Sonoma County App incentivises responsible travel

Sonoma County Tourism has transformed traditional destination marketing into stewardship as one of the world’s first DSO’s (Destination Stewardship Organisation). So it comes as no surprise that their new App, designed to make visits, experiences and interactions to this Californian county that’s abundant in nature, produce and stories, all the more memorable by encouraging visitors to think about their visit and its impact. More than that, people are actively incentivised via the App to Travel Responsibly.

A recent survey suggested that visitors seek richer narrative-based travel experiences with 65% stating they prefer travel that tells a story but with 73% wanting help coordinating their visit to make the most of their time in a destination. The Sonoma County App puts this power into visitors’ hands by assisting them in creating a personalised real-time itinerary that incorporates newly discovered places, old favourites and popular attractions. The content includes an up to date events calendar and will piece together a stop-by-stop itinerary that includes turn-by-turn directions with traffic rerouting built in. This functionality makes it equally relevant and useful for locals as for international visitors.

As users add elements to their wish list or itinerary they work towards goals and challenges that unlock status badges and rewards.

The free Sonoma County App is available for download on Google Play on in the Apple App Store or you can discover more here.

Image credit: Jack London State Historic Park / Tom Deininger / Sonoma County Tourism