First up in our five-part framework to help your VIC stay relevant and meaningful to guests in the future is focusing what’s on the outside.
So, let’s begin.
It starts from the outside.
Don’t judge a book by its cover. We’re taught not to, but we do it, without even thinking. The same goes for your VIC. Encourage visitors to stop and come in by improving what it looks like outside. This will help create impact from the first point of contact.
External signage in the future will work much harder to create greater incentive for people to actually stop and visit the VIC. Every day the current consumer is exposed to thousands of verbal and nonverbal messages.
External walls and features will need to compete in the visitor’s mind, which will require and demand the following:
- Smart, imaginative and creative signage externally to generate a sense of interest and exploration within the tourist even before entering the space.
- Impactful signage that really expresses the region’s points of difference and key offerings.
It won’t be all about the “I”
To just rely on the international “I” sign is not enough to make people stop. Driving foot traffic into your centre requires more than the “I”. Many visitors don’t even know what this actually “I” refers to. Younger guests for example, wouldn’t understand the meaning of the “I” – so the benefit or value is lost in translation.
Information is an important part of the VIC story – but it is not the full story. Information in the traditional sense alone won’t be enough to drive people into centre and not unless it’s conveyed in a style and manner that is meaningful and relevant. We’ll talk more about language next week, and why it’s important to change it up to humanise it.
This framework is designed to give you the best opportunity to meet expectations around tourism revenue in the coming four to five years. The strategies we discuss can be utilised across the entire tourism industry, not just in the VIC sector.
Stay tuned for next week for part 2 of the framework. Language is one of our favourite topics.
At Kiikstart, we’re dedicated to helping people have more choice, influence and control about how they live, work and learn. If you’d like to hear more about what we do, contact us today on 0428 593 400 or enquiries@kiikstart.com.