measurable win.

Andrew Applebaum
Dec 4, 20254 min read


Reclaim 20+ Hours: Why an Automated Directory is Your New Content Manager
Stop manually updating local business listings! An automated directory platform is the fastest way for DMOs to save 20+ hours a month. It automatically validates POI data, boosts visitor experience with accurate information, and frees your team to focus on high-impact strategy, like launching gamified cultural tourism tours. It transforms static lists into a dynamic, digital tourism platform for engagement.

Andrew Applebaum
Dec 2, 20254 min read


2026 Travel Industry Technology: What Smart Destinations Are Actually Using
The biggest shift in travel industry technology for 2026 is moving the visitor experience entirely to their pocket. DMOs don't need to chase large smart city projects; they need accessible tools like AI-curated directories and mobile gamification. This playbook shows how small-to-midsize destinations can implement low-cost, high-impact tech to solve real problems: limited staffing, low engagement, and the need to prove local business impact.

Andrew Applebaum
Nov 27, 20255 min read


Destination Marketing in 2026: 5 Trends to Watch (and How to Prepare Now)
The key to successful destination marketing in 2026 isn't chasing every tech fad, but embracing five core trends that prioritize visitor engagement: hyper-local interactive tours, foot-traffic-driving gamification, AI-powered admin relief, multilingual storytelling, and the digital integration of events. Learn how destinations like Carleton Place and Bruce County are using these methods to achieve measurable success, drive foot traffic, and future-proof their visitor experien

Andrew Applebaum
Nov 25, 20255 min read


A Passport to Savings: How Holiday Shopping Campaigns Can Drive Foot Traffic (and Fun)
Ready to turn holiday shoppers into local explorers? Discover how digital rewards and a passport to savings can boost foot traffic and sales for your BIA or town centre. Instead of paper cards, a mobile-based system encourages people to visit multiple businesses by gamifying the experience. This low-friction, high-fun approach drives measurable engagement, as seen in examples like Downtown Brampton's 3,000+ check-ins. Focus on mapping out the fun, and using a simple reward st

Andrew Applebaum
Nov 20, 20254 min read


Winter Driving Tours: How to Turn Your Region Into a Self-Guided Holiday Adventure
The winter season is a prime opportunity to launch a self-guided driving tour, turning scenic routes into high-engagement adventures. This how-to guide shows DMOs and tourism managers how to curate safety-conscious, interactive itineraries (like holiday light tours) using digital check-ins and gamified rewards. This strategy not only supports local businesses during the off-season but also provides invaluable visitor data on travel patterns.

Andrew Applebaum
Nov 18, 20255 min read


Boost Visitor Experience: Creative Ideas for DMOs
Modern travelers seek authentic, interactive visitor experiences. DMOs can leverage simple mobile tools and gamification to transform passive visits into active exploration. Strategies like the Hardy Boys Scavenger Hunt (1,300+ completions) and the Bruce County rewards program (18,000+ visits) prove that low-effort, high-fun campaigns boost engagement, drive foot traffic to local businesses, and offer measurable ROI.

Andrew Applebaum
Nov 13, 20254 min read


How to build a self guided walking tour that boosts local business
Tired of "shop local" flyers that don't work? The secret to boosting foot traffic and sales for your BIA or town is an interactive self guided walking tour. Learn Andrew's 3-step formula: 1) Map for discovery, not just history, by placing POIs near or inside businesses. 2) Gamify with digital coupons and rewards to drive conversions—like the Crescent Heights BIA saved over $6k in print costs. 3) Make it effortless with a mobile-first platform. Give people a fun, guided advent

Andrew Applebaum
Nov 11, 20255 min read


Tourism Marketing That Works: How to Launch a Holiday Rewards Campaign
It’s time to solve the budget panic caused by untrackable, old-school advertising. Stop draining funds on campaigns that don't prove their worth.
The most effective solution for driving spending and engagement is a digital rewards campaign. By gamifying experiences—like a "Shop Local" scavenger hunt—you turn passive activity into measurable action. This strategy provides the hard data and verifiable ROI you need for stakeholders.
Get started easily!

Andrew Applebaum
Nov 6, 20254 min read


Pourquoi avez-vous besoin d’un annuaire automatisé d’entreprises en 2025
Vous vous souvenez de l’époque où l’on mettait constamment à jour des feuilles de calcul ou fouillait dans d’anciens courriels juste pour trouver les heures actuelles ou les nouvelles offres d’une entreprise? En tant que gestionnaire du BIA, directeur de la Chambre de commerce ou spécialiste du marketing touristique dans une petite ville, vous êtes la personne de référence pour tout ce qui est local. Mais suivre toutes vos entreprises membres – leurs détails, événements et promotions en constante évolution – peut ressembler à un emploi à temps plein en soi, n’est-ce pas?

Andrew Applebaum
Oct 20, 20254 min read


Pourquoi les BIA ont besoin d’un annuaire d’affaires intelligent avant la ruée des Fêtes
La ruée des Fêtes arrive. Ne te laisse pas enliser par les mises à jour manuelles! Découvrez comment un annuaire d’entreprises intelligent avec IA automatise les annonces, vous faisant gagner du temps et garantissant aux visiteurs des informations exactes. Cet outil vous aide à soutenir les commerces locaux, à attirer la circulation et à vous concentrer sur un engagement communautaire stratégique durant la saison la plus achalandée.

Andrew Applebaum
Oct 8, 20254 min read


Comment les pistes alimentaires et les coupons peuvent inspirer l’exploration automnale
Vous cherchez une nouvelle façon d’inciter les visiteurs à explorer cet automne? Découvrez comment une randonnée alimentaire saisonnière et une application intelligente de gestion de coupons peuvent stimuler la fréquentation, stimuler les affaires locales et créer une expérience culinaire immersive. Ce guide vous montrera comment utiliser les coupons numériques pour transformer une activité simple en une campagne communautaire rentable.

Andrew Applebaum
Oct 3, 20253 min read


Faire plus avec moins : comment un annuaire d’affaires IA fait gagner du temps et augmente la visibilité
Vous en avez assez des mises à jour manuelles sans fin pour les annonces d’entreprises? Découvrez comment un annuaire d’entreprises IA peut vous faire économiser d’innombrables heures et accroître la visibilité locale des touristes. Ce guide montre comment l’automatisation libère votre équipe de la saisie de données fastidieuse afin que vous puissiez vous concentrer sur l’engagement stratégique de la communauté et la narration, rendant votre destination plus accessible et attrayante.

Andrew Applebaum
Oct 1, 20253 min read
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