South Australia, and indeed other Australian States and Territories, is now allowing regional travel.
And, in an effort to boost the decimated tourism sector, we’re all being encouraged to get out to stay and play for few days and spend money in regional areas that rely on the tourism buck.
Further relaxation of isolation restrictions on June 1, especially in the hospitality sector, means that we can tentatively stick our toes back in socially-accepted, physically-distanced waters. And, as further restrictions are gradually lifted, and life returns to something resembling normality, more of us city folk are expected to take holidays in our own state.
While this is terrific news for the regional sector, tourism operators now need to take stock of their marketing efforts to ensure that when the tourist onslaught hits your town, that you, as a tourist operator, have done everything in your power to ensure that your business is market-ready beforehand.
Essentially, this means taking a look at your marketing efforts and adjusting them accordingly so that people can find you and spend money in your business. Because, let’s face it if tourists do come back (and they will), and they don’t know about you, don’t know what you offer, and don’t know where you are or when you’re open, you’re going to be just as bad off as you were during isolation.
So what can you do to be ready for the return of the elusive tourist? Here are seven simple, often inexpensive, things you can do to ensure your business is open and that you’re eager to welcome visitors.
1. Update your website
How’s your website look? If you haven’t had a decent look at it for a while, it might be time to revisit and see if everything on there is still relevant. You may have new products or services available but haven’t had the time to get on there and update. How’s the wording and design? Could both do with a refresh? Remember that this is essentially your sales brochure. If people know that you have a web presence, this is where they will come to find out more about your offering, so it needs to be absolutely professional.
2. Visitor Information Centre
Did you know one of the first places new visitors to your region go is the Visitor Information Centre (VIC)? They’re hungry for information about the area and will often grab a map of the area, a visitor guide, and a handful of local brochures. They will often chat with the local tourism officers about where they should go, what they should see, and any unique tourist experiences in the area. So it’s probably a good idea to have a decent quality brochure/takeaway in the VIC for visitors to take with them. Speak to your local VIC further about how they can help promote your business.
3. Visitor guide
Most towns/regions, either through a local Tourism Development Board or Town Council, will produce a visitor guide. These are invaluable to anyone travelling in and around your region. Most will offer advertising space to local tourism businesses to promote their offerings. In many cases, additional exposure can also come from an editorial plug for an additional fee.
4. Signage
Pretty important, don’t you think? But How long has it been since you had it refreshed? Is it time for something new? The shopfront is critical, so take a walk outside and have a look from a tourist’s viewpoint. Is it easily recognisable from a passing car? Is anything obscuring it like trees or other signage? Have a think about free-standing sandwich boards or flags but make sure you get permission from your local Council first though. Other signage opportunities may exist in the way of local sports sponsorships – think fence signs at footy/soccer ovals or indoor signage at clubhouses and stadiums, etc. Think too about signs at Visitor Information Bays, street furniture, bus stops, and even outdoor billboards if the pennies stretch.
5. Email database
If you’re a business operator, you will have a database of previous customers that you can email every now and then. Guess what? Now’s the perfect time to remind everyone who has visited you before that you’re open for business and that you would love to see then again. It’s an excellent opportunity to tout new products, services, and incentives for them to return. Maybe it’s something like bring a friend and get a discount. Whatever it is, make it a value proposition to incentivise their return.
6. Social media
If you’re social savvy, you will be familiar with the likes of Facebook and Instagram. But have you considered setting up a specific page for your business? This is a fabulous opportunity to spruik everything great about your business and the daily/weekly goings-on. An added bonus is gaining a following and being able to market to them directly.
7. Local radio
Another great way to let people know about your business is via radio. You’d be surprised at the number of visitors and locals alike that listen to local radio while getting about in your region. A targetted radio campaign allows you to speak directly to tourist in the region at peak visiting times. It’s also a great format to be a little bit creative and add a touch of humour, or you can keep it low key and use it as a community announcement. It’s up to you.
Do you need help?
You might be thinking this is all well and good, but I can’t spend the time, or my marketing skills are pretty limited to be able to do the things listed here. If that’s the case, a good copywriter can help. And that’s where I come in.
WriteMindcan help out with all of the above. If I think you need more substantial marketing input, I can steer you in the right direction with an introduction to a range of complementary businesses who specialise in regional tourism and hospitality.
Post COVID-19 tourism may look very different from what we ‘re used to. The key is to be ready for whatever eventuates with a marketing mix that gets you noticed.
And by taking these seven steps on board, you’ll be well on your way ensuring visitors to your region know about your business and what you can offer.
I'm only a phone call or an email away. Find out more about what I do and how I can help at www.writemind.com.au
About the author
Steve Williss is based in Adelaide, South Australia and the owner and go-to guy at WriteMind — a writing, communications, and ideas business specialising in tourism and hospitality.