Enhancing Community Signage and Visitor Experience

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Enhancing Community Signage and Visitor
Experience
Created by Chrystal Stone B.T.M. Malaspina
University-College Nicole Vaugeois, PhD TRIP
Project Coordinator
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Presentation Outline

• The importance of strong signage
• Examples of strong signage
• Steps to enhancing community signage
• Resources to help you succeed

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What is a Sign?

• An inscribed board, plate or space that provides
  information, warning or guidance.
• (Trapp, Gross Zimmerman, 1994)

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Why is a community signage manual important?

• Tourism is a major economic driver not reaching
  full potential in rural and small communities
• Safety of residents and visitors is paramount
• Need to better identify tourism product for
  increased impact
• Need to make signage easier to understand.

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• What happens when there is inadequate signage?

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What does signage accomplish?

• Enhances Access directional, informational or
  both, advance notice, facilitate safe decisions
• Improves Visitor Experience paired with maps,
  relieves stress, affirms location and helps
  travelers make informed decisions,
• Boosts Visitation informs, entices, identifies
  attractions, events and businesses, and allows
  them to learn more

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Key Point

• For any community that is serious
• about tourism, building greater visitor
• accessibility and convenience is critical
• to industry development.

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Show the way

• Visitors are WAYFINDING by
• Seeing
• Reading
• Hearing
• Learning

• Destinations should be WAYSHOWING by
• Drawing
• Writing
• Speaking
• Teaching

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Types of Signage

• Entrance signs
• Information signs
• Service and attraction signs
• Tourist oriented directional signs (TODS)
• Business logo signs
• Interpretive signs

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A community signage program

• Uses all types of signage
• Ensures there are no gaps for the visitor
• Uses consistent signage (colours, theme)

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Key Point

• Visitors need clear and consistent signage to
  show them, remind them and direct them to
  resources in the community.

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Components of a Sign

• Sign Faces greet the visitor
• Sign Panels materials used
• Sign Supports link to features of area

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Tips for Designing Signs

• Grab their attention
• Make them want to read further
• It should be easy to read
• Keep it uniform

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Key Point

• It is important to recognize that travelers may
  have inherently different preferences and travel
  abilities to enjoy a successful travel
  experience.

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Examples of Regional Signage Programs

• BC Provincial Parks symbol system
• Agri-tourism Wine Tourism Signage

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Examples of Community Signage

• Village of Clinton
• use of western themed heritage
• City of Nanaimo harborfront theme

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6 Steps to Help You Create a Community Signage
Program

• Step 1 - Create an inventory of assets
• Step 2 - Get the visitors perspective
• Step 3 - Determine what is required

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6 Steps, continued

• Step 4 - Determine responsibilities
• Step 5 - Develop and set up signage
• Step 6 - Monitor effectiveness

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Helpful Resources

• BC Ministry of Transportation - Regional
  Contacts
• BC Ministry of Transportation - Provincial Sign
  Shop
• Tourism BC
• Tourism Research Innovation Project
• Sign Association of Canada

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Online Resources

• Ministry of Transportation Sign Catalogue
• Service Attraction Sign Manual (January 2005) A
  Directional Signing Program for Tourist Services,
  Facilities and Attractions
• Policy Manual for Supplemental Signs Ministry of
  Transportation Engineering Branch

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Thank You

• Questions?