How to Use your Story to Create a Unique Tourism Brand People Relate to 

Tourism is a highly competitive sector which is why differentiating yourself with strong branding that captures the essence of your unique story is vital. You need to be memorable, relatable and offer that special something extra that speaks to your customers on a deeper level. Storytelling is a hugely effective way to communicate your brand’s values and personality and create an identity that resonates with your target audience.  

We’ve worked with lots of tourism businesses on how to successfully weave their own story into their marketing. So, if you’re looking for better ways to connect and convert, here are some actionable tips on building a tourism brand through storytelling. 

1. Identify the things that make you special 

This is where you need to get back to basics and look closely at who you are, what you offer beyond surface level, and why you do what you do. A successful brand knows exactly who they are and why people should invest in them. Every business has a unique journey, singular characters and plenty of stories that people will relate to. Great stories make people feel and that’s the key to connecting with your audience. 

A prime example of the effective use of stories is Mid Wales Tours who we worked with on their website and branding. Its founder Sean Westlake exudes immense passion for the landscape, culture and history of Wales and for his beloved motorbikes – and it shines through in his marketing. He’s a big character and natural storyteller with a fascinating life story – all gold dust in terms of differentiating a brand.  

After all, as a customer, who would you rather book a holiday with? The person offering bog standard bike tours with little personality or backstory? Or the guy who lives and breathes motorbikes and shares warm, funny tales of his adventures in the Welsh countryside? We’d choose a storytelling Sean every time. 

So, think about your experiences, passions, challenges, quirks – whatever makes your business unique – and harness it all in stories.  

2. Tell destination stories that resonate 

Now you know what makes you special, it’s time to think about the where. As a tourism business, you need to make people yearn to visit your location. And, you’ve guessed it, stories are the key to making the destination a must-see attraction that customers can’t resist. 

So, take a closer look at what makes your little corner of the world worth visiting. Give people an authentic sense of the culture, history, landscape and communities they will encounter – and do it all through your own unique Lense. Share your personal experiences, knowledge and insights into why you love the place and why other people will love it too. 

You don’t just have to use your own stories either. Every place has its own history, a timeline packed full of stories that you can share. Choose whatever local tales fit with your brand and you’ll help customers build a powerfully authentic connection with your location. 

A stellar example of the value of harnessing local stories is the 2017: Year of Legends campaign created by Visit Wales, who we’ve been lucky enough to work with delivering digital roadshows to tourism businesses. Centred on sharing the ancient myths and legends of Wales, this successful campaign demonstrates just how compelling and effective stories can be in creating a desire to visit the locations of these tall tales.

3. Harness the power of visual storytelling 

Just as customers want to hear your stories, they want to see them too. The people, the wildlife, the landscape, the history – pictures and video bring everything to life in a way words sometimes can’t. From visuals like your brand logo to website and social media images, you need to keep your story front and centre. Every element you use should be designed to enhance your brand story, not detract from it. 

Thousand Islands Expeditions here in St Davids and Seamor Dolphin Watchingv further up the coast in Newquay are two customers who we’ve helped refine their visual storytelling. With both offering scenic boat trips off the West Wales coast, illustrating stories around the landscape and wildlife is key. 

With its boat trip banner video, live coastal webcam feed and stunning shots of remote islands and local sea life, the Thousand Islands site gives visitors a feel for the story of the Pembrokeshire Coast and that of the people behind the brand. Similarly, the visual journey created by the Seamor crew shows customers the story of Welsh coastal life, with its friendly people, fascinating dolphin pods and the efforts made to protect this precious environment. 

So, take a fresh look at your logo, brand colours, images and videos. Are your visuals cohesive and aligned with your business’s story? Could they be higher quality? Could the subject matter be tweaked to better represent who you are and why you do what you do? They might seem like small issues, but they can make a big difference to your business. 

4. Learn how to use your stories 

Once you know how to find and create your stories, you need to know how to use them effectively. Stories can be woven through your digital marketing across all your channels. For example: 

A. Website Content:

• Write website content that is infused with your overall brand narrative 
• Pay special attention to your About Us page – it’s the perfect place to dig deeper into your brand story and connect with customers on a more personal level  
• Add regular blog posts, giving people updates on what’s happened recently in your business or the area, local legends, etc. 

B. Social Media:

• Share bite-sized snippets of your story – Instagram stories, TikTok videos, and YouTube shorts are great for this 
• Encourage more user generated content where customers can share their own experiences 
• Create your own brand story hashtags for a unique touch  
• Share relevant stories from other people that align with your brand messaging 

C. Email Marketing: 

• Create regular newsletters where you share recent experiences, behind the scenes snippets, seasonal news, etc. that your customer base will find interesting and engaging  

5. Get into the habit of collecting  

New stories are continually created through our everyday experiences. The art is to keep your eyes open to the value of collecting and sharing the narratives that engage your customers, create deeper connections and drive your brand forward. Create and update your own story bank as you go, and you’ll have a never-ending supply of effective, quality content. 

Need professional help to enhance your brand story? 

Whether you’re struggling with crafting an authentic tourism brand message from scratch, or you want to breathe new life into what you have currently, we can show you how to create a unique travel brand identity that gets you the best value from your stories. All you have to do is fill out our tried and tested content creation template and we’ll work our magic, building a fully optimised story around your brand that can be used to create easy, on-brand social media content and will help you rank higher in the search engines.

If you’re ready to share your who and why with the world, contact us to connect with audiences through your tourism brand story today. 

Categories