Tourism Groups Examine New Rack Card, Direction

By MARK EVANS

mevans@stegenherald.com

Ste. Genevieve’s new rack cards and the direction in which local tourism marketing should focus took up much of the combined Tourism Advisory Council (TAC) and Tourism Tax Commission (TTC)’s hour and a half quarterly meeting on April 19.

Tourism Director Jeff Wix handed out copies of the colorful new card, with a T-Rex logo and the words “Discover Something Different.”

Wix pointed out that in many racks and cases where rack cards are displayed, only the top quarter or less of the cards are visible. Therefore they need to capture the eye.

The new cards utilize bright colors and icons representing the dinosaurs at the Museum Learning Center, lodging, shopping, area wineries, history and more.

The back has large colorful headings of  “play,” “stay,” “getaway,” “yesterday,” and holiday.” Under each, it gives some basic details.

It also has a QR code and the vsitstegen.com web address.

“We did a lot some testing on the new design to specific groups,” Wix said. “Some of these were full-time RV groups.”

The tests, of more than 1,000 people, were specifically targeted at travelers.

“The problem with our design prior to, is the fact that if you don’t know anything about Ste. Genevieve, the card that just has the logo doesn’t give you any incentive in which to pick it up, beside maybe 50 cards.”

Although Wix agreed that “quite a bit of information” was on the old card, he said it “doesn’t give any emotional response to pick it up.”

The new card, with bright colors and with dinosaur, he said had “a huge impact.”

“It tested extremely well across all genders, ethnicities socio-economic breakdowns,” he said. “We were elated to find how intrigued people were to pick up the rack card.”