Published: December 17, 2025

Emma Malinoski

Designing One Destination, Four Ways

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Recently, at Digital Relativity, we’ve done some research to refine our targeted marketing techniques. Instead of just relying on typical demographics, we’ve discovered the real reasons people travel through our attitudinal study — and how to effectively engage with each group.  

To demonstrate what our process looks like behind the scenes, I’ve created four sample campaigns that market to each of our four traveler types. In an effort to create some believable but irrelevant fake ads, I’ve made some content for Strasbourg — one of my favorite small towns in the south of France. I’ll focus on creating meaningful connections with our four key audience traveler personas: Enthusiastic Immersives, Trendy Planners, Independent Explorers and Cautious Budgeters.

All content is invented for demonstration purposes and not reflective of a real client or company.

Row of four illustrated persona icons representing traveler types: enthusiastic immersive, independent explorer, trendy planner, and cautious budgeter.
You can read more about the traveler types in detail here, but I’ve quickly summarized them with their sample campaigns below.

Enthusiastic Immersives

These travelers crave authenticity and a deep understanding of their destination. And, at risk of sounding self-righteous, I consider myself to be about half Enthusiastic Immersive when it comes to my travel style, so I started by creating this content. The best way to connect with this group (let’s just call them EIs, for the sake of keeping it simple) is to focus on experiences that are unique to their destination. When it comes to Strasbourgian culture, one of the most interesting things to EIs is going to be the Alsatian culture of the region. Being a border town, Strasbourg has a lovely conglomeration of French and German culture — whether that’s food, activities, sightseeing or even language. For the creative piece, I’ve made a couple of social posts that tell a little bit more about the deep history and culture of Strasbourg, and some easy ways travelers can immerse themselves in it.

Mock social media ad promoting authentic Alsatian culture in Strasbourg, featuring historic riverside architecture. It reads "uncover authentic Alsatian culture in Strasbourg"
Mock social media ad showing a pedestrian street in Strasbourg with people walking among historic buildings. It reads "Alsace: Culture region in the Grand Est of France along the west bank of the Upper Rhine, with a vibrant blend of German and French culture"
Mock social media ad highlighting half-timbered houses and a canal bridge in Strasbourg. It reads "Architecture. Cuisine. Dialect. In Strasbourg, immerse yourself in the iconic half-timbered houses, rich & hearty dishes, and the remnants of the Alsatian dialect, spoken mostly by older generations along with French and German"
Mock social media ad featuring the facade of Strasbourg Cathedral with Gothic architectural details. It reads "Click the link in our bio to read more about the best stops for authentic cuisine and experiences to explore Strasbourg like a local."
Social image carousel introducing Alsatian culture to encourage clicks to the landing page.
Mock landing page design titled "Eat like the Strasbourgeois" and displays a Strasbourg food guide with Alsatian restaurants and cuisine categories. The landing page shows 3 other tabs, labeled sightseeing, history, and arts and culture
Landing page to be linked in social media bio/posts or accessed through ad clicks. Offers top 5 locally recommended restaurants, sightseeing stops and cultural sites with local insights.

Independent Explorers

Continuing with my slightly self-indulgent order of tasks, I’ve created some ads for our Independent Explorers next, which I feel is the other half of my traveler persona, albeit to my own demise. IEs (again with the acronym) love spontaneity. They love coming across hidden gems and thinking on the fly instead of creating a specific itinerary.  This tends to be how I approach a good 50% of my traveling, though without fail, it continues to give me measurable amounts of anxiety in the moment (try a dead phone in the middle of Paris with no access to your Airbnb address). However, the outcome is always solid enough that I can’t help but do it again. This is how I found nearly all of my dining options in Strasbourg — and I can truly say it did not disappoint. The key to communicating this to IEs is not to overwhelm them with information; instead, communicate their options to them and let them take it from there. Some of the best things to do in Strasbourg are open all the time — perfect for stumbling into, and the town itself is somewhat of a hidden gem. To bring this idea to life, I’ve focused on three core elements: standout cuisine, a highly walkable environment and convenient access to unique, anytime activities that define the essence of the experience.

Mock blog post layout titled “A long weekend in Strasbourg” by Emma Malinoski, shown on a desktop screen with a city canal photo. Sections of the blog post are include "Catch the sunrise at Palais Rohan," "Find the Stork souring over La Petite France," and "Embrace the serenity of the Strasbourg University botanical gardens"

Trendy Planners

Even if it’s not your primary reason for travelling, don’t we all have a little Trendy Planner in our hearts? This traveler type is working their way straight through the Top 10 Best Photo Spots in Strasbourg. Trendy Planners love Must-See and Best Of lists, take advice from influencers and social media presences and love to collect unique experiences to share with others. Luckily for them, Strasbourg is not hurting for beautiful scenic places to check out. Gorgeous churches, palaces, town squares, botanical gardens and canals make its scenic spots per square mile insanely high.  A short vertical video that appears naturally in a social feed, combined with a concise to-do list delivered through a Pinterest-inspired graphic, offers a meaningful way to connect with the audience and meet them in the moments they are most open to inspiration.

Mock Pinterest-style graphic titled “Top Ten Things to Do in Strasbourg, France” over a canal-lined historic street.
Mock Pinterest-style graphic highlighting top must-see spots in Strasbourg, set on a pastel street with spring blossoms.
Mock Pinterest-style graphic promoting Strasbourg’s top cafes, featuring a latte on a café table by a city street.
Mock Pinterest feed showing multiple Strasbourg travel pins, including cafes, must-see spots, and top things to do.

Cautious Budgeters

Last, but least (only in the amount of money they spend) is the Cautious Budgeter.  This traveler is looking for transparency, safety and cost effectiveness for their trip, and prefers to explore places with good infrastructure. Strasbourg is a relatively small town that, even as a solo traveler who speaks barely functional French, felt very safe to walk around alone. It’s easy to overspend on food, but many activities like exploring the botanical gardens, museums and palaces are low-cost or free on many days. Convenience is essential for this group, making Strasbourg’s walkability and warm atmosphere especially appealing. Highlighting these qualities, paired with a list of budget-friendly activities, offers simple additions they can seamlessly integrate into their plans.

Each of the four traveler types has distinct preferences — how they like to receive information, what resonates most with them and what they value in a trip. Some people may align closely with a single type, while others see themselves reflected in several. These nuances shape how each audience engages, and the insights from our research can guide the development of campaigns tailored to their motivations and behaviors. While the strategies of how we connect with each group may vary, the overarching goal remains the same: to showcase the unique qualities of your destination to as many travelers as possible in the most effective and meaningful way.

Happy traveling, and don’t forget to charge that phone!

Emma Malinoski smiling, seated at a wooden table with a gray background, wearing glasses, a white shirt, and a gray vest.

Emma Malinoski

Jr. Art Director

Most likely found working in one of her favorite local coffee shops, Emma knows how to capture the world in colorful and creative ways. From digital design to illustration to branding projects — you name it and Emma has already started creating it. Her artistic spark transcends mediums, whether it be painting murals, printmaking, or starting a new crochet project.