In the final interview of the series, we sit down with Oslo enthusiast Martine Cecilie Vik from VisitOslo to find out how an app like Snapchat can promote a destination for young travellers.
VisitOSLO: About a year ago we opened our visitoslo account. A goal in our digital strategy is to raise Oslo’s digital footprint by 20% annually. Snapchat is one of the fastest growing networks and we are very keen on testing new platforms and reaching the younger crowds. Hence we call it “project Snap.”
WYSE: Who is VisitOSLO’s target audience? Who is the typical Oslo visitor?
VisitOSLO: Our target audiences are visitors from our neighbouring countries Sweden and Denmark, as well as visitors from cities with direct flight connections to Oslo including the USA and most of Europe. In addition, we have long haul visitors from Asia and South America, especially China, Japan and Brazil, who often spend a few days in Oslo before travelling on to the West or North of Norway. There is no typical Oslo visitor as such. Many Norwegians travel from other cities to visit friends and family here or go to an event. We also have a large conference and business audience with conferences such as Oslo Freedom Forum and Nor-Shipping.
WYSE: Is Oslo a destination that young people should know about and why?
VisitOSLO: Oslo is definitely a destination for young people! There are over 5,000 concerts each year and a lot of cultural happenings. We have urban beaches, ski tracks and downhill slopes, all within 30 minutes from the city centre. That’s unique. The New York Times described Grünerløkka as “all very Brooklyn” meaning it’s young and hip with a lot of cool cafés and bars. National Geographic named Oslo “the queen of Nordic Cool.” There’s international cuisine in all price ranges and interesting architecture and street art all over the city. With Airbnb and CouchSurfing.com it’s also quite affordable.
VisitOSLO: We are making the strategy as we go along, picking up tips from the best Snappers in the world. To attract followers we share our snapcode in other channels. We are thinking of doing take-overs and letting others use our account.
The strategy will differ quite a lot from Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Because the audience is a lot younger we will have to speak to them in their own language with emoji, geofilters and instant video. And of course everything is live so nothing can be ready made, unless Snapchat is planning on launching accounts for businesses. We are also in dialogue with our followers by replying to what they send us.
WYSE: How many social media platforms does VisitOSLO actively use? Which are most popular with travellers aged under 30?
VisitOSLO: We utilise Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Google +, and Ello. Travel blogs, Instagram and Pinterest are popular most with the young ones.
WYSE: Oslo has an official city app- has this been popular with visitors?
VisitOSLO: Our app has been downloaded 150,000 times since launching last year and the users view on average 12 pages. We are in the process of doing a complete upgrade.
WYSE: Is free WiFi readily available in Oslo for visitors?
VisitOSLO: Free WiFi is available at most hotels, cafés, airports, and the airport train. VisitOSLO is pushing for free WiFi in the entire city centre as part of our digital strategy because we would love for our visitors to be able to share Oslo moments in all channels.
WYSE: What activities, attractions or characteristics of Oslo are most popular or attractive to young travellers?
VisitOSLO: Taking selfies with the Tiger outside of central station, Grünerløkka, swimming in the fjord, walking along the Opera House, coffee-tasting and concerts seem to top the list based on the content we see shared in our channels.
About Martine Cecilie Vik
Martine Cecilie Vik works for VisitOSLO on marketing and social media activities as Oslo enthusiast and buzzmaker.
VisitOSLO is the official marketing organisation for Oslo and its surrounding regions. The organisation’s shareholders are from the city’s travel trade and commerce, including local, regional and national companies operating within travel, tourism and transportation. VisitOSLO is responsible for visitor services such as the official tourist information office, Oslo Visitor Centre, and the official website, visitoslo.com.
Read the other interviews in the series: