Tourism Prince Edward Island is looking to lure people to the land of Anne and red potatoes with its new Ask an Islander program — it’s like Quora, but all the answers are from Islanders.
The program aims to connect people interested in travelling to PEI with the people that know it intimately, allowing potential visitors to get advice on locals on everything from restaurants to golf courses. Think of it as hyper local crowdsourcing.
“We know travellers do their research and want to plan a vacation that is meaningful to them,” said Brenda Gallant, director of marketing with Tourism Prince Edward Island, in a statement. “So who better to give intimate and customized advice than people who live there, are passionate about Prince Edward Island and know it so well?”
Would-be tourists can send in their questions in writing, through images or on video. Answers won’t come from random Islanders, but rather from 20 ambassadors hand-picked by Tourism PEI for their subject matter knowledge. Among those that will be sharing answers based on their own experiences in PEI, and sharing their own hidden gems and local favourites, are Chef Michael Smith, musician Meaghan Blanchard and golfer Ryan Garrett.
The marketing campaign will run through the end of the summer and be amplified through Tourism PEI’s Facebook and Twitter channels, as well featured in the organization’s guidebook.
Among the questions asked and answered so far are the best non-Anne attractions on the island, locations for mushroom foraging and dog-friendly cottage rentals.