As the first day of summer approaches, it's time to gear up for the busy travel season. With families planning vacations, kids out of school, and travelers eager to explore new destinations, there's no better time to create summer-themed digital passports for your destination.

What is a Digital Passport?

Digital passports are an integral and fast-growing part of destination marketing and are used to promote attractions within a destination and drive visitor engagement through gamified check-ins. Visitors follow a curated trail, digitally “check in” at each attraction, and are rewarded with incentives like digital badges–and enticing prizes.

With a heavy emphasis on engaging leaderboards, social shares, and redeemable rewards, passports are inherently viral and offer destinations unique opportunities to market to both local and broad audiences.

Why Launch Digital Passports for Your Destination?

This summer is the perfect time to launch digital passports, as travel significantly increases during this season. According to recent surveys, nearly 85% of Americans plan to travel this summer, with 42% planning to travel more than last summer. This travel surge represents a 5% increase over 2022. Additionally, millions of Americans are expected to spend an average of $3,594 on airfare and hotel stays, totaling over $424 billion.

With families looking for engaging activities and destinations aiming to boost their local economies, digital passports are a fantastic tool. They promote local businesses by driving traffic to various attractions, increasing visitor engagement through gamified check-ins, and collecting valuable first-party data such as visitor preferences and email addresses. This data helps destinations with future marketing efforts, ensuring they can continue to attract visitors long after the summer season ends.

By launching digital passports, you can tap into this seasonal travel boom, offering visitors a fun and interactive way to explore your destination while supporting local businesses and enhancing your marketing strategy.

Top Digital Passports to Launch This Summer

Get inspired by these innovative digital passport ideas, tailored to make your destination stand out this summer. Each concept can be customized to fit your unique attractions and target audience, ensuring an engaging and memorable experience for visitors. Whether you're looking to promote local businesses, highlight natural beauty, or create fun family activities, these digital passports will help drive visitor engagement and boost your destination's appeal.

1. Eco Explorer Passport

Encourage sustainable tourism by highlighting eco-friendly attractions. Promote parks, nature reserves, and eco-friendly businesses, inspiring visitors to be more environmentally responsible. Encourage visitors to carry reusable water bottles and practice the Leave No Trace principle with a selfie check-in challenge. Examples of points-of-interests could include visiting a local botanical garden, exploring a conservation area, or participating in a community clean-up event. Consider these prize ideas: Leave No Trace stickers and reusable water bottles.

2. Paws & Play Passport

Cater to pet lovers by creating a trail of dog-friendly parks, cafes, and attractions. This passport will be a hit with travelers who don't want to leave their furry friends behind. Include stops at dog-friendly beaches, pet-friendly restaurants with outdoor seating, and local pet boutiques. For more inspiration on pet-friendly travel, check out 4 Strategies to Attract Pet Lovers to Your Destination.

3. Summer Bucket List Challenge

Help visitors make the most of their summer with a bucket list of must-see attractions and activities such as: riding a Ferris wheel, taking a hike, watching sunsets and sunrises, making s'mores, going kayaking, visiting farmers' markets, and taking outdoor yoga classes. From sunrises to sunsets, this passport will ensure they don't miss a thing. Check out Utah Valley’s Summer Bucket List Challenge as a great example of how to get visitors to explore a destination throughout the summer.

4. Sweet Treats Trail

Celebrate the season with a delicious trail of local ice cream shops and dessert parlors. Perfect for families and sweet tooths, this passport is a surefire way to attract locals and visitors alike. Include stops at popular ice cream spots, candy shops, and bakeries offering seasonal treats. Engage businesses to provide special discounts to participants.

5. The Great Outdoors Challenge

Highlight your destination's natural beauty and encourage visitors to explore the great outdoors with a trail of gardens, hiking paths, and green spaces. This passport appeals to nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Be sure to include options for all levels of outdoor enthusiasts: from families with young children seeking well-pathed trails to seasoned hikers looking for challenging terrains.

6. Teen Adventure Trail

Keeping teens entertained all summer is no easy task. Inspire families with creative ideas that even their oldest will love. From trendy spots like boba tea shops, escape rooms, and malls to activities for adrenaline junkies like theme parks, go-kart racing, and indoor rock climbing, this passport will keep teens busy all summer long.

7. Fun in the Sun Family Trail

Create a trail packed with exciting and engaging activities for families to enjoy together. This passport will guide families through a variety of summer fun, from art projects to outdoor adventures. Include stops like art installations, giant bubble-blowing stations, picnic spots, BBQ areas, and family fun runs. This passport is designed to create lasting memories and promote family bonding. Fun prize ideas include branded sunscreen and raffles for local attractions.

8. Public Art Walk Check-in Challenge

Encourage both locals and visitors to explore your town's diverse art scene through a self-guided Public Art Walk, showcasing sculptures, murals, and other creative displays scattered throughout your destination. Uncover hidden gems and iconic pieces that embody the essence of creativity and community spirit. Encourage participants to share the beauty they encounter by checking in with photos, fostering a sense of connection and appreciation within the community.

9. Local Brew Trail

Tap into the craft beer trend with an ale trail of local breweries in your destination. Highlight unique brews and offer tasting experiences to draw in beer aficionados. Include tours of popular breweries, tasting sessions, and beer pairing dinners. Partner with local breweries to offer discounts and special tastings for participants. For inspiration, check out the Utah Ale Trail.

10. Festival Check-in Challenge

Are you hosting an exciting festival in town this summer? Enhance the attendee experience by implementing a Check-in Challenge. Incorporate stages, interactive exhibits, food vendors, and more to encourage attendees to fully explore all the festival has to offer. Incentivize participants to share their experiences by posting photos with their check-ins, fostering user-generated content, and creating a sense of community among festival-goers. Take a look at the Stockton Flavor Fest, which generated over 400 user-contributed photos during the 3-day event.

11. Creative Corner Challenge

Encourage creativity with a trail of hands-on art activities like candle making, pottery painting, and art classes. This passport will attract those looking for unique and interactive experiences. Include workshops at local studios and DIY craft stores.

12. Romance Bucket List

Create a trail of romantic summer activities for couples, featuring sunset spots, intimate dining, and scenic views. This trail is perfect for those looking to add a touch of romance to their summer. Inspire couples to think out of the box by including unique date night spots such as secluded picnics, cooking classes, kayaking tours, romantic bridges, and stargazing locations.

Get Started with Digital Passports

Ready to make this summer unforgettable for your visitors? Reach out for a demo of Explore and launch your own digital passport to drive engagement to new heights.

Top 12 Digital Passports to Launch This Summer