Columbia County is a destination defined by its southern hospitality and vibrant local spirit—and now, connecting with that authentic character is easier than ever. Visit Columbia County, GA has officially launched the Ripe ITA Platform, choosing a “destination-first” strategy to empower local lodging partners and create a more integrated journey for every visitor.
As the primary architect of the region’s tourism economy, Visit Columbia County is dedicated to ensuring that the benefits of travel are felt directly by the community. By adopting the In-Market Travel Agency (ITA) model, they are taking control of their digital infrastructure to ensure that what happens in Columbia County, stays in Columbia County.
Integrating Ripe Tools for a Seamless Journey
Visit Columbia County has strategically integrated Ripe’s booking technology across its digital touchpoints to capture traveler intent at the moment of inspiration. By providing a localized, custom booking experience, they are keeping more of their audience within their own channels rather than losing them to third-party intermediaries. Key integrations include:
- Prominent Homepage Search: A custom widget that allows travelers to begin their journey immediately.
- Persistent “Book Now” Navigation: Ensuring booking remains one-click away from any page.
- Dedicated Lodging Content: Rich, interactive pages that showcase local hotel partners with real-time connectivity to availability, rates, and inventory
Realizing Value Through Data
For Visit Columbia County, the true power of the Ripe ITA Platform lies in ownership. With access to first-party data and attribution insights, the DMO can now trace tourism dollars directly back to their marketing initiatives. This transparency allows them to prove their value to local stakeholders and make smarter, data-driven decisions for future growth.
Beyond standard bookings, the platform enables Columbia County to design event-driven experiences By aligning lodging offers with local festivals and tournaments, they are creating a vertically aligned ecosystem where visitors and local businesses thrive together.
The Future of the County
By partnering with Ripe, Visit Columbia County isn’t just upgrading its website; it is reclaiming the traveler relationship. They are moving from legacy transactions to a transformative strategy that strengthens the health and well-being of their local economy.
Are you ready to see how Ripe can help your destination own its future? Schedule a demo today.
