Last week I started to dream the perfect Website and handheld application for our tourism business.

I didn’t start with my goals in mind.

I started by asking: What does our ideal guest appreciate?

Photo Sharing:

Our guests love getting copies of photos that are taken during their stay. Ideally, it would be nice to have our guests be able to share their photos with one another and family and friends, as well as see the photos we captured during their stay. Our guests also want to stay in touch with one another.

Thinking about: How to make it easier for guests to upload and share photos with one another instantly. I guess that starts with making the WiFi free and providing a link to a photo sharing site.

Food:

Our guests love our food and almost always request recipes, so they would love to have access to some of our recipes. They love Gregor, our cook too, so our recipes would need to have his voice.

Thinking about: a recipe blog, short video cooking lessons, reports from Gregor’s garden . . .

Yoga:

Many of our retreats feature yoga and there is nothing like yoga on the lake on a misty morning or on a sun-drenched bamboo floor. Our guests also love our lead yoga instructor Wendy.

Thinking about: Yoga video’s, newsletters featuring a monthly yoga pose explained by Wendy in audio, video or text with accompanying photo.

How can your tourism business, cvb or travel association make your guests happier?

Consider shifting some of your Web marketing budget from Websites and Microsites to tools, people with expertise, and time that allows you to tell more stories. Stories that feature the individuals that make your tourism experiences special will appeal to returning guests and inform and engage those who have never visited.

3 Questions:

  1. What are your guests looking for: before, during and after their visit?
  2. What do your guests love about your offers? How can you give them a taste of that from their home?
  3. How can your guests be social with you and other guests?

Investments in new media, social platforms and accessible handheld content gives your guests opportunities to share their stories with one another and their families, friends and followers leaving a lasting impression.

Before you sit down and craft your next Website, consider the needs of your ideal guests.  You may be able to exceed your guests expectations with your existing Web site and third party Web 2.0 tools and services.  You may just need to tell more stories.