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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


Why you need an automated business directory in 2025
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?

Andrew Applebaum
Oct 20, 20254 min read


Why BIAs Need a Smart Business Directory Before the Holiday Rush
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.

Andrew Applebaum
Oct 8, 20254 min read


How Food Trails and Coupons Can Inspire Autumn Exploration
Looking for a new way to get visitors exploring this fall? Learn how a seasonal food trail and a smart coupon management app can drive foot traffic, boost local business, and create an immersive culinary experience. This guide will show you how to use digital coupons to turn a simple activity into a profitable community campaign.

Andrew Applebaum
Oct 3, 20253 min read


Doing More with Less: How an AI Business Directory Saves Time and Boosts Visibility
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.

Andrew Applebaum
Oct 1, 20253 min read


Your 3-Step Guide to a Spooky-Themed Coupon Campaign
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.

Andrew Applebaum
Sep 29, 20254 min read


Shop Local, Stay Longer: 10 Ways to Help Visitors Discover and Support Local Businesses
You want visitors to experience your community's unique heart, not just the chain stores. Learn 10 ways a discover visitor app can help tourists find and support local businesses, turning a casual visit into a memorable, community-building experience that boosts your local economy and creates a lasting connection.

Andrew Applebaum
Sep 26, 20254 min read


How to Create a Fall Farm Tour with an Interactive Tour Guide App
It's a huge opportunity for local farms and businesses this fall, but how do you make it all feel like one cohesive event? Learn how an interactive tour guide app can connect farms, local shops, and visitors into a seamless, self-guided tour that boosts foot traffic and celebrates the best of the season.

Andrew Applebaum
Sep 15, 20253 min read


Fall Strategies for Helping Visitors Shop Local and Stay Longer
The busy summer season is over, but fall is a huge opportunity to keep the momentum going. A local culture app helps you create engaging campaigns that inspire visitors to explore your entire town, supporting local businesses and extending their stay. Learn how to launch a themed tour with gamification and rewards to drive foot traffic and track your success.

Andrew Applebaum
Sep 12, 20253 min read


Back-to-School, Back to Exploring: How Travel Guide Apps Can Inspire Local Fall Adventures
The post-summer lull is a perfect time to inspire local exploration! Learn how a customizable interactive travel guide app can create engaging, self-guided tours that motivate residents and visitors to support local businesses. This guide helps you create themed adventures, gamify the experience with rewards, and promote the story to boost engagement.

Andrew Applebaum
Sep 2, 20253 min read


What If Your Walking Tour Could Fill Shopfronts, Not Just Streets?
As a BIA manager, chamber director, or parks officer, you're always looking for ways to bring more life—and more dollars—into your community. You know the magic of a good walking tour, highlighting local history or hidden natural gems. But wouldn't it be incredible if those leisurely strolls didn't just fill streets with sightseers, but actually directed visitors right into your local shops, cafes, and attractions? (It’s a common challenge, I see it all the time!)

Andrew Applebaum
Aug 11, 20255 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


A Day in the Life of a Perth Local!
Explore Heritage Perth with the Driftscape app!

Driftscape
Mar 8, 20212 min read
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