Destination Marketing: A Practical 2026 Playbook (Strategies + Examples)
- Andrew Applebaum
- Jan 13
- 3 min read
I was chatting with a BIA manager last week who told me she felt like she was "running on a treadmill made of paper brochures." She’s not alone. If you’ve ever spent your entire Sunday morning restocking physical maps only to find them soggy or tossed in a bin by Monday, you know the frustration. We’re all trying to do more with less, and the old way of "spray and pray" destination marketing just doesn’t cut it when your budget is tight and your to-do list is a mile long.
The reality is that effectively promoting a town in 2026 isn't about having the biggest billboard anymore. It’s about meeting your visitor where they already are: on their phones. (And doing it without losing your mind in the process).
Why is a digital-first approach essential for destination marketing?
A digital-first approach allows small teams to scale their impact by automating visitor engagement. Instead of manual distribution, you provide an immersive travel experience through tools like a self-guided tour app, which gathers data and promotes local businesses while you focus on higher-level community growth. Platforms like Driftscape make this transition seamless by hosting all your local stories and points of interest in one accessible map.
The 2026 Playbook: From Manual to Mobile
To keep your town or region top-of-mind, you need to bridge the gap between "seeing an ad" and "visiting a shop." Here is how successful teams are shifting their energy:
Move from Static to Dynamic: Replace paper maps with interactive digital versions that you can update in seconds.
Scale Your Storytelling: Use audio triggers to provide 24/7 access to cultural tourism without needing a physical guide on every corner.
Incentivize the Visit: Use digital "check-ins" to prove foot traffic to your local board and business owners.
Real-World Proof: The Riverview & Crescent Heights Models
You don’t need a massive team to see massive results. Take a look at the Town of Riverview, for example. They launched a "Business Bee" Scavenger Hunt on Driftscape to highlight local shops during the summer. In just one month, they saw over 2,300 POI views! Nearly half of all their digital engagement came directly from that one gamified campaign. It’s a perfect example of how a simple shop local incentive can drive actual foot traffic.
Similarly, the Crescent Heights Village BIA saved $6,850 in print costs by moving their Asian Heritage Month activation to a digital tourism platform. By using mobile points and rewards, they spotlighted businesses and cultural landmarks without a single sheet of paper.
Tourism Reality: Visitors in 2026 don't want to be "marketed to"; they want to be "guided through." If you provide a way for them to discover your town's hidden gems on their own terms, they’ll stay longer and spend more.
Three Quick Steps to Modernize Your Strategy
Identify your "Quirks": What’s that one weird statue or local legend everyone talks about? Start there to build your first digital point of interest.
Pick a seasonal "win": Don't try to digitize everything at once. Start with a holiday light walk or a summer heritage tour.
Reward the explorer: Offer a small incentive, like a sticker at the town hall or a digital coupon, to encourage people to complete the full circuit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Destination Marketing
Q: What is the most cost-effective destination marketing strategy for small towns? The best A: ROI usually comes from "evergreen" digital content. Once you build a self-guided tour on a platform like Driftscape, it requires zero maintenance and provides value to every visitor who arrives, day or night.
Q: How do you measure the ROI of a digital tourism campaign?
A: Stop guessing and look at the data. Use real-time analytics to track POI (Point of Interest) views, user check-ins, and completion rates. This gives you the hard numbers you need for your next board meeting.
Q: Can digital tools help with "overtourism" in specific spots?
A: Absolutely. You can use your digital map to highlight "hidden gems" and secondary locations. This naturally pulls crowds away from overcrowded landmarks and toward local businesses that actually need the traffic.
Q: Do visitors actually prefer apps over physical visitor centers?
A: While physical centers are great, data from Destination Canada shows travelers increasingly rely on mobile devices for on-the-go decisions. A digital tool acts as a "visitor center in their pocket," accessible even when your office is closed.
Key Takeaway: Destination marketing works best when it’s interactive. By turning your town's stories into digital adventures, you save time, reduce costs, and give visitors a reason to explore further.
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