Connecting visitors to product and enhancing their experience through community signage

1
Community signage

• Connecting visitors to product and enhancing
  their experience through community signage

Nicole Vaugeois TRIP Project Coordinator Malaspina
University-College Vaugeois_at_mala.ca
2
The road ahead

• The importance of strong signage
• Examples of strong signage
• Steps to enhancing community signage
• Resources to help you succeed

3
What is a Sign?

• An inscribed board, plate or space that provides
  information, warning or guidance.
• (Trapp, Gross Zimmerman, 1994)

4
Your experience

• We all know it when we experience it!

• How was the signage to this community or to
  todays activities?
• What is your general assessment of signage in
  your own community?

5
What is bad signage? What is the experience like
when we encounter bad signage?
6
What is good signage? What is the experience
like when we encounter good signage?
7
Our observations in BC

• Inconsistent signage results in poor
  impressions, confusion
• Inadequate signage results in frustration,
  anxiety
• Limited links to marketing materials lack of
  follow through to reach products

8
Why is community signage important for tourism
development?

• Creates a positive first impression and enhances
  visitor experience
• Results in safer environment for visitors
• Showcases and highlights the pathways to tourism
  products in regions and communities

9
(No Transcript)
10
Good signage results in

• Enhances Access directional, informational or
  both, advance notice, facilitate safe decisions
• Improves Visitor Experience paired with maps,
  relieves stress, affirms location and helps
  travelers make informed decisions
• Boosts Visitation informs, entices, identifies
  attractions, events and businesses, and allows
  them to learn more

11
Key Point

• For any community that is serious
• about tourism, building greater visitor
• accessibility and convenience is critical
• to industry development.

12
Show the way

• Destinations should be WAYSHOWING by
• Drawing
• Writing
• Speaking
• Teaching

• Visitors are WAYFINDING by
• Seeing
• Reading
• Hearing
• Learning

13
Does your community/region

• Have an inventory of all the signage that is
  currently directing visitors?
• Have an idea of how your signage is impacting
  visitor experience?
• Have a community signage plan to install and
  maintain wayfinding infrastructure?
• Coordinate maps in visitor guides with consistent
  signage on the ground?

14
Types of Signage

• Entrance signs
• Information signs
• Service and attraction signs
• Tourist oriented directional signs (TODS)
• Business logo signs
• Interpretive signs

15
A community signage program

• Uses all types of signage
• Ensures there are no gaps for the visitor
• Uses consistent signage (colours, theme)

16

• Visitors need clear and consistent signage to
  show them, remind them and direct them to
  products and resources in the community.

17
Examples of Regional Signage Programs

• BC Provincial Parks symbol system
• Agri-tourism Wine Tourism Signage

18
Examples of Community Signage

• Village of Clinton
• use of western themed heritage
• Gold Rush Circle Tour (Cariboo)
• Links products in the region with consistent
  signage

19
(No Transcript)
20
(No Transcript)
21
6 Steps to Help You Create a Community Signage
Program

• Step 1 - Create an inventory of your signage
• Step 2 - Get the visitors perspective
• Step 3 - Determine what should stay and what
  needs to go
• Step 4 - Determine responsibilities
• Step 5 - Develop and set up signage
• Step 6 - Monitor effectiveness

22
Helpful Resources

• Welcome A Manual to enhance community signage
  and visitor experience. Tourism Research
  Innovation Project www.trip-project.ca
• BC Ministry of Transportation Regional Contacts
• BC Ministry of Transportation Provincial Sign
  Shop
• Tourism BC
• Sign Association of Canada
• Ministry of Transportation Sign Catalogue
• Service Attraction Sign Manual (January 2005) A
  Directional Signing Program for Tourist Services,
  Facilities and Attractions
• Policy Manual for Supplemental Signs Ministry of
  Transportation Engineering Branch