Bringing travellers from outside your region takes more than great marketing alone. Real success comes from creative partnerships that express the spirit of your place and widen your reach.
Here, we lay out a practical pathway, one built from real-world experience, for building the right collaborations and growing your destination’s appeal far outside your usual circles.
Get to Know Your Out-of-Town Audience
Start by thinking carefully about who you want to bring in. Are you speaking to weekend visitors from nearby cities, travellers from across the country or tourists coming from other countries entirely? Zeroing in on these groups is essential, because each one comes with its own motivations and expectations.
Modern travellers are chasing more than famous landmarks. As highlighted in the Collaboration in Destination Marketing blog, many guests are hungry for authentic moments and offbeat experiences that let them really connect with a place. Consider: Who’s already making the trip? Who isn’t, and why? What tempts people to visit, and what might turn them away? International visitors might have their hearts set on iconic spots, while folks from nearby often want the local secrets you can’t find in a guidebook.
Digging into these questions lays the groundwork for every partnership and campaign to come.
Identify Key Partner Categories
Once you know your audience, list all the groups who could help you reach and inspire them. Go beyond the usual suspects and include industry peers, small shops, artists, event organizers, media contacts and local influencers.
Think about Travel Manitoba’s “Canada’s Heart is Calling” campaign. Collaboration with local craftspeople, restaurateurs and influencers brought fresh attention to the destination and inspired more visitors than traditional advertising.
As you brainstorm, think about:
- Which businesses offer memorable experiences?
- Who is already developing new tourism opportunities?
- Who is reaching audiences you have not connected with yet?
These partners form the backbone of a strong tourism marketing approach.
Find and Engage Local Collaborators
Now shift your attention to partners who want to make a difference, those with energy, enthusiasm and strong community ties.
In the Clear Lake Case Study, small businesses joined forces to refresh their brand and attract guests year-round through a shared vision.
The Travel Manitoba Rebrand shows how community workshops and creative sessions with local organizations can spark new ideas and build momentum.
To get started, think about:
- Which partners are genuinely excited about tourism?
- What stories or experiences spark their interest?
- Do they have the capacity and commitment to collaborate?
Focus on partners with deep community roots and a collaborative spirit, not just big names.
Build Experience-Driven Partnerships
Work together to craft special offerings that give visitors a real reason to come, something they can’t find anywhere else.
In the “Canada’s Heart is Calling” campaign, collaborative packages bundled local events, maker experiences and insider itineraries, all backed by coordinated promotions and content loaded with local personality. Further reach came from user-driven posts and influencer stories, showing real visitor perspectives.
For your own destination, try a seasonal celebration, turn local highlights into a themed itinerary or work with artists and retailers to host creative pop-ups. The key is to make every experience easy for outsiders to find, book and talk about.
Tell Your Story Together
Your destination’s story travels further when it’s echoed through many authentic voices. Make sure you and your partners are sharing wins, stories and highlights across your site, social channels, media outlets and through trusted influencers.
Take another look at Travel Manitoba’s “Canada’s Heart is Calling” campaign. By working with influencers and everyday fans, the team generated strong earned media attention and gained international recognition.
Consider:
- What networks can you and your partners tap into to reach new visitor groups?
- Are there untold stories or local talents that could resonate more widely?
Invite your collaborators to add their own voice. The more perspectives you weave in, the richer and more genuine your message becomes.
Nurture a Flexible and Welcoming Brand
A successful brand adapts to the seasons, embraces all ages and backgrounds and grows stronger with every new partnership.
With the refreshed Clear Lake branding (see the case study), the area began appealing to a broader audience year-round, reflecting how the destination continues to evolve.
If you want to check your own brand’s pulse, involve partners early. Make time to ask if your marketing feels inviting across backgrounds, ages and abilities. Honest, ongoing conversation helps your presence stay inclusive and engaging for all.
Track Results and Grow Together
Good partnerships thrive when everyone shares feedback and takes time to celebrate progress. Track how far your campaign travels by looking at reach, visitor engagement, growth in new and returning guests and how collaborators feel about the experience. Celebrate what works, learn from what does not and adjust your approach as you go.
Move forward by checking in with your partners regularly, seeking feedback and staying open to new collaborations. True growth comes from adapting and expanding your network over time.
Collaboration at Work Across Canada
Across Canada, collaboration and creative storytelling are reshaping how destinations attract visitors. The examples above show what is possible when makers, organizations and influencers work together with a shared purpose.
National efforts reinforce this approach. Destination Canada’s new global brand strategy shows how strong storytelling and clear positioning can attract international audiences.
Whether you’re working on a national initiative or a grassroots campaign, authentic partnerships are the spark that turns destinations into places people want to visit.
In Closing
Welcoming non-local visitors is all about building and sustaining meaningful relationships. Start by defining your ideal guests, play to your community’s strengths and invite partners who share your vision.
By collaborating honestly, refreshing your brand with every new insight and amplifying stories that matter, your marketing efforts will reach further and leave a lasting impression. We’re proud to support our partners at every stage, combining real-world expertise and deep enthusiasm for sharing communities with the world.
FAQ
Why should we partner with others to attract non-local visitors?
Authentic partnerships let you highlight what makes your place distinct, while offering experiences that catch the eyes of travellers beyond your region. Joining forces with small businesses, creators and influencers brings new energy and amplifies your impact.
How can I tell which non-local visitors we should focus on?
First, look at who’s coming now and who isn’t. Figure out why people choose to visit or skip your area. People from nearby may be after local flavour and immersive events, while those from far away might seek signature landmarks. This gives you the insight needed to shape the right marketing and partnerships.
Which partners are most valuable for reaching outside audiences?
Think beyond formal tourism boards. Look toward small-business owners, makers, enrichment groups, event organizers, local media outlets and influencers who already connect with new audiences.
How do experience-based partnerships bring in more visitors?
By bundling events, creating themed experiences or hosting pop-ups, you create something special that gives outsiders a reason to visit. Adding in local favourites and streamlining the purchase or sign-up process boosts visibility and enthusiasm.
What makes storytelling so powerful in tourism marketing?
Stories, shared online, through the media or by influencers, put a human face on your destination and deepen emotional ties. When you and your partners tell honest, personal stories, the message hits home for guests you’d otherwise never reach.
Why focus on building an inclusive, adaptable brand?
A broad-minded and welcoming brand draws guests from more backgrounds and keeps your place on their minds, no matter the season. Involving partners in these conversations ensures your message grows stronger and stays relevant.
How do we measure the impact of marketing built on partnerships?
Keep an eye on outreach, engagement, visitor trends and the satisfaction of both guests and collaborators. Celebrate wins, and keep the process open to updates. Listening to partner and guest feedback keeps your strategy sharp and your network strong.
