Marketing Strategies for Local Attractions

Destination marketing boards keep saying they want more tourists, more engagement, more visibility, yet most of them still communicate like the audience has no options. They release glossy videos nobody saves, promote awards nobody values, and approve campaigns that make internal teams feel good but make zero impact in the real world. They don’t understand the attention economy. They don’t understand how people consume content today. And that’s exactly why most destinations feel invisible. If a destination wants attention, it has to earn it. Not with budgets, not with committees, but with relevance, consistency, and storytelling that actually makes people feel something. Here’s how any destination can fix this with real, tactical action: 1. Publish daily content captured by real people who live in the destination. Show real streets, real food, real moments, real characters. Authenticity always wins because travelers trust what feels human. 2. Build a creator in residence program and let one creator live in the destination for a full month. Let them document the journey from sunrise to night. Audiences follow people, not institutions. Borrow the trust creators already built. 3. Train your tourism board staff to think like creators instead of admins. They need to understand hooks, storytelling psychology, on platform behavior, audience retention, and why content works. Posting isn’t strategy. Storytelling is. 4. Create a daily trend and insight review inside the team where someone monitors social shifts, content patterns, and audience reactions. You can’t operate in today’s attention economy if you don’t study it every day. 5. Partner with local chefs, artists, guides, hoteliers, musicians, and small businesses. They’re the soul of your destination. Let them lead the storytelling. Their voices carry more credibility than any slogan. 6. Focus less on perfection and more on energy. Travelers want to feel the heartbeat of a place, not stare at a brochure. Show the imperfect realities, the hidden gems, the unexpected moments. That’s what pulls people in. 7. Turn your destination channels into a living media brand. Educate, entertain, inspire, and surprise daily. When your content becomes part of someone’s routine, you win trust long before they book a flight. 8. Build a storytelling identity instead of chasing what other destinations post. Travelers remember destinations that know exactly who they are and communicate it with confidence and clarity. Destinations that embrace this mindset become impossible to ignore. Destinations that stay stuck in old habits slowly fade from relevance. The attention economy rewards speed, honesty, personality, and consistency. It rewards destinations that behave like creators and not committees. If you want the world to care about your destination, you have to show the world why it should care every single day. --- If you like the way I look at the world of hospitality, let’s chat: scott@mrscotteddy.com

IRL (in-real-life) marketing. Let's go. Digital still matters (a lot). But the pendulum is swinging back toward real connection, and showing up where people actually live and work. So the question I keep asking: how do brands show up like neighbors, not tourists? Last week’s Super Bowl in San Francisco was a perfect moment to put that into practice. Instead of logos everywhere, we focused on supporting the local businesses powering the city through a wild, high-traffic weekend: • Reopened the Square Corner Store in the Mission with Jimmy Butler and BIGFACE coffee—block party included. Since opening last May, the Corner Store has driven real neighborhood impact (last year’s BIGFACE pop-up boosted nearby business sales by 11%) and become a hub for local entrepreneurs. This new residency brings business spotlights, “Neighborhood Hours” with Square support, and perks for local business owners. More to come 👀 • Launched Hometown Love, providing $1,000 in processing credits to 100 local sellers to help them maximize sales during the weekend. • Rolled out “Square Stops Here,” a hop-on, hop-off bus tour spotlighting 28+ local businesses as more than 1 million visitors came into the city, driving foot traffic, visibility, and sales across SF. • Powered the Complex Family Style Food Fest, offering free community admission and spotlighting local food businesses through shared dining experiences. All of it was about being useful, present, and additive. To me, great local marketing is: ✔️ Built with the neighborhood, not dropped into it ✔️ Designed for real economic impact ✔️ Rooted in long-term commitment, not one-off moments ✔️ Creating space for local businesses to connect, experiment, and grow. This is exactly what "See You In the Neighborhood" means to us. It isn't just a marketing campaign. It's a commitment. Curious: where are you seeing brands get IRL marketing right? And where are we still missing the moment? 👇

A couple of weeks ago, I had a talk about an effective marketing strategy at a marketing seminar of Cyprus Business Club. My colleagues shared some impressive examples of engaging and surprising customers, some involving significant costs or short-term effects. That got me thinking: What can local SMEs do to attract and retain customers without breaking the bank? And here are my tips: 1️⃣ Start with local SEO. It is surprisingly overlooked in Cyprus! Make sure your business shows up when people search online for your services. Additionally, leverage local directories to increase your chances. 2️⃣ Utilize targeted ads. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads allow for precise audience targeting. This is the fastest way to bring traffic to your landing page and gain customers. If there are no inquiries or purchases, analyze each step of your funnel to identify what might distract users from converting. Make sure you track everything and spend much less than earn from ads. 3️⃣ Update your social media accounts. Facebook is very popular in Cyprus, so if you still use it as your business page, make sure it’s updated regularly with fresh info, has a working phone number, and email. Otherwise, people may think your business is not active. It's best to always check any inquiries and reply immediately. 4️⃣ Think offline. Yes, local newspapers or radio ads might still work wonders for some businesses. Also, consider hosting events to promote your brand, whether it's a cocktail evening in your fashion store or a tea ceremony in your authentic cafe. Also, engage in networking by attending other events. Genuine connections go a long way. 5️⃣ Leverage sponsorships and partnerships. Team up with local organizations (like Women in Tech Cyprus) or events (like TEDxMolos), showing that you're more than just a business - you're part of the community. It's a win-win: you gain exposure, while they receive your support. It can even be an in-kind partnership: your venue, your services or goods, incl. those for gifts or prizes, etc. 6️⃣ Share valuable content that speaks to your audience. Whether it's helpful blog posts or fun videos, show them you're here to help. Entertain them with interesting promos and contests, and collaborate with other businesses that your audience might be buying from (a simple survey will work). 7️⃣ Cherish your reputation. In a small-sized market like Cyprus, reputation is everything. Make your customers love you, return to you, and encourage them to recommend you to their friends. Monitor and manage reviews on platforms like Google Maps, and encourage satisfied clients to share their positive experiences. With these simple steps, local businesses can make a big impact without blowing the budget. What would you use for yourself? What would you add to these recommendations? #marketingtips #SME #Cyprusbusiness #businessmentor #growthcoach

