Articles tagged “museums”

In Montgomery, Alabama, the tourism board and a new memorial to victims of lynching are building off each other's visibility, drawing visitors into a revitalized area of the Deep South they may not recognize.

Museums can be powerful drivers of tourism and the newest Smithsonian, which quickly became a black American mecca, sets the bar high. Case in point -- how many museums have a line to get into the gift shop?

Smart destination marketing organizations will recognize that civil rights isn't just a hot-button political issue — it's a crucial part of a destination's identity, and with the right tech, it can draw visitors accordingly.

Historically, tourism in the Deep South steered clear of discussing slavery and Jim Crow, instead leaning on less contentious topics like country music and antebellum architecture. But now, civil rights museums are becoming an important part of the South's tourism landscape, even if many state tourism boards haven't gotten on the bandwagon.

Besides offering selfie sticks to guests, hotels need to maximize this gesture by inspiring and rewarding them to be ambassadors of the brand while in-destination.

Even without the stick, tourists will continue to take selfies at museums around the world.

The digital should enable people to more fully embrace the physical rather than serve as a shallow replacement.

Connecting the physical to the digital is a key challenge for destinations and attractions.

Content plays a major role in the museum's rapid visitor growth, but its use of technology to engage and educate people before and during their visits will set new precedents for attractions to come.

21C's footprint is too small to pose competition to the larger players, but its execution on the local art and culture concept positions the brand as an inspiration to others just now looking to engage local businesses.