Destination Branding: Wetlands & Wildlife National Scenic Byway Case Study

Is it possible to bring a destination brand to life in a way that not only attracts visitors but invites positive environmental and personal change?

It is if that destination is the breathtaking Kansas Wetlands and Wildlife National Scenic Byway. Rolling through the heartland, this wildlife and bird sanctuary offers visitors a glimpse of a Kansas that defies stereotyping and intriguing contrasts that invite closer inspection. Barton County (home to the destination) had already undergone a branding process for the Byway that placed this rare asset into the strategic context of motion and change. The brand took into account the Byway’s geography, history and nature, elevating it from a transportation conduit to a dynamic, evolving, experiential destination.

North Star was challenged with integrating that brand fully into the fabric of the Byway experience with strategies that reach top target markets in the state, region and nation.

Research found that key target markets for the Byways include birders; bicyclists; nature travelers; soft adventure seekers; wildlife, bird and nature photographers; national parks and wildlife refuge visitors; and scenic byway travelers. These different target markets might be attracted to different activities, but the soul of the experience remains the same. A trip to the Byways is not just about the motion and change of nature or the passage of time. It is about the varied ways that people move through the destination and the change – sometimes subtle and sometimes significant – that an encounter with the Byways engenders. This is not just a place for people seeking entertainment (though there’s plenty of that); this is a destination for travelers who want to ensure that each footprint they leave on the earth makes it a better place.



"The value of the market research provided by North Star has been amazingly beneficial. It helped "paint the picture" for our communities, supplying an understanding of where we needed to head . . . and how they could fit into the picture. Additionally, the research has provided a solid foundation for seeking grant funding to further our byway projects. The depth of the market research makes it of long term value to the byway."

- Cris Collier, President, Great Bend Convention and Visitors Bureau





North Star wrote a sustainable strategic plan designed to both attract visitors and appeal to their desire to be part of positive social and environmental change. Specific strategies:

* Integrate the ideas of motion and change (social and environmental) into the existing attractions, events and assets offered by the Byways

* Recommend new attractions, events, assets and products that can be developed on a long-term basis, which support the motion and change brand

* Create customized messages designed to reach each of the different target markets with information that appeals to their specific interests and invites positive change

* Develop an electronic media kit with photography, itineraries, editorial content and messaging for general media and media targeted to specific Byways visitor markets. Check out this strategy in action by visiting http://www.kansaswetlandsandwildlifescenicbyway.com/media-kit

* Revamp existing websites making them more interactive and evocative of the principles of motion and change



* Create a framework for each of the individual communities along the Byway that markets them under the umbrella of Motion and Change but also assigns each city (based on their heritage) one of the relevant organizing themes under that umbrella: geological change, wetlands, weather, wildlife and human movement.

Bit by the Travel Bug

Have you ever heard of Oberammergau, Germany? Probably not. And you probably weren’t aware that it produces the world’s most famous Passion play. The Passion play has been held every decade since the year 1634 with half of the town’s residents (around 2,000 people, I think) taking part in the performance.

And – as if all that passion weren’t enough – this charming and quaint town at the foot of the Alps is home to the NATO school, which is NATO's key training and education facility. Needless to say, when I heard all the amazing things about this town, I just had to visit!

I started traveling when I was little. I took my first trip to Los Angeles to visit some family members. Honestly, I wasn’t really interested in catching up with the family, but was more focused on catching a Dodger’s game. After hearing about all the cool things to do in this city, I was really excited to go. Looking back, Los Angeles truly delivered on a positive experience.

I was hooked! My first traveling experience fueled my passion for discovering new places.

Ever since that first trip, I haven’t stopped exploring. You could say that traveling is my main hobby . . . one that comes with a hefty price tag. Some people might spend their money on hobbies such as cooking classes. (I can’t cook anyway – in fact, refusing to cook is a way I save money to travel.) I believe that by discovering new places, I can truly appreciate my own community because I have looked outside of my own existence and environment.

I often reflect on this quote to validate my passion for discovering new places. Johnetta Cole says it best: “You cannot fully understand your own life without knowing and thinking beyond your life, your own neighborhood, and even your own nation.”

We have the tendency to get caught up in our own lives and immediate surroundings. As each night turns to day, we rush to get to work, then rush home to make dinner. Then we wake up and do it all over again. Before we know it our lives have become one big rerun. Because of this tunnel vision, we don’t always pay attention to what is going on outside of our own lives – looking beyond ourselves.

Curiosity is an innate characteristic of human nature. We crave mystery and intrigue combined with new experiences. By looking outside of our own lives and communities we see that we are only one small part of a much larger picture and a much bigger world.

Every year my sister, mom and I travel abroad to a different destination. We pick our “place” through research and word of mouth. As an avid traveler, a destination’s reputation is key to my travel choices. I want to spend my time and money on a location that will provide me with a positive experience.

While my personal interests are focused on a destination’s reputation, a community’s positive reputation is based on lots and lots of experiences and interactions and feelings and communications that have taken place over time. Community identity comes from the history and culture of the place, from the residents, the marketing, the politics, and the natural beauty – and how well that beauty is protected. But most of all, it comes from the uncovering of the single thing about a place that makes it special and one-of-a-kind. And then using that unique relevant idea as the guiding strategy for the community’s growth and development.

Sometimes this happens by chance in a community or destination. But those places with the strongest, most consistent identities have usually managed the process through community branding. And when you can offer up and articulate what is most true and unique about a community, people can’t help but want to share that cultural currency and discovery with others.

As you read this, I will have just returned from my annual trek with mom and my sister gathering cultural currency in an international destination whose positive brand and reputation drew me there. The economic impact of Family Harris is significant – so I can attest that a strong brand directly impacts a community’s bottom line.

I can also attest to the life-changing impact each of these incredible destinations have had on my life. I choose where to go based on identity and reputation and so far, have never been disappointed. I guess you could say that a strong brand is a win-win for all involved!

~ Kari Harris