This is a typical situation, not a real case. A tourism board in a mid-sized coastal town has a quiet shoulder season and a modest budget. Every year a local food and music weekend takes place, run by volunteers. Visitors love it, but the board treats it as one listing among many. This is how the board changes that.

The starting point: an event nobody owns

The weekend draws mostly day visitors from nearby towns. Hotels are half full. The photos are shaky phone shots. The event page has the dates but no clear venue, no ticket link and no suggestion of where to stay.

The board's first decision is simple: stop asking how do we promote the event? and ask what do we want people to say about the town afterwards? The answer is that it is relaxed, welcoming and worth a longer stay. That sentence guides everything else.

Decision one: give the event a home online

The board builds one clear page for the event: name, dates, venue, how to book, how to get there and what else is on nearby. It adds the event to Google Maps and keeps the details identical on every channel.

Decision two: build the stay around the event

The board talks to hotels, guesthouses and a few restaurants three months ahead. Together they agree on a two-night suggestion: arrive Friday, event on Saturday, a guided coastal walk on Sunday morning. The tour guides add a short walk that starts where the festival ends. Travel agencies and nearby tour operators receive a simple one-page summary they can use in their own offers.

Nothing here needs a big budget. It needs a shared plan and a date by which everyone has confirmed their part.

Decision three: let visitors do the filming

Rather than commissioning a lot of polished content, the board makes it easy for visitors and performers to share. It puts up a few photo spots with the town's name visible, agrees a simple hashtag with the organisers, and asks stallholders to mention it. During the weekend a staff member shares live clips on Instagram and TikTok, tagging venues and vendors, who reshare them.

Afterwards, the board asks permission before reusing any visitor's photo, and credits the person who took it.

Decision four: keep the story going after Sunday

This is where most boards stop, and where this one gains the most. Within a week it sends a thank-you message to participants, posts a short gallery and publishes the dates for next year. It also invites people to leave a review of their stay. A simple question at the information point, where are you from and how long are you staying?, gives the team practical notes for next time, with no research project required.

Through the quiet months, the best clips return in short posts, each pointing back to the event page and to other things to do in the town.

What changed

The following year, the event is no longer one listing among many. Hotels ask to be part of the plan. Agents ask for the dates early. The volunteers have better photos and a clearer role. The town is easier to find and easier to book.

Lessons to take away

  • Decide the message first. Choose what the event should say about your destination.
  • One page, consistent details. Dates, venue, tickets and travel information should match everywhere.
  • Package the stay. Pair the event with a night, a meal and one extra activity.
  • Involve partners early. Give hotels, guides and agents a clear summary months ahead.
  • Make sharing easy. Photo spots, a simple hashtag and credited visitor content do more than a large campaign.
  • Follow up. Thank people, publish next year's dates and reuse the best moments.