What eXploreLawrence does

eXplore Lawrence is a non-profit destination marketing organization (DMO) that promotes tourism to Lawrence, Kansas, serving two primary constituencies: visitors seeking information on attractions, events, dining, lodging, and things to do, and local businesses (hotels, restaurants, attractions, shops, and event organizers) that use the organization as a promotional channel. Its functional scope is limited to a single city and Douglas County, where the resident population is approximately 100,000, and it operates a physical visitors center at 812 Massachusetts Street in addition to its digital presence.

The organization's core product is the explorelawrence.com website, a content discovery and tourism marketing platform built on Simpleview's CRM and content management system. The product portfolio includes a downloadable Visitor's Guide, an e-newsletter, an event calendar, self-guided historical and cultural tours (Explore Mass Street Tour, