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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


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


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


How to Build a Self-Guided Cycling Tour With an Audio Guide App
It's a crisp autumn day, and visitors want to get out and explore, but a staffed event is too much work. Learn how an audio guide app can help you create a low-cost, high-impact self-guided cycling tour. This guide shows you how to capture stories with your phone, map your route, and promote the tour to make it an unforgettable seasonal adventure.

Andrew Applebaum
Sep 22, 20254 min read


How to Boost Tourism This Halloween: 20 Self-Guided & Spooky Ideas
Looking to attract more visitors this Halloween? This guide shows how to boost tourism this spooky season by using a self-guided tour app. Get 20 creative ideas for spooky tours and scavenger hunts that engage both locals and visitors, while also supporting local businesses and generating valuable buzz.

Andrew Applebaum
Sep 19, 20254 min read


How to Create a Haunted Walking Tour With Spooky Audio (No Tour Guide Needed)
Looking to create a spooky Halloween experience? This guide shows how a walking tour audio app is the perfect low-cost solution for a self-guided haunted tour. Learn how to transform your community's spooky folklore into an engaging, self-guided adventure that drives visitor engagement and provides valuable data.

Andrew Applebaum
Sep 17, 20254 min read


How to Boost Fall Tourism: 20 Self-Guided Tours, Hunts & Ideas That Work
Looking to attract more visitors this Halloween? This guide shows how to boost tourism this spooky season by using a self-guided tour app. Get 20 creative ideas for spooky tours and scavenger hunts that engage both locals and visitors, while also supporting local businesses and generating valuable buzz.

Andrew Applebaum
Sep 10, 20254 min read


Create a Fall Heritage Walk: A Self-Guided Tour to Explore History, Foliage, and Local Shops
Fall is the perfect time for a heritage walk! Learn how a digital app for heritage sites can help you create a seasonal self-guided tour that drives visitor engagement and supports local businesses. This guide covers everything from mapping your route to adding scavenger hunt elements and using a mobile tour platform to bring history to life.

Andrew Applebaum
Sep 8, 20254 min read


You Don’t Need Fancy Tools—Just a Vision. Here’s How to Create a Tour They’ll Love
Ever felt like creating an amazing self-guided tour means you need a massive budget and a dedicated tech team? As a tourism pro, I know the drill: tight resources, endless tasks, and the pressure to engage visitors effectively. It often feels like you need some secret wizardry to bring your local stories to life, especially when you're managing a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), a Business Improvement Area (BIA), or a cultural attraction. (Spoiler alert: You absolute

Andrew Applebaum
Aug 25, 20256 min read


You Don’t Need a Tech Team to Build a Tour That Locals Love and Tourists Share
Ever felt that surge of pride when someone truly "gets" your town? As a BIA manager, chamber director, or tourism coordinator, you know the unique stories, hidden gems, and vibrant businesses that make your community special. But how do you share that magic beyond official guides and brochures, especially when resources are tight and a dedicated tech team feels like a pipe dream? (Believe me, I hear you!) It's all about delivering an amazing immersive travel experience.

Andrew Applebaum
Aug 7, 20255 min read


How Do I Store Maps Offline in the Driftscape App?
Ever lost signal right when you needed it most? With Driftscape’s offline mode, visitors can explore tours, trails, and points of interest—even without Wi-Fi. From scenic hikes to heritage sites, offline maps make your destination more accessible, anywhere. Perfect for BIAs, museums, and rural tourism pros looking to stay connected with travelers—no signal required. Learn how to store maps offline and bring your stories to life, off the grid.

Andrew Applebaum
Jul 31, 20254 min read


How a Sightseeing App Helped the Downtown Carleton Place BIA Create a Hit Self-Guided Tour
Carleton Place, like many small towns, faced a familiar challenge: how to bring forgotten stories back to life—and foot traffic back to the town centre. Their sightseeing app solution? A self-guided, story-rich scavenger hunt powered by Driftscape. Here's how it worked—and what your destination can learn from it.

Andrew Applebaum
Jun 14, 20255 min read


Use Photography & Video to Boost Tourism with Visual Storytelling
Bringing Destinations to Life Through Visuals Ever noticed how some destinations seem to leap off the screen—while others feel flat and...

Andrew Applebaum
Jun 7, 20254 min read


Why Audio Storytelling in Tourism Keeps Visitors Engaged Longer
The sound of a 1920s jazz band drifts through the alleyway. No, it’s not a live performance — it’s a visitor on a self-guided audio tour, phone in pocket, hearing local stories come to life with each step. That’s the magic of audio storytelling in tourism. Struggling to make your destination's stories truly resonate with visitors? Those static signs and brochures, while handy, often miss the mark when it comes to truly captivating people and encouraging them to linger. That's

Andrew Applebaum
May 28, 20254 min read


Why You Should Meet Driftscape at Rendez-vous Canada (RVC 2025)
Rendez-vous Canada (RVC) 2025 is happening May 27-30, 2025, at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. As Canada's premier international tourism marketplace, RVC brings together tourism operators, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), travel buyers, and media from around the world to network, build partnerships, and shape the future of travel and tourism.

Andrew Applebaum
May 7, 20252 min read


How to Build a Walking Tour That Boosts Local Business Foot Traffic
Want more visitors exploring your main street—not just Googling it from the hotel? Whether you're part of a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), a Business Improvement Area (BIA), a local museum, or a tourism office, a well-crafted walking tour can do more than guide people around. It can turn passive wanderers into active customers. Here's how to create a map-based experience that doesn't just show people around but leads them right to your community's heartbeat: its bu

Andrew Applebaum
Apr 21, 20254 min read


How Driftscape and 17th Ave Made Halloween Spook-Tacular with an Interactive Trick-or-Treat Trail
17th Ave BIA & Driftscape Success!
The app-powered trick-or-treat trail transformed Halloween on Calgary's 17th Ave, doubling foot traffic (up 100% to 56,000 visitors) and boosting local sales by 50%. The Driftscape platform provided an interactive, map-based tour, guiding visitors to undiscovered businesses. This showcased the power of smart tourism to drive economic growth and enhance visitor engagement. A proven blueprint for DMOs/BIAs.

Andrew Applebaum
Dec 5, 20245 min read


Experience Holiday Magic at Riverview’s Light Up Riverview Festival
Discover the enchantment of the holiday season at Riverview’s beloved annual Light Up Riverview festival , running from November 21 to...

Driftscape
Dec 5, 20242 min read


How MICA and Driftscape Are Revolutionizing Tourism on Manitoulin Island
Manitoulin Island has always been a destination that captures the imagination of travelers with its natural beauty, cultural heritage,...

Driftscape
Dec 4, 20242 min read
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