Beaches, trails, shops, restaurants, casinos, festivals, breweries – all of these and more draw in countless visitors to Northwest Indiana throughout the year, and the South Shore Convention & Visitors Authority (CVA) plays a big role in making sure the word gets out about everything the Region has to offer.
A lot of that work is done online and at the Indiana Welcome Center–well known for its varying exhibits, especially the annual “A Christmas Story” Comes Home. Yet it is important they stay mobile, meeting visitors where they often come–the South Shore’s favorite festivals and celebrations. For that, the CVA team relies on the Tour Mobile, which follows the Region’s festival scene to provide visitors with all the latest on the area’s attractions.
“It’s all over the Region all summer long,” said Heather Becerra, chief marketing officer for the South Shore CVA. “We could be at Festival of the Lakes or Pierogi Fest for a few days, and then out at the Summer Markets or Popcorn Fest the next weekend.”
The CVA Tour Mobile packs fairly simple equipment, CVA brochures, seasonal guides, brochures from local hospitality partners, and some extra goodies from time to time.
“We really want to provide visitors with knowledge about all the other things there are to do in the Region,” Becerra said. “They might be out here for something big like Festival of the Lakes or the National Softball Association Fastpitch World Series and not know about all the other great things here in the area.”
On occasion, the South Shore CVA’s partners will provide things like tickets or gift cards for giveaways only available to people who stop by the Tour Mobile.
“People get excited to see us,” Becerra said. “The information is important, and we’ve even got a coupon sheet that we pass out. Visitors, especially if they’re from out of town, really appreciate that.”
Recently, the CVA rolled out a new photo booth that often travels with the Tour Mobile, offering high-quality snapshots as souvenirs for festival goers.
“It’s super popular. We actually just ordered a second photo booth so that we can be in more than one place at a time,” Becerra said. “It also helps give us an idea of just how many people are visiting from out of the area. For something like the Softball World Series, they’re coming from all over the Midwest.”
The next time you stop by one of your community’s local festivals, keep an eye out for the South Shore CVA’s Tour Mobile. You might walk away with a prize, a photo, and updates on everything exciting in Northwest Indiana.
To learn more about the South Shore CVA, or all of the events, restaurants, hotels, and other attractions in the Region, visit www.southshorecva.com
