In today’s crowded tourism landscape, where social feeds overflow with drone shots, influencer reels, and polished promotional videos, standing out requires more than just showcasing a destination’s scenic beauty. Travelers are no longer satisfied with just passive sightseeing; they seek meaningful stories, immersive experiences, and authentic glimpses into the heart of a place.
For destinations, particularly those with lakes, rivers, coastlines, mountains, or unique landscapes, the key to connecting with these modern travelers may lie not in mass-market attractions, but in the power of niche activities to unlock deeper stories.
Niche sports and activities often get dismissed as too specialized or too narrow to have broad appeal. Kayaking, for example, is sometimes seen as the domain of hardcore outdoor enthusiasts. But this perspective misses the true opportunity. It’s not about paddling, or any one activity, it’s about what that activity allows you to reveal.
Facing Waves, now in its 12th season, understands this better than anyone. Hosted by world champion paddler Ken Whiting, it is the only international TV series dedicated to paddling — but at its core, it’s a destination storytelling platform. Kayaking, canoeing, or paddleboarding become tools to uncover the rich layers of a place: its culture, cuisine, people, wildlife, and hidden adventures.
What could be considered a niche activity, doesn’t have to appeal only to a small group of people. When done well, it resonates with foodies, families, road trippers, history buffs, and anyone drawn to real human stories. Afterall, paddlers are not only fans of the water, they embrace so much more.
What makes niche activities like paddling, fly fishing, or foraging powerful in destination marketing isn’t about the technical skill involved. It’s about how the content naturally guides viewers into authentic and unscripted experiences. For example, a paddling journey might lead viewers to:
Dockside seafood shack where local families have gathered for generations.
A local guide who shares stories passed down for centuries.
Wildlife encounters that reveal a destination’s unique ecosystem.
Each of these elements creates a rich, and compelling narrative for storytelling in destinations — one that sticks with potential travelers and adventure enthusiasts long after they scroll past the latest influencer post.
The genius of niche activity-based storytelling is that it transforms destinations from static backdrops into living, breathing characters. The real question shifts from “What can visitors do here?” to “Who lives here? What are their stories? How does this place reveal itself when you engage with it on a personal level?”
Whether it’s a serene lake with interpretive tours or a rugged coastline with local guides sharing cultural heritage, these experiences become narrative hooks that elevate the destination’s appeal. The activity serves as an entry point and the storytelling does the rest.
See how St. Louis surprises with its water-based potential: Facing Waves: St. Louis
One of the most exciting aspects of using niche activities for destination storytelling is how it reimagines locations that might never have seen themselves as adventure destinations. You don’t need epic whitewater or towering mountains. You need access, a great story, and a willingness to showcase the authentic character of your community.
The Facing Waves production team looks for a combination of:
✓ Accessible, scenic waterways or landscapes
✓ Local guides and cultural connections
✓ Unique regional cuisine
✓ Opportunities for wildlife and nature encounters
✓ Welcoming, community-driven tourism
This formula works across countless niche activities such as birdwatching, culinary foraging, stand-up paddleboarding, snowshoeing, or mountain biking.
Explore Finland’s culture and wild beauty through paddling: Facing Waves: Finland
For over a decade, Ken Whiting has demonstrated how niche activities can fuel omnichannel destination marketing. One media project generates:
✓ Broadcast TV episodes reaching global audiences
✓ YouTube content optimized for digital audiences
✓ Editorial features for tourism boards
✓ Social media stories with authentic local voices
This is more than just simple content creation, it is strategic marketing that leverages the emotional power of great storytelling across multiple platforms, which in turn reaches more people.
If your region has unique experiences, even if they feel niche, they may hold the key to reaching a much broader audience. Today’s travelers crave authenticity over perfection, connection over checklists. Niche activities provide organic ways to showcase your destination’s culture, people, and environment in ways that no staged photo shoot can replicate.
In the end, it’s not about promoting the activity, it’s about using the activity to tell the kind of stories that make people fall in love with your destination.
Follow Ken Whiting on his adventures!
Instagram: @paddle365
Facebook: @GoPaddle
YouTube: @PaddleTV | @KenWhitingAdventures
About the Author
McKenzie Dolan is a seasoned marketing professional with a deep-rooted passion for the outdoor and adventure travel industry. McKenzie brings several years of expertise in digital marketing strategies, project management, and creative marketing. McKenzie’s work focuses on elevating brand awareness and visibility through compelling outdoor adventure content.
About Heliconia
Our mission is simple – to ‘Guide People to a Lifetime of Adventure’. Heliconia specializes in creating and producing travel TV shows like Facing Waves, that are broadcast into over 100M+ US TV households on platforms like Discovery Channel, PBS, FanDuel Sports Networks, and OutsideTV. From outdoor adventures to family escapes and culinary journeys, our productions inspire audiences to explore the world. Curious about who Heliconia is? Watch our promo reel or explore any of our other shows here: Adventure Cities, Great Family Adventure, Outdoor Eats, Epic Trails or Road Trip Angler
If you’re ready to explore how Ken Whiting and Heliconia can showcase tourism in your destination, schedule a call with Stefanie Manton, Heliconia’s Tourism Partnership Manager.
👉 Book a call with Stefanie here
If you’re interested in finding out more about Heliconia’s new Television Advertising Platform, please schedule a call with our Ads Manager, Adam Best.
Heliconia’s Partner Portal offers a powerful solution for tourism boards and destinations to track their campaign performance. Our Partner Portal offers real-time analytics across television, social media, and YouTube, as well as on-demand access to a library of royalty-free photo and video assets. To learn more about Heliconia’s Partner Portal, book a call for a demo or walkthrough of this innovative platform.
👉 Book a demo of our Partner Portal
For tourism partnership inquiries, contact:
Stefanie Manton
Tourism Partnership Manager
stefanie@helipress.com
For Commercial Sales:
Adam Best
Ad Sales Manager
adam@heliconia.ca
For Brand Partnerships:
Malvin Young
Brand Alignment Manager
malvin@helipress.com
For Media Inquiries:
McKenzie Dolan
Marketing Manager
mckenzie@heliconia.ca
Lacey Conrad
Marketing Coordinator
lacey@heliconia.ca
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