We have worked on tourism campaigns across Oklahoma for years, from Chickasaw Country to the Route 66 Centennial, and one thing is clear: destinations that win are the ones telling real, specific stories. Generic "come visit us" messaging does not move people anymore. What does? Authentic content that makes someone feel the experience before they ever book a trip. Right now, three things are consistently driving results for destinations: First, local creator partnerships. People with genuine ties to the destination who speak to a real audience. Second, video that captures feeling over features. Travelers want to know what it feels like to be there, not a checklist of attractions. Third, targeted digital campaigns built around intent signals. People researching travel destinations give you real data. Use it. Summer is when destination decisions get made. If your marketing is not firing on all cylinders right now, that is worth fixing today. #TheFreestyleAgency #TourismMarketing #DestinationMarketing #TravelMarketing

Harbin use Tiktok Video for become famous and it works Harbin, a city in north China known for its stunning ice festivals has turned to TikTok to promote itself globally for several strategic reasons. Dear linkedin friends, here’s why leveraging TikTok can be an effective marketing move for a city like Harbin: 1. Global Reach and Popularity of TikTok 🧊 TikTok has become one of the fastest-growing social media platforms worldwide, boasting millions of active users across different continents. This wide reach offers Harbin a unique opportunity to tap into diverse international audiences, making it ideal for global promotion. 2. Visual Appeal 📽️ TikTok is primarily a visual platform, perfect for showcasing Harbin's visually captivating attractions like the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival. Through engaging video content, Harbin can highlight its scenic beauty, historical sites, and vibrant cultural events, capturing the attention of a global audience. https://lnkd.in/eU2vWgaT Douyin aka Tiktok: The Rising Star of China's Social Media Environment 3. Engagement with Younger Demographics 👦 TikTok is particularly popular among younger demographics, who are often keen explorers and future travelers. By engaging this younger audience, Harbin lays the groundwork for increasing tourist interest and visitation in the coming years, as these individuals make travel decisions. 4. Viral Marketing Capabilities 🌱 The viral nature of TikTok, where content can quickly gain traction through likes, shares, and comments, allows Harbin to significantly amplify its visibility with little initial investment. Creative and captivating content has a higher chance of going viral, spreading awareness rapidly and efficiently. 5. Storytelling Through Short Videos 📹 TikTok enables users to tell stories through short, compelling videos. Harbin can utilize this format to tell diverse stories, from its historical significance and cultural heritage to modern-day attractions and local cuisine, providing a holistic view of the city. 6. Interactive Campaigns and User Participation Harbin can leverage TikTok’s interactive tools such as challenges and hashtags to engage users and encourage them to share their own experiences and content related to the city. This not only increases engagement but also builds a community of content creators around the Harbin brand. 7. Cost-Effective Marketing 💱 Compared to traditional advertising channels, TikTok can be a more cost-effective way to reach international markets. With the ability to manage campaigns in-house and the potential for organic growth, Harbin can achieve substantial visibility without the hefty price tag of conventional media.

Billboards have become one of our secret weapons for new club openings. Some marketers out there will probably think they’re super outdated, too wide in who they target, too tough to measure ROI… For raising local awareness about a business with a physical location, you still can’t beat an engaging, well placed billboard. We run them three weeks before opening a new club as a cherry on top of our campaigns. What's made them even more effective is the digital layer we've added - when someone drives by our billboard, we’re able to retarget them with digital ads later. That person who saw our message on their commute gets follow-up ads on social media reminding them we're opening soon. This combines physical presence with digital precision in a way that feels seamless to the customer. If I advertise a new Picklr location, you know exactly where to find it. Compare that to advertising a product sold everywhere - like an outdoor jacket - I might spend money driving people to buy my competitor’s product! Location-based businesses can still use traditional media (billboards, local magazines etc.) that a lot of marketers today overlook. People see our message while they're actually in the community we're trying to reach. A lot of entrepreneurs get so focused on digital that they miss opportunities with traditional channels that could work perfectly for their specific situation. Just like many things in life, there’s a lot of valuable wisdom in the stuff that came before you… Huge shout out to Kathryn Smith Bullough and her team for running THE BEST local campaigns in the racquet sports industries. Any marketers experimenting with “old” channels that still drive results?