Most destinations have amenities that include entertainment, restaurants, hotels and retail. Not all destinations can boast attractions like those that you will find in DC, New York or Orlando.
So, what is it that can set smaller destinations like ours apart from those first-tiered cities?
“Experiential tourism” is the answer. If you think about a historic home, the typical thing to do is tour the home, listen to the history, and then leave. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with touring historical homes; but what if the home’s history could come alive with a first-person interpretation? If there is a more interactive experience that is relevant to the attraction, wouldn’t that be even more appealing? The same goes for music or dining. We all love to listen to music and eat. But what if we could quickly learn to play the ukulele or fix a fabulous new recipe?
People want to do! Visitors want to do! They want to take home a memory of their getaway. What can a visit do at your attraction, restaurant, retail shop, or hotel? How can you help create a memory for them?
Our director of sales, Kate Kane, will be reaching out to all of our partners to help her build a list of things for visitors to do. Please start thinking and brainstorming with your staff and write down your ideas. Date to come for region-wide brainstorming.
An example of experiential travel: Culbertson Mansion’s Clue Party