15 Proven Ways to Attract Tourists and Drive Local Visitation

Have you ever walked through your downtown on a quiet Tuesday afternoon and felt that familiar pang of worry because the sidewalks were just a little too quiet? I’ve been there. You’ve put in the work to make your main street beautiful, but sometimes it feels like you're shouting into a void trying to get people to stop their cars and actually explore.

The problem is that traditional marketing (like those expensive print brochures that usually end up in hotel recycling bins) just doesn't cut it anymore. To actually attract tourists, we need to give them a digital "nudge" to explore your physical spaces. The goal is to move beyond passive observation and offer an immersive travel experience that starts the second they look at their phones.

How can digital tools help attract tourists?

The answer isn't just "be on social media." It is about providing a self-guided tour app experience that gives travelers the autonomy they want while guiding them toward the businesses you need them to support. By using a digital tourism platform like Driftscape, you can turn a drive-through visitor into a "stay-and-explorer."

1. Launch a Story-Based Scavenger Hunt

Gamification is a magnet for families. When people have a "mission," they stay longer and see more.

• The Proof: The Downtown Carleton Place BIA created a Hardy Boys scavenger hunt that saw over 1,300 completions in just 30 days. It revived heritage pride and sparked huge youth engagement with almost zero overhead.

2. Modernize Your Cultural Tourism

History shouldn't feel like a textbook. You can scale your storytelling by letting the exhibits speak for themselves through audio.

• The Proof: The Michigan Heroes Museum launched interactive audio tours and saw 3,000 exhibit interactions in their first year. Even with a small staff, they made their cultural tourism assets accessible 24/7.

3. Use Digital Check-ins for Festivals

Instead of just hoping people visit every booth, use digital check-ins to track movement.

• Driftscape Tip: You can integrate check-ins at "selfie stations" during a festival. Each check-in can earn participants a reward—like free ice cream—boosting engagement by thousands in a single weekend.

4. Create "Insta-Worthy" Selfie Trails

Identify the five most photogenic spots in your town and mark them on a map. When people post those photos, they are effectively doing your marketing for you.

5. Leverage AI for Business Directories

Keeping business hours and descriptions updated is a massive admin headache. Platforms like Driftscape offer AI-powered directories that lighten your load while making your town more accessible to visitors.

6. Promote "Shop Local" with Digital Coupons

Instead of a paper book that gets lost, offer digital coupons triggered by location. When a visitor walks near a participating bakery, a notification can pop up with a "10% off" offer. It turns a casual stroll into a direct sale.

• The Proof: The Crescent Heights Village BIA saved $6,850 in print costs by moving their business promotions to a digital format.

7. Highlight Indigenous Tourism Stories

Modern travelers are seeking authentic, meaningful connections to the land. Use your platform to feature Indigenous-led tours or stories of the traditional territory your town sits on. It adds a layer of depth to your cultural tourism strategy that many visitors are specifically looking for.

8. Use Offline-Ready Maps for Remote Areas

If your destination has "spotty" cell service (I’m looking at you, beautiful hiking trails and rural main streets), you need an offline solution.

• The Proof: Visit Sitka used offline-ready maps to ensure that even in remote areas, tourists could still find their way to local businesses without a signal.

9. Launch a Seasonal "Light Up" Tour

Don't let the tourism season end when the temperature drops. Use a self-guided tour app to create a map of holiday light displays or winter art installations.

• The Proof: The Town of Sussex saw over 3,500 participants in just 30 days by turning their holiday lights into a digital scavenger hunt.

10. Partner with Local Non-Profits for Mission-Driven Tours

Non-profits often have the best stories. Partner with them to create a "Sustainability Tour" or a "History of the Arts" trail.

• The Proof: Evergreen Brickworks used a thematic sustainability tour to generate over 8,500 POI views, proving that mission-driven content attracts values-aligned visitors.

11. Create a "Hidden Gems" Public Art Trail

Every town has that one mural or statue people walk past every day. Give it a voice! Add an audio clip of the artist talking about their work. It turns a wall into an immersive travel experience.

12. Offer Multilingual Tours to Reach New Markets

To attract tourists from different backgrounds, you need to speak their language. Digital platforms allow you to offer the same tour in English, French, Mandarin, or Spanish without the cost of hiring multiple guides.

13. Gamify Your Main Street (Route 66 Style)

If your town sits on a famous highway or historic route, use digital "check-ins" to encourage people to stop at every landmark.

• The Proof: Visit Tucumcari saw over 900 views on their Route 66 heritage tour within just a few months of going live.

14. Use Push Notifications for Real-Time Discovery

Think of this as a digital concierge. You can send a notification about a pop-up market or a live music set happening in 20 minutes. It gives visitors a reason to stay "just one more hour."

15. Track Your ROI with Data

This is the most important one. Use your dashboard to see which of the 14 points above are actually working. If the "Selfie Trail" has 5,000 views but the "History Tour" only has 50, you know exactly where to put your marketing energy next month.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the most cost-effective way to attract tourists?

A: The most cost-effective way is to digitize your existing assets. Instead of printing new maps, use a mobile platform to create self-guided tours of your existing murals, parks, or historic buildings.

Q: How do you measure the success of a digital tourism campaign?

A: Look at the data. Track total Point of Interest (POI) views, scavenger hunt completion rates, and digital coupon redemptions. This gives you hard data to show your board or council.

Q: Can a small BIA with limited staff actually run this?

A: Yes! Using a SaaS (Software as a Service) platform means you don't need a tech team. You just upload your stories and photos, and the platform handles the rest.

Stop guessing what works! Use analytics to see exactly which stops are getting views and where visitors are spending their time.

If you are ready to attract tourists with a strategy that actually shows up in your data, book a demo to explore all the tools Driftscape makes available to you!