By Sara Dyer, Advance Travel & Tourism

A recent honeymoon in Greece gave Marketing Manager Sara Dyer a firsthand look at a familiar tension in destination marketing: the push to discover somewhere different, even when the iconic experience is exactly what a traveler wants.

When I was planning my honeymoon in Greece, Santorini was on the itinerary.

I knew it was popular. I knew other travelers would be there for the same blue domes, caldera views and sunsets. Those were some of the reasons I wanted to go, too.

But spend enough time consuming travel content, and you can start to feel like choosing a well-known destination requires a defense. There’s always somewhere less crowded, less photographed or supposedly more authentic.

For destination marketers, that raises a question: are we helping travelers experience the places they want to visit, or making them feel like they should want something else?

The postcard has a purpose

“Hidden gem.” “Off the beaten path.” “Live like a local.”

These phrases promise discovery. But they can also become interchangeable. A destination still needs to explain what makes the experience worth someone’s time.

And for a first-time visitor, the famous attraction often has a specific job. It gives them a reason to choose the destination in the first place.

Someone visiting Paris may want to see the Eiffel Tower. Someone visiting the Grand Canyon may want that unmistakable view. Someone visiting Santorini may want to watch the sunset over the caldera.

Recognizing those desires gives marketers a starting point. The opportunity is to help visitors turn a familiar image into an experience that feels like their own.

Make the iconic experience more useful

A beautiful photo can establish interest. Once someone starts planning, they need more.

Where should they go for the view they’ve seen? How early should they arrive? Is there a steep walk? Can they get back to their hotel by foot afterward? What else is nearby that makes it worth spending an afternoon there?

These questions are content opportunities.

A guide to a popular sunset spot could include the walk, the timing, what to expect and a nearby dinner option. A landmark itinerary could connect the main attraction with a neighborhood bakery or a small museum visitors might otherwise miss.

That connection also gives destinations a practical way to introduce lesser-known places. Visitors have a reason to explore them because they fit naturally into something they already want to do.

“Discover our hidden gems” asks travelers to start from scratch. “Here’s what to do after you visit our most famous attraction” gives them a next step.

Start with one content audit

Choose your destination’s best-known attraction and review the content around it.

Can a first-time visitor use that content to plan a good experience? Look for the details someone who lives there might take for granted: arrival points, walking distances, reservations, accessibility and transportation.

Then identify one nearby experience that adds something to the visit. Explain the connection and make it easy to follow.

This is also where local knowledge earns its place. A resident’s recommendation becomes more valuable when it solves a specific traveler’s problem.

Your destination’s most recognizable experience may be doing exactly what it should: making people want to come.

Help them enjoy it. Then give them a reason to keep exploring.