Driftscape News  & Blogs

Ever wonder how some towns always seem to have a buzz? It usually comes down to the work of Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs). In this post, Andrew breaks down how these organizations actually work, how they secure funding without taxing residents, and how small teams—from BIAs to Chambers—can use digital tools to see huge engagement spikes.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

The holiday season is a massive opportunity for small towns and BIAs, but the pressure to drive foot traffic is real. The solution isn't a bigger budget—it's a smart, self guided walking tour that leverages your existing charm. We’ve collected 10 fresh, engaging ideas—from 'Elf Hunts' to 'Ugly Sweater Showcases'—to help you launch a rewarding, low-staffing campaign that gets people shopping local and exploring your main street this winter.

Remember the days of constantly updating spreadsheets or digging through old emails just to find a business's current hours or new offerings? As a BIA manager, Chamber of Commerce director, or small-town tourism marketer, you're the go-to person for everything local. But keeping up with all your member businesses – their ever-changing details, events, and promotions – can feel like a full-time job on its own, right?

The holiday rush is coming. Don't get bogged down in manual updates! Learn how a smart AI business directory automates listings, saving you time and ensuring visitors have accurate info. This tool helps you support local businesses, drive foot traffic, and focus on strategic community engagement during the busiest season.

Tired of endless manual updates for business listings? Learn how an AI business directory can save you countless hours and boost local visibility for tourists. This guide shows how automation frees up your team from tedious data entry so you can focus on strategic community engagement and storytelling, making your destination more accessible and appealing.

Spooky season is a huge opportunity for local businesses, but how do you turn the festive spirit into tangible sales? Learn how a coupon management app can create a spooky-themed trail with digital rewards and coupons, driving foot traffic to local shops and providing valuable data to measure your campaign's success.

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.

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

Boosting visitor engagement is a consistent challenge for tourism professionals today. As visitors increasingly rely on their screens for information, destinations, events, museums, and historic neighbourhoods must find effective ways to bridge the digital and physical worlds. Engaging visitors meaningfully requires immersive digital solutions. However, it takes more than a basic map; visitors need to experience your destination authentically, interactively, and emotionally.