Driftscape News  & Blogs

Tired of outdated paper maps? Digital tourism requires the ultimate playbook for launching a successful tour guide app. From "must-have" features like offline maps and gamification to real-world lessons from organizations like Downtown Carleton Place BIA and Bruce County, this guide covers it all. Learn how to avoid "content fatigue," drive foot traffic to local businesses, and use digital storytelling to turn your destination into a must-visit, immersive travel experience fo

What is the true tours meaning for your BIA or DMO? This post breaks down the critical differences between guided, self-guided, and audio tours. Learn why digital-first experiences are helping the Downtown Carleton Place BIA and the Town of Riverview reach thousands of visitors without increasing staff hours. We explore the ROI of gamification, how to choose the right format for your community, and why 24/7 accessibility is the new gold standard for local tourism engagement.

Stop losing visitors at stop three. This guide breaks down how to design a self guided walking tour that people actually finish. From the "Breadcrumb" storytelling method to the gamification secrets used by the Downtown Carleton Place BIA, learn how to turn a simple walk into an immersive travel experience that drives foot traffic and supports local businesses.

Tired of seeing your tourism budget end up in the recycling bin? Digital expert Andrew shares the essential pros and cons of shifting to a self-guided tour model. Learn how BIAs and museums are using cultural tourism and heritage tours to engage visitors 24/7 while collecting the data needed to prove ROI. Includes a 5-step launch checklist and real-world success stories to help you transition from static paper maps to an immersive travel experience.

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.

Ever get lost in tourism acronyms? We break down exactly what a DMO is, how it differs from a BIA, and why modern destinations are using digital tools like Driftscape to drive local economic growth.

Stop the acronym confusion! In this guide, Andrew explains why there is no difference between a Destination Marketing Organization and a DMO. Discover how modern tourism boards are shifting toward destination management and using digital tools like Driftscape to drive local growth and engagement.

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.

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.

You don’t need a million-dollar IT budget to get high-value, actionable geofencing insights for tourism. For data analysts, simple geofencing is about putting a virtual fence around a POI and measuring engagement within it. Mobile tour platforms are the simplest tool to achieve this by tracking location-specific actions like check-ins, digital coupon redemptions, or gamified tour completions. This provides high-confidence data on what drives actual foot traffic.

Modern travelers seek authentic, interactive visitor experiences. DMOs can leverage simple mobile tools and gamification to transform passive visits into active exploration. Strategies like the Hardy Boys Scavenger Hunt (1,300+ completions) and the Bruce County rewards program (18,000+ visits) prove that low-effort, high-fun campaigns boost engagement, drive foot traffic to local businesses, and offer measurable ROI.

Ever felt like you’re drowning in data, but still thirsty for real, actionable insights that actually help your destination thrive? It’s a common frustration for many of us in tourism. As a tourism data analyst or insights coordinator, you know data is crucial. But turning raw numbers into smart strategies? That's the real challenge. You're looking for clear trends to truly understand your visitors and make a measurable impact.

Ever feel like your visitors are just skimming the surface of your destination, missing out on the real heart of the community? Or worse, that your local residents aren't truly engaging with the unique stories and businesses right in their own backyard? It's a common challenge for DMOs and BIAs: how do you foster deeper connections and create a lasting impression with limited resources? Often, they're looking for an immersive travel experience that's just not easy to find on

As an event coordinator or festival planner, you pour your heart into creating unforgettable moments. You dream of every attendee feeling truly immersed, discovering new artists, and staying connected long after the last curtain call. But how do you extend that magic beyond the physical event space, especially when your audience is on the go and hungry for more? (It’s a real challenge, making an ephemeral event leave a lasting digital footprint!)

Ever looked at your town’s main street or a charming historic district and thought, "How do we make this truly come alive for visitors?" I get it. As tourism marketers and local business promoters, we often feel the pressure to create exciting experiences, but time and resources are always stretched thin. It’s hard to stand out, isn't it? We want to attract those curious travelers and empower local wanderers to truly explore, but without needing a huge budget or a dedicated t

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.

Have you ever felt like creating an amazing self-guided tour means you need a massive budget and a dedicated tech team? As a tourism pro,...

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

Spanish auto-translation is now live in Driftscape. 100% of your English content—tours, POIs, listings, captions—can be viewed in Spanish (and French) by default, no extra uploads or cost. Visitors can switch a single item to Spanish (or French) or set the whole app language. Powered by Google Translate, with full control to edit phrasing in the CMS. Reach more travelers and boost engagement without changing your workflow.