4 tips to take advantage of tourist spending
Interest in Canada is at an all-time high, thanks to some spectacular key sporting victories by the Raptors, current NBA champions, and tennis superstar Bianca Andreescu. Coupled with the high US dollar, there’s now a surge of American tourists planning their next vacation north of the border. Attract some of these tourism dollars to your business with these tips:
Party on, eh?
Canadian communities come alive with amazing events throughout the summertime. Across the country, Canada Day and the Fourth of July weekend are possibly the busiest time of the season. Use this opportunity to lure in eventgoers with POP signage, promotions and specialized merchandising and displays.
Partner up to create experiences
There’s nothing like a good old Canadian road trip, or a city tour. With vast lands to explore, the adventure can last for hours or weeks. Incentivize the experience by partnering with other local businesses like restaurants, vineyards and breweries, parks, and specialty shops or markets to create a bucket list adventure. Tourists who check off all the stops on the list not only get an authentic Canadian experience, but make memories with their travel buddies, too.
Draw in crowds with social media
Attract tourists before they even leave home by using social media to highlight unique aspects of your business and your community. Different platforms will attract different customer bases: older crowds might use Facebook or Twitter, while younger millennials are more likely to tune into Instagram or Snapchat. Use simple, unbranded hashtags like #summertravel to expand your reach.
Be prepared
Aside from the United States, you could have customers coming in from all around the world this summer, meaning they will be bringing numerous forms of payment. Prepare ahead of time to accept a mix of payments from smartphones, chip-enabled debit and credit cards, and Apple Pay, WeChat or Alipay. An integrated payments system that covers the diverse ways in which customers wish to shop is essential.
Through our eCommerce solution, Converge, Elavon offers currency features such as Multi-Currency Conversion (MCC) that provides businesses with an easy, affordable way to attract international customers by accepting payment for products and services in 90 currencies.