By Amanda Burns, Senior Account Lead & Head of New Business, Flourish Marketing
I’ve spent over fifteen years helping visitor attractions and tourism brands do more with less – not by posting more, but by getting smarter about where and how we show up. So, recently, when I was invited by ASVA to deliver a session to their members, nothing could have stopped me.
The topic of conversation? How visitor attractions can cut through the noise of social media by focusing on what really moves the needle. This ASVA Industry Insight webinar was designed to help marketing teams step off the “post everywhere” treadmill and rethink how they use their time and channels. We explored how to find and engage with the online communities that matter most to your audience, how to turn visitors into genuine advocates, and how to use integrated marketing communications to tie everything together. It was a practical, realistic session – built for small, busy teams who want to grow reach and engagement without burning out.
And here’s a look at the key ideas I shared during the session – what we covered, what resonated, and what it all means for visitor attraction marketing today.
The pace of change (and a quick trip back to 2015)
I actually delivered a session like this ten years ago, in March 2015, at the Argyll & Isles Tourism Summit. Back then, I was working with CalMac Ferries and we were all buzzing about Facebook. Instagram was turning us into reluctant photographers. “Join the conversation!” was the rallying cry. We talked authenticity, UGC, being responsive, and showing up where your audience already spends time.
Fast forward to today and the foundations haven’t changed -the context has. The influence dynamic has shifted. Gen Z (and now Gen Alpha) are telling their parents where to go and what to do. Meanwhile, the grey pound matters more than ever – older visitors with time and money who prize trust, accessibility and a human touch. The audience is more fragmented than ever. That’s why integration isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s survival.
Reality check: “posting more” isn’t working
Let’s be honest: organic reach has plummeted, competition for attention is relentless, algorithms shapeshift overnight -and Meta will soon let people pay not to see us at all. If you feel like you’re feeding five different beasts and getting less back, you’re not imagining it.
So no, the answer is not “more posts”. The answer is to stop treating social as the engine and start using it as the amplifier.
Social is a tool – not the whole toolbox
Here’s how I frame it with teams:
- Owned is the heart: your site, your email list, your long-form stories.
- Earned is the credibility: reviews, shares, partners, PR.
- Paid is the nudge: amplification for the stuff that’s already working.
Social glues these together. Use it to show outcomes (visitor quotes, behind-the-scenes moments, a smile at the end of the day). Use it to listen (hashtags, groups, review comments = insight gold). Use it to connect people back to your owned channels (email sign-ups, booking pages, itineraries). And let paid social work smarter by boosting only your proven winners.
Do less, but do it smarter
I’m ruthless about time. Template in Canva. Batch creation. Repurpose like a maniac: one solid blog can become reels, carousels, voiceovers, newsletter angles, partner blurbs. Keep blogging for SEO and AEO voice discovery – it still moves the needle.
And yes, use AI as your co-pilot: ChatGPT, Canva Magic Write, ElevenLabs. These aren’t replacing your voice; they’re giving you hours back so you can stay strategic.
Your audience already exists -go where they talk
This is the mindset shift. Stop asking, “How do we get them to follow us on Instagram?” Start asking, “Where are they already talking?”
Look at:
- Interest spaces: TripAdvisor forums, GetYourGuide Q&As, Reddit threads, Facebook groups.
- Partner networks: DMOs, hotels, tour operators, event organisers, local bloggers and photographers.
- Review and map ecosystems: Google Maps comments, TikTok comments, itinerary pins.
- Hyper-local: community newsletters, WhatsApp groups, and yes -Nextdoor. It’s a brilliant place to nurture local fans and surface “what’s on” to families who genuinely want it.
Listen first. Then engage naturally. Add value, not noise.
Let visitors do the talking (because people trust people)
UGC isn’t a trend -it’s modern word-of-mouth. Make sharing easy and visible. Nudge with great prompts and clear hashtags. Reshare real visitor stories and reviews. When others advocate for you in their own voice, it lands with credibility you simply can’t manufacture.
Make it workable: one master calendar + a 90-day rhythm
Ideas are only useful if they fit inside your week.
- Start with one master calendar – I’ve always used Trello boards for brands I manage. Keep blogs, social, email, PR, partnerships and campaigns side-by-side so you can see overlaps and opportunities. And most importantly, you can create content buckets full to the brim with ideas you’ve spotted on and offline.
- Work in 90-day cycles:
- Month one -Setup: audit what’s working, lock your themes, template your Canva assets so production is fast and consistent.
- Month two -Activation: choose two strong long-form pieces and atomise them into posts, reels, voiceovers, newsletters, partner snippets. Run at least one collaboration (hotel/DMO/local business) to extend reach.
- Month three -Amplification: invite or host a micro-influencer, spark UGC, or run a small community-led push. Boost only the content that’s already proving itself.
- Then review and roll your learnings into the next 90 days.
This rhythm creates momentum without burning the team out.
The Isleathon: collaboration with real-world impact
One of my favourite projects from my CalMac days was the Isleathon, created with The Scotlanders – five brilliant Scottish travel bloggers. The challenge was simple: twelve islands in four days, one shared hashtag, tell the story in real time.
Outcomes? Over a million hashtag uses, national press, evergreen content on CalMac and blogger sites -and most importantly, behaviour change. Visitors started planning their own Isleathons, spreading spend across multiple islands and stays. That’s the ripple effect of people-led, community-first marketing.
Bring it home
- Don’t chase every platform. Find your people.
- Treat social as the amplifier, not the engine.
- Build one connected plan, repurpose relentlessly, collaborate on purpose.
- Trust your visitors. Let them tell your story.
- Do less, but do it smarter -and in 90-day cycles.
If you want a hand mapping your communities and setting up that first 90-day sprint (templates, Trello structure, content themes, partner shortlist), Flourish can help. Whether that’s a 1-day strategy workshop, training or a bolt-on to your existing marketing efforts, we can short-circuit teams that are short on time but hungry for results.
