Becoming a tourist hotspot is one of the best things you can do to boost your sales. Tourists help popularize your business outside your city and build an organic customer base. If you have a unique product offering and are based in a touristy destination, there are a few methods and strategies to attract tourists that you must try.
Use Social Media
If you are not on social media, trust us, you are already missing out on tremendous opportunities. These days, travelers like to plan their itineraries and research on social media to get ideas. They plan everything, such as places to eat, shop, and stay.
The easiest thing you can do is to search for your location-specific hashtags and post your pictures using those. You can also tag your city as it can help tourists discover your page while they are doing their research. If you have the budget, you can buy ads on facebook, instagram, and twitter to reach out to traveling individuals.
Collaborate With Influencers
Working with influencers may seem expensive, but it is a marketing cost that has become necessary in today’s time. You can collaborate with influencers in your city for a wider reach on social media. Rather than paying for an influencer’s services, you could offer them a discount trip or even free merch from your business.
Another tip is to follow travel influencers on Instagram and TikTok. You will get to know if they are visiting your city. In that case, you can invite them to your store and collaborate on content for your feed. It’s a win-win; they get to be able to film more content and you will be able to market your business from the content they make.
Sell Experiences
Most millennials are looking for experiences when they travel. They want to explore places that are unique and have character. The best way to spread awareness about your business is through storytelling. Stories help you tap into people’s emotions and build a strong connection.
For instance, if you are a traditional mom-and-pop store or if you own a locally popular restaurant, you stand a good chance of becoming a tourist favorite. You can use inflatables and banners around your neighborhood to make it easy for travelers to find your store. Get stories from your loyal customers and publish them online to pique the interest of tourists visiting your city.
Manage Online Reputation
The internet has made the world a much smaller place. As travelers have limited time, they are selective about the shops and restaurants they want to visit. To attract tourists, managing your reviews on Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor is always a good idea. If you have negative reviews online, travelers will hesitate to visit you.
Ask For Reviews
One of the ways you can build a positive online reputation is by asking your happy and satisfied customers to leave you reviews. You will need just a few outstanding reviews to make an impactful impression; and simply asking can get you there!
If someone has left an unsatisfactory review, make sure you respond to them online and reach out to them via an email or phone call. Listen to those customers and try to respond to their problems. People always appreciate when others value their feedback.
Connect With Concierges and Airbnb Hosts
Travelers also like to take recommendations from hotel concierges and their Airbnb hosts. Try to connect with them and build relationships so they can recommend you to their customers. Stay in touch so that out of sight does not become out of mind. You can also offer exclusive discounts to their customers to make the partnership a win-win for everyone.
Another option is to invite the concierges for meals so they can get a first-hand experience themselves. You can also send them holiday gifts of a unique product only your store offers. Giving them custom T-shirts and other free merch is another way to build a loyal group that will always recommend your business to their guests.
Make Tourists A Priority
You cannot become famous with tourists unless you make them your priority. To build a long-lasting relationship with them, and really any target audience, you must think and plan strategies to draw them into your store or restaurant. If you have a considerable space, you can use signs and decals for easy navigation.
Start by understanding their needs to offer them something they want. For instance, they do not want to visit a regular shop selling regular products they could just get at home. You have to offer something unique in your marketing campaigns. Your tourist campaigns can contain sight-viewing recommendations, regular weather updates, or giveaways.
Kindness Goes a Long Way
Make sure that you value tourists when they come to visit. All you need are small and kind gestures to do this. Ask them how their trip is going and if they would like any recommendations or help.
For instance, if you have a restaurant, you can click pictures with them and make a gallery wall with tourist photos. Ask them if they have dietary preferences or offer something special for the kids. Moments like these help you create a wonderful memory and leave the tourists asking for more.
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