Many towns across Canada and the United States embrace the charm of winter and transform into winter wonderlands that attract travellers and locals alike. These towns see huge influxes in their populations as the temperatures drop and snow begins to fall.

Park City, Utah, for example, has a year-round population of under 9,000 but welcomes over 2.6 million visitors during the winter. Whistler, a popular mountain resort town in British Columbia, has a population of 10,000 permanent residents, but the town’s winter population swells to 40,000 and they welcome nearly 1.6 million tourists during that time.

As a steward of one of these snow-covered destinations, you’re likely continuously seeking innovative ways to enhance the lives of your residents and invigorate the local economy. And for good reason – tourists visiting these towns spend a lot during their visits. In Park City, the average nightly visitor spends anywhere from $100 to $350.

A Mobile App for Residents and Tourists

A powerful solution may be something you’ve already considered: a mobile app for your town, region or municipality. While typically designed to enhance communication with residents, such an app can be a game-changer in captivating tourists during the winter months.

Beyond the convenience it brings to residents, an app can act as a gateway to a seamless and immersive winter experience for tourists. By thoughtfully tailoring the app’s features to cater to both locals and visitors, you can unlock the potential for a thriving community that delights in the joys of winter and welcomes tourists with open arms.

Tourists Are Planning Their Trips Using Mobile Apps

Mobile apps have become indispensable tools for travellers seeking seamless exploration. It makes sense to take the tourist’s experience into consideration when designing your town’s mobile app. Here are a few ways a mobile app can elevate the experience of visitors to your winter tourist town:

• Simplify Winter Adventure Planning
  Winter tourists arrive with dreams of enchanting snow-filled escapades and thrilling activities. Your mobile app can serve as a virtual guide, providing essential information on ski resorts, snowboarding parks, ice skating rinks, and other winter attractions. Real-time updates on snow conditions, lift queues, and weather forecasts ensure that visitors plan their adventures wisely. By streamlining trip planning, your app sets the stage for an exhilarating winter experience.
• Showcase Winter Wonders and Local Traditions
  Every winter tourist town boasts unique winter wonders and cherished local traditions. Your app becomes a digital gateway to these treasures, offering curated winter wonderland tours, historical insights, and stories behind beloved holiday traditions. Encourage tourists to embark on self-guided walking tours to admire festive decorations or partake in winter-themed events. By immersing visitors in the magic of your town, your app creates memories that linger long after they leave.
• Foster a Sense of Warmth and Hospitality
  Winter warmth is not solely about crackling fireplaces but also genuine hospitality extended to tourists. Use your app to showcase the warmth of your town, welcoming visitors with greetings and virtual concierge services. Implement chat features to answer inquiries and provide assistance, ensuring tourists feel cared for throughout their stay. By fostering this sense of warmth, your app can forge lasting connections that encourage tourists to return year after year.
• Support Local Businesses and Winter Festivals
  Winter tourist towns come alive during the festive season, brimming with vibrant winter markets, holiday events, and seasonal delights. Your mobile app can be the ultimate event planner, highlighting upcoming winter festivals and activities. Feature exclusive deals, promotions, and holiday packages from local businesses to encourage spending and support the local economy. By driving foot traffic and encouraging spending, your app ensures that everyone, from local vendors to winter tourists, can enjoy what’s on offer.
• Curate Memorable Experiences
  A winter vacation is an opportunity to create cherished memories. Your app can help curate unforgettable experiences, offering recommendations based on tourists’ interests and preferences. Implement features that allow visitors to create digital scrapbooks of their winter adventures or share their favourite moments with friends and family. By curating experiences, your app becomes an integral part of each tourist’s winter tale.

A mobile app tailored to the needs of winter travellers can transform the tourist experience in addition to the many positive benefits it can offer your residents. It’s an opportunity to simplify trip planning, showcase your town’s treasures, and foster genuine warmth and hospitality.

A Worthwhile Investment

Investing in a mobile app for your town can also be good for the local economy. If you’re looking to get buy-in from your team, focus on the long-term benefits and potential return on investment of the mobile app. Here are a few things you’ll want to highlight:

• A Powerful Marketing Tool: A mobile app can serve as a powerful marketing tool, reaching a broader audience and attracting more tourists to the town. By offering valuable features like an events calendar, interactive maps, local guides, and exclusive deals from businesses, an app can enhance the overall experience for visitors, making them more likely to spend money and return in the future.
• Invaluable Insights: A mobile app can help you collect valuable data on tourist preferences, behaviours, and spending patterns, enabling your town and businesses to make informed decisions and tailor offerings to meet visitor demands. This data-driven approach can help you more effectively allocate resources, target your marketing efforts, and improve services, all of which can help you build a more sustainable and prosperous tourism industry for your town.

Curious to learn more about how a mobile app could benefit your town or municipality? Contact Info Grove today. Our team would love to learn more about your winter wonderland and see how a mobile app could help you elevate both your tourist and resident experience.

Karim Mansour is an Inside Sales Representative at 14 Oranges, the creators of the Info Grove platform.