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Seasonal downtown activations work better when they leave a discovery trail behind
Seasonal downtown activations often lose their impact once the event ends. For DMOs, the key to long-term success is building a reusable discovery trail. By using a tourism rewards app, teams can turn one-off festivals into durable visitor infrastructure that supports local businesses beyond the event day. This post explores how destinations like Downtown Tempe use digital trails to increase partner visibility and create a stronger model for seasonal exploration.

Andrew Applebaum
May 195 min read


Analytics in App: How to Set Up Dashboards That Stakeholders Trust
Stop guessing and start proving your ROI. Here's a practical guide on setting up analytics in app dashboards that turn skeptical stakeholders into fans. Learn how to translate digital clicks into physical foot traffic using real-world wins from the Town of Riverview and Crescent Heights Village BIA.

Andrew Applebaum
Mar 123 min read


Self Guided Trips: 10 Itineraries Destinations Can Package Into Experiences
Is your downtown hitting its full potential? This guide breaks down how BIAs and DMOs can use self guided trips to turn passive visitors into active explorers. From "hidden gem" art walks to gamified scavenger hunts, discover 10 itinerary ideas and real-world success stories (like Thunder Bay’s 1000% engagement spike) that prove digital storytelling drives local economic growth.

Andrew Applebaum
Feb 263 min read


Self Guided Experiences: How to Keep Visitors Engaged Without Staff On-Site
Don't let your visitor engagement end when your office closes. Learn how BIAs and DMOs are using self guided digital tours and scavenger hunts to drive foot traffic and support local businesses 24/7—all without adding a single person to the payroll.

Andrew Applebaum
Feb 243 min read


What Is a Self Guided Tour? Formats, Costs, and What Visitors Expect
Think you need a huge budget and a fleet of guides to offer a world-class tour? Think again. We’re breaking down exactly what is a self guided tour and how BIAs and DMOs are using digital tools like Driftscape to save thousands on print costs while driving massive visitor engagement. From scavenger hunts by the Downtown Carleton Place BIA to audio tours at the Michigan Heroes Museum, learn how to turn your town's stories into a 24/7 visitor experience.

Andrew Applebaum
Feb 103 min read


Digital Marketing in Tourism Industry: Channel-by-Channel Guide (Paid, Organic, Partnerships)
Running a destination doesn't have to be a guessing game. Andrew breaks down the channel-by-channel strategy for digital marketing in the tourism industry, showing you how to turn limited budgets into major foot traffic through organic content, targeted ads, and digital storytelling platforms.

Andrew Applebaum
Jan 293 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


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


10 New Holiday Self Guided Walking Tour Ideas for BIAs
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.

Andrew Applebaum
Nov 4, 20255 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


7 Creative Walking Tour App Ideas to Boost Visitor Engagement
Local tourism boards face heavy administrative pressure trying to attract visitors using traditional paper brochures. Deploying a structured walking tour app provides a modern solution to distribute foot traffic and support main street merchants. By organizing local assets into thematic routes using simple cloud-based data forms, small teams can launch self-guided walking tours that operate continuously, capture engagement metrics, and drive measurable traffic directly to loc

Andrew Applebaum
Apr 14, 20256 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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