🧭 Tourismo Travel Contest Playbook

1. Why Do This: The Benefits of Running Travel Contests

Running travel-focused contests is not just about giving away a prize — it's a strategic marketing tactic that delivers measurable returns across the destination marketing funnel.

🌱 Grow Your Audience

Contests provide a compelling reason for users to sign up for your mailing list, follow your social media accounts, or download your travel app. This creates a warm lead pool of potential travelers who’ve shown interest in your region, product, or experience.

📸 Generate User-Generated Content (UGC)

Authentic photos and stories submitted by real travelers are gold for DMOs (Destination Marketing Organizations). UGC fuels your future marketing — whether it’s photos of beaches, trails, wineries, or cultural festivals — it’s relatable, real, and persuasive. People trust peer-generated content more than professional ads.

🧠 Influence Behavior and Discovery

Well-structured contests can incentivize travel behavior, like visiting multiple locations, learning about local culture, or sharing their experiences. This aligns with the goals of regenerative and responsible tourism, allowing you to nudge behavior in a way that supports your community and the visitor economy.

📊 Gather Valuable Insights

Contests are a low-friction way to collect first-party data: Where are your potential visitors from? What motivates them? What experiences catch their attention? The data gathered can help refine your campaigns and even influence product development.

🤝 Engage Partners and Local Businesses

Contests offer a meaningful way to activate local tourism operators — wineries, hotels, guides, or shops — by offering them visibility, engagement, and lead generation opportunities. In return, they contribute prizing or help promote the campaign.

2. The Basic Rules of a Great Contest

To be successful, a contest must be well-structured, legally compliant, and psychologically engaging. Here are the foundational rules you need to follow:

🔑 Key Ingredients

• A Clear Hook: What will make someone stop scrolling and engage? Think: “Win a Weekend Getaway on the Wine Trail!”

• A Simple Call to Action: "Enter your photo" or "Check in to 3 breweries."

• Strong Visual Identity: Consistent branding across all platforms.

• Compelling Reward: The prize must match the effort required to enter — higher effort should be met with higher reward.

📜 Contest Types Supported by Tourismo

• Survey Contest: Answer a few questions for a chance to win.

• Email Subscriber Contest: Sign up for travel inspiration and be entered.

• Quiz Contest: Learn something, test your knowledge — and win.

• Social Media Post Contest: Post and tag with a hashtag.

• Photo Submission: Upload your best moment — hiking, biking, paddling, or tasting.

• Check-in (App-Only): Visit and check in to locations through the Tourismo app.

🎁 Reward Types

• Random Prize Draw

• Direct Reward (everyone wins!)

• “Pick the Best” (judged content)

• Points & Badges (via Tourismo app)

• Coupons or Discounts (e.g. WooCommerce integration)

• Manual Prize Delivery (e.g., emailed gift certificates)

✨ Ensure all contests comply with applicable privacy, advertising, and promotional laws (especially on Meta platforms or across provinces).

3. Step-by-Step Process to Build a Destination Travel Contest

This is your roadmap from idea to execution, built to support DMOs, regional tourism offices, sector orgs, and local champions.

🎨 Step 1: Design Your Contest

Define Goals

Is your goal to drive visitation? Grow your email list? Increase awareness of hidden gems? Set SMART goals to guide the campaign.

Identify Partners and Prizing

• Source appealing prizes from local businesses (e.g., tasting tours, lodging).

• Engage partners early and invite them to claim their listing on Tourismo to increase visibility.

Choose the Right Contest Type & Reward

• Match the type to your goal: UGC → photo contest; list growth → email subscribe.

• Determine the frequency (one-time vs recurring), and value proposition.

Set a Timeline

• Define start/end dates, with ample promotion time.

• Outline eligibility (age, residency), frequency of entry, and selection method.

Write Rules & T&Cs

• Use Tourismo’s platform to build and publish terms.

• Include how the winner is chosen and notified.

✏️ Step 2: Prepare Creative & Copy

Title & Tagline

• Title: “Taste the Trail: Win a Wine Country Getaway”

• Byline: “Submit your favorite wine & food moment for a chance to win a 2-night stay.”

Hero Image

• Include people enjoying the prize (don’t just show the object).

• Use square images with room for cropping.

• Follow the Tic-Tac-Toe principle (visual focal point at intersecting thirds).

Supporting Assets

• Platform-optimized images (IG stories, FB posts, in-app banners).

• Draft email content and ad copy variants in advance.

📢 Step 3: Launch and Promote

Platform Promotion

• Feature the contest on your homepage, app interface, and local listings.

• Link it prominently from other content (blog posts, itineraries, landing pages).

Social Media Campaign

• Post consistently throughout the campaign.

• Use a mix of inspirational, instructional, and reminder content.

• Vary your angles — talk about the place, experience, people, and prize.

Email Campaign

• Announce to your subscriber base.

• Send reminders with countdowns near the contest end.

• Offer early entry incentives if needed.

Influencer & Local Partner Amplification

• Equip partners with copy and images to share with their own audiences.

• Consider small commissions or bonus exposure for influencers or tourism ambassadors.

In-Market & Digital Signage

• Use QR codes on posters, brochures, and digital signs to drive entries.

• Promote at visitor centers, hotels, restaurants, events.

📊 Step 4: Monitor and Optimize

Track Submissions

• Use Tourismo’s backend to track entries, check-in data, and photo uploads.

• Identify any drop-off points or issues.

Analyze Engagement

• Where is your traffic coming from? Who’s converting?

• Compare performance by channel (social vs email vs QR vs paid).

Engage With Participants

• Respond to comments and shares.

• Reshare submissions (with permission) to fuel organic reach.

🏁 Step 5: End and Reflect

Close with Impact

• Build urgency in the final 3–5 days with countdown posts and email blasts.

• Ensure your contest remains top of feed and top of mind.

Announce the Winner

• Notify them directly and then make a public announcement.

• Feature their story or photo to show authenticity and build excitement for the next campaign.

Review and Report

• Use Tourismo (or your other analytics and tracking tools) to prepare and share reports to your partners and collaborators

• Use an AI advisor to review these analytics, and provide insights and recommendations.

• Measure your ROI (Return on Investment)

Re-Engage Participants

• Send a thank-you email with an exclusive offer or incentive.

• Invite them to follow your social accounts or download the app.

• Tease your next promotion to keep them in your ecosystem.

4. Tips for Success: Making Your Contest Unforgettable

🧭 Align with Your Destination Brand

• If your brand is “outdoorsy and bold,” make sure your prizes, visuals, and tone match.

• If your focus is food, arts, or Indigenous culture, highlight people and place equally.

🪴 Start Simple, Then Scale

• Your first campaign doesn’t have to be elaborate. Run a one-prize photo contest.

• Learn, refine, then move to multi-step check-in + UGC campaigns with app gamification.

📲 Leverage Tourismo’s Tools

• Use the Challenge Builder to streamline logistics.

• Track check-ins, reward redemptions, coupon usage, and UGC uploads in one place.

💬 Keep Talking

• Active social media engagement boosts visibility.

• People are more likely to share if they feel noticed or appreciated.

📆 Build Rhythm

• Consider seasonal contests (e.g., Spring Sip & Snap, Summer Stays, Winter Warm-Up).

• This keeps your audience primed for engagement and makes contesting part of your brand story.