Clarion is a web-based tool designed to enable tourism organisations, local authorities, and regional promotion agencies to effectively communicate information about forthcoming events via highly-targeted channels.

At the heart of Clarion is an extremely powerful events database system, built to manage tens of thousands of events, and the relationships between individual events and festivals. Event information can be submitted by you, or by the public via web forms (for moderation before going live). It’s a quick and easy interface requiring no special software or skills.

The database is designed to allow events information to be output to web, email, fax, print, and soon SMS and interactive TV - so people can choose their preferred channel.

It’s also designed to allow highly personalised events information to be communicated. If someone wants to receive a weekly email detailing jazz and blues events, they can sign up and receive it automatically. Or if someone planning a business visit wants to know about all opera and theatre events during a specific period, they could request that via fax. The system is entirely flexible and customisable.

And when you want to prepare a brochure for print, such as to promote a festival, a simple export of selected field data will make the whole process quick and easy, and much more accurate.
If you wish you can allow people to log on and change their preferences - so avoiding sending unwanted mail to anyone, and keeping your contacts list right up to date.

The system also supports a number of revenue generation opportunities, including sponsorship of custom events bulletins and web interfaces.

Typical Clarion users:

• A town or city’s tourism office which wants to publicise all the things there are to do to potential visitors
• A local authority which wants to promote leisure activities to its residents, and encourage community activity
• A regional development agency wishing to promote the wealth of cultural activity in a region, to encourage inward investment.

Key Clarion functionality

• Databases of events links, individual events, grouped events, and festivals
• Create custom location maps
• Update via web interface
• Public event submission forms (moderated)
• Assign custom keywords to events
• Custom events information export for print
• Website interface
• Design integration with your existing site
• Search by text or keyword
• Follow links to associated events or festivals
• Sign up to custom events bulletin service, specifying personal interests
• Email system
• Can automatically send personalised events bulletins
• Facility to manually compose messages and send to special interest groups
  
  

Clarion integration

Clarion can share databases with other web, extranet or intranet resources to avoid duplication of data maintenance. It also integrates seamlessly with Catapult - the tool for targeted email communications.

Technical considerations

Clarion users need nothing other than a standard internet connection and web browser. The system itself is hosted by York Multimedia Network at Energis Communications in Leeds, UK - we look after it 24x7 and include full backups, all as part of the service.

Revenue generation opportunities

• Sale of formatted listings for print publications.
• Banner and button advertisements within the website. This could be search specific - ie if someone searches for live music, a music bar banner would always appear.
• Advertising/sponsorship of email listings bulletins.
• Priority listings status - an attraction would pay to have their events in bold and at the top of a list.
• Sale of listings to other websites.

This product formed part of a total e-marketing solution provided for the First Stop York tourism partnership. Here's what they said about us ...