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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
2 days ago3 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


Destination Marketing on Autopilot: 7 Time-Saving Strategies
Overwhelmed by content creation? It's time to put your destination marketing platform on autopilot. We get it—you’re trying to manage campaigns, update business listings, and launch new tours all at once. The solution isn't working harder; it’s automating the mundane. Use simple, smart strategies like AI-curated listings, turning your event calendar into instant tours, and using gamification to track engagement automatically. By adopting these 7 time-saving tips, you can recl

Andrew Applebaum
Dec 9, 20255 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


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


How to Record an Audio Tour on Your Phone: A Step-by-Step Guide for Budget-Conscious Tourism Teams
Don't let a small budget stop you from creating an incredible audio tour! This how-to guide shows budget-conscious tourism teams how to use a smartphone to record high-quality audio content and launch a self-guided experience. With a simple script and the right audio tour app, you can bring your destination’s stories to life and enhance visitor engagement without spending a fortune.

Andrew Applebaum
Oct 13, 20255 min read


From Stone Markers to Digital Memories: How to Transform a Heritage Site
As an Indigenous tourism planner, a parks officer, or a cultural site manager, you know the immense value of the stories embedded in your landscape. From ancient trails to historic buildings, these places hold incredible power. But how do you bridge the gap between a static stone marker and a vibrant, deeply personal memory for every visitor, especially with limited staff and resources? (It’s a common challenge, connecting past to present in a meaningful way!)

Andrew Applebaum
Aug 29, 20255 min read


Build a City Tour App That Feels Local—And Gets Used Like It’s Global
Have you ever scrolled through a big city's sleek tourism app and thought, "That's exactly what we need... but how on earth could we pull that off?" As a DMO marketing manager or BIA director, you dream of giving visitors and locals an engaging way to explore your community. But the reality of limited budgets, small teams, and zero in-house developers often makes building a custom city tour app builder feel like climbing Mount Everest in flip-flops. (Trust me, I've seen that

Andrew Applebaum
Aug 13, 20254 min read


Choosing a Tourism Storytelling Platform: 5 Must-Have Features
Struggling to share your destination's stories effectively? The right tourism storytelling platform can turn hidden gems into must-see attractions and boost engagement dramatically. Discover five essential features—like mobile-first experiences and gamified tours—that make your storytelling impactful and effortless.

Andrew Applebaum
Jul 15, 20254 min read


How to Choose the Right Audio Tour Platform for Your Destination
An audio tour platform isn't just a nice-to-have gadget; it's quickly becoming a strategic imperative for enhancing cultural tourism and delivering unforgettable visitor immersion.

Andrew Applebaum
Jun 11, 20253 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


Budget-Friendly Ways to Master Destination Tourism Storytelling
Are you a tourism professional struggling to showcase your destination's unique narrative and master destination tourism storytelling without a massive marketing budget? It's a common hurdle, isn't it? In today's competitive landscape, static brochures and basic websites often fall short of inspiring true wanderlust. Many tourism organizations face the challenge of providing dynamic, engaging experiences and acting as a comprehensive local attractions guide when resources

Andrew Applebaum
May 26, 20254 min read


5 Practical Ways a Tourism App Can Help You Tell Your Destination's Story
A tourism app helps DMOs and BIAs connect visitors with what makes your destination unique. Learn five practical ways to use digital tools like self-guided tours and audio clips to start telling your destination's story, even with a small budget.

Andrew Applebaum
Apr 28, 20255 min read


Interactive Tourism Maps: Your Essential Tool for Engaging Modern Visitors
Interactive tourism maps are no longer just about wayfinding; they are dynamic platforms for visitor engagement that can transform how people explore your destination, offering rich, self-guided immersive experiences.

Andrew Applebaum
Nov 5, 20244 min read


Why a Destination App is Your Secret Weapon for Boosting Visitor Engagement
Move beyond the paper brochure. Discover how a strategic destination app transforms the visitor journey into an immersive, data-driven experience that boosts local exploration.

Andrew Applebaum
Aug 22, 20243 min read


Essential Tourism Marketing Strategies: How Digital Platforms Drive Engagement
Learn how to future-proof your destination by integrating digital transformation, augmented reality, and personalized data into your tourism marketing strategies to create unforgettable visitor experiences.

Andrew Applebaum
Jul 27, 20244 min read


Unlock Deeper Connections: Why Your Destination Needs a Visitor Engagement Platform
Tourism is evolving. Learn how a visitor engagement platform empowers DMOs and BIAs to deliver immersive storytelling, drive local discovery, and capture actionable visitor data to boost engagement.

Andrew Applebaum
Mar 1, 20244 min read


What is the difference between a White Label App Versus a Shared App?
Discover the difference between a Whitelabel App and Shared App for your tourism solution.

Driftscape
Jan 25, 20244 min read


Native App Versus Web App: Which Is the Right Tourism App for You?
Looking to implement an app to help boost tourism? We are here to help you understand the differences between native app and Web app.

Driftscape
Jan 23, 20244 min read


Unlock Your Destination's Past with a Historical Site Guide App
Ontario’s heritage sites are evolving. Discover how a historical site guide app turns plaques into powerful, accessible stories with audio, maps, and self-guided tours.

Andrew Applebaum
Feb 27, 20236 min read
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