Destination BC’s Explore BC Interactive Map!
In July 2020, Destination BC launched the Explore BC Interactive Map on its consumer website: HelloBC.com. ‘Maps’ has consistently ranked as a top search result on the site and the Maps page is one of the most visited pages.
The Interactive Map integrates all our tagged content and makes it available in a variety of map views. This ‘real time’ tool provides travellers, and industry, with integrated content and business listings, on a map according to the taxonomy tags applied.
The Interactive Map has been recently upgraded with new functionality to better support businesses and industry, by integrating the Business Listings database with the Geographic locations and website content taxonomy to be indexed into the Search utility. New functions that consumers and businesses will see include:
- Predictive Search results are displayed as a user types in the search bar.
- Geo location results are shown first, Business Listings follow.
- On the map, and in the search bar display, specific ‘pin’ and ‘storefront’ icons differentiate places (pins) and businesses (storefronts) for ease of viewing.
- Business featured first on default (unfiltered) views on the map will be randomized daily, to provide fair and equitable exposure to all businesses.
- A new view category has been created for Transportation Providers.
- Improved ‘city level’ zoom views for city searches and displays of nearby businesses and accommodations.
How does it work?
The Interactive Map page is presented in a familiar Google map layout of British Columbia. Hovering over a selection on the map or list will highlight the content, and a click will launch details in the left panel and options to proceed to the target HelloBC.com content page or see ‘directions’ to the referenced content on a Google map. All views on the map allow ‘zooming’ and ‘scrolling’, as expected on any Google map.
There are four primary categories to launch views, each providing views and subcategories for accessing deeper or more detailed content and views. These align with:
- ‘Getting around’–providing detail views for highway routes and major airports;
- ‘Cities and towns’–providing links to pages on HelloBC or local Destination Management Organisations, while also providing recommendations for local stories, accommodations and/or experience providers.
- ‘Popular Areas’–providing views and links to relevant content pages on HelloBC, and business listings within the active area.
- ‘Travel ideas’–providing options to view and Explore by Theme (cities, by RV, family, etc.) and providing recommendations for other travel ideas.
To further support trip planning, the ‘More’ option allows travellers to explore mapped views of Accommodations, Experience Providers (tourism businesses), Visitor Information Centres and the 6 Tourism Regions.
Key Objectives
- Provide immediate travel planning support in a familiar and user-friendly visual format.
- Inspire website visitors to discover new or similar ideas and activities with a selection of ‘Recommended for You’ travel ideas.
- Support COVID-19 recovery efforts by providing a new tool and capability for BC residents to plan staycations throughout the province.
- Leverage the complete range of Google mapping capabilities to provide value to industry through better business exposure.
- Convert organic traffic from map seekers into engaged content consumers, who will interact more deeply with content and ultimately generate industry referrals, by clicking on business listings.
- Create a new tool to support existing and future marketing campaigns and strategies.
- Support industry by providing the ability for travellers to search for and display individual businesses while using the map.
Where can I find it?
Destination BC redesigned and reorganized the Maps page to provide the base collection of expected assets travellers look for—Highway Map, Driving Distances Grid, Ski Resorts Maps and Campsites Maps—with an additional element containing the Interactive Map.
