Leveraging Winter Tourism

Our area may be known for lake side summer retreats and wine trail weekends, but winter is an underrated season in the Finger Lakes.  Snowy vineyard visits, ski slopes, and small town shopping all bring a steady stream of visitors who are ready to shop, dine and explore everything our region offers year round.

For your small business, winter tourism is a huge opportunity.  With the right marketing approach, you can turn tourists into holiday shoppers and even long term customers.

Winter brings a different type of tourist to our area.  Visiting family for the holidays, couples looking for a cozy cabin getaway, beer and wine afficionados looking for a winter experience, and holiday shoppers exploring small towns for a unique gift are all here, and they are already spending.  We just need to make sure they find you.

Here is a short, simple list of things you can do to get more of these folks through the door.

• Update your website for winter visitors - make your site welcoming to out of towners
• Add seasonal hours and holiday closures
• Highlight seasonal offerings - gift cards, winter specials, seasonal menus
• Make sure photos on your site and social posts fit the season
• Gear SEO towards seasonal searches
• Use keywords like your town + winter getaway or winter things to do
• Create Blog posts that are centered around winter tips and events
• Promote Gift cards, bundles, and winter deals. 
• Show off your winter vibe on social media
• Show cozy interior shots, snowy storefronts, and seasonal products
• Produce quick behind the scenes videos  of holiday prep
• Ask staff for their favorite seasonal items

Aside from digital options, there are plenty of other promotional opportunities.  Partnering with other local businesses on things like shared discounts, joint gift baskets, and featured itineraries (winery, restaurant, and B&B collabs) all give tourists a reason to stay longer.  Joining in winter events, festivals, and markets will often put you in touch with thousands of people in one weekend.  Sponsorship, event-only specials, and samples or demos can provide new customers.

We know that the Finger Lakes is full of charm, no matter the season.  Combining a few of the above strategies can help visitors find you, and bring them to come back again and again.

Want to discuss how we can help you and your marketing get the attention of winter tourists and locals alike?  Feel free to hit me up at aaron@flworkplace.com or schedule some time on my calendar here

Cheers!

Aaron