Destination Roadmapping
A 10-minute spark of inspiration with a side of tough love—helping small towns create big impact through tourism, events, and unforgettable visitor experiences.
The 5 Senses Test: How Engaging the Senses Creates Memorable Experiences
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If your event or visitor experience looks good on paper but falls flat in person, it might be missing the magic ingredient — sensory design.
In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, Vicky Soderberg breaks down why the most unforgettable experiences don’t just look great — they feel great, sound right, smell inviting, taste amazing, and touch the heart.
You’ll learn:
 👀 How to match sensory cues to your event’s theme or story
 👂 Why sound and scent can influence crowd flow and dwell time
 👅 How taste and touch add emotional st...
Stop Blaming the QR Code: It’s Not the Tech. It’s the Execution.
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QR codes aren’t the enemy.
But when they lead to broken links, cluttered homepages, or pages that make visitors pinch and zoom until they give up? That’s not innovation—that’s aggravation.
In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, Vicky Soderberg—your tough-love tourism coach and event resuscitator—dives into why the problem isn’t the code itself, but what’s behind it.
You’ll hear real-world examples of:
 🚫 The billboard QR code that no one could possibly scan
 🍽️ The restaurant menu fail that drove customers crazy
 🥾 The s...
Events: Fixing the Sunday Fizzle
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Your Friday crowds are hot, Saturday is packed—and then Sunday rolls around and your festival feels like a ghost town. Vendors are cranky, visitors head home early, and the finale fizzles instead of soaring.
In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, Vicky dives into the Sunday Fizzle and how to fix it. You’ll hear:
Why Sunday is more than just an afterthought—it’s a spending cycle.Real-life case studies of festivals that flopped vs. festivals that nailed it.Practical programming ideas that keep people lingering instead of leavi...Tourism is a Team Sport
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Tourism isn’t a solo sport—it takes a full roster to win. In this episode, Vicky breaks down how cities, Main Street programs, chambers, and CVBs can finally stop playing tug-of-war and start acting like a team.
You’ll hear why shared goals matter more than chasing hotel nights, how to keep people in their lanes without turf wars, and why monthly huddles beat once-a-year retreats every time. Plus, she talks about calling audibles when things change and celebrating the small wins that keep momentum alive.
If your commun...
Visitor Catfishing: When the Marketing is Hot but the Experience is Not
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Your town looks great on paper, or at least on Instagram. But when visitors show up, the reality may not quite match the hype. That’s what we call Visitor Catfishing, the glossy marketing that promises more than your experience delivers.
In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, Vicky breaks down:
The giveaways that your town might be catfishing visitorsWhy catfishing kills trust and repeat visitsReal-world examples A no-nonsense playbook to stop catfishing and start being realBecause authenticity isn’t a downgrade—it’s your secret weapon.
Than...
There's Nothing to Do Here
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“There’s nothing to do here.”
If you’ve ever heard that line from a teen, a clerk, or even your own residents, you know how much it stings. In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, Vicky breaks down why people say it—and more importantly, what you can do about it.
You’ll hear:
The hidden reasons behind the “nothing to do here” mindsetHow to reframe what’s already happening in your townQuick wins to shift both visitor and resident perceptionSmall towns don’t need flashy attractions t...
The Side Street Spillover Effect
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Main Street grabs the spotlight; side streets earn the encore.Â
This episode spills the tea on the Side Street Spillover Effect—that blink-and-decide moment when visitors either wander deeper or beeline for the car.Â
Vicky hands you a bold, do-it-now game plan: corner-turning quick wins you can launch this week, plus a 90-day glow-up to maintain the momentum. Expect no-fluff moves: quirky wayfinding, twinkle lights, micro-markets, and cross-shop “breadcrumb” ideas that yank people off Main Street.
You’ll snag punchy micr...
The Farmer's Market Effect on Downtown
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Farmer’s markets aren’t just about fresh tomatoes and handmade soap—they’re the weekly habit that can breathe life back into a downtown. In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, Vicky Soderberg breaks down why markets work, the ripple effects they create for businesses and tourism, and the pitfalls that can turn a great idea into a flop.
You’ll learn:
Why consistency makes markets a powerful anchor eventHow they spark small business growth and tourism spendingWhat makes a market “sticky” (and why that matters)Practical steps to maximize the market’s i...Bronze Plaques are Not a Tourism Strategy
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If your “big” plan for showing off your town’s history is a shiny square on a stick, we need to talk.
In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, I’m sharing five ways to turn your community’s past into a living, breathing, cash-generating experience.
You’ll discover how to:
Enhance “read-and-run” plaques with experiences visitors actually feel.Turn history into something people can taste, touch, and post about.Package the past for short attention spans—without watering it down.Plus, real-world examples of towns that added to the bronze and...
Your Most Underutilized Resource
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Small towns love to say they want to “keep their young people.”
But if your youth have never been invited to plan, lead, or create anything in your community… what exactly are you asking them to stick around for?
In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, Vicky Soderberg makes the case for a full-blown Youth Takeover—and walks you through 5 low-cost, high-impact ways to bring Gen Z into the heart of your downtown and tourism strategy:
No big budget. No matching T-shirts. Just structure, trust, and the cour...
Don't Plan That Event—Yet
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Before you book the band or design the flyer, there are seven questions every event must answer if you want it to succeed. In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, I’m breaking down the planning gut-check that saves time, money, and community goodwill.
We’re talking about real goals (not just “bring people downtown”), target audiences that actually exist, and why “we posted it on Facebook” is not a marketing plan.
Whether you’re dreaming up a new event or stuck in the “we’ve always done it this way” cycle, this e...
Busting A Few Tourism & Event Myths
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Let’s get one thing straight: good intentions aren’t a strategy—and assumptions won’t bring results. In this episode, we’re busting four of the most stubborn myths that keep small-town tourism and events spinning their wheels.
From the fantasy that volunteers can run everything forever, to the misconception that no one is interested in your community—these myths are doing more harm than good. And we’re not having it.
Expect tough love, real talk, and smarter ways to move your destination or event from “we tried” to “we na...
Welcome to Destination Roadmapping
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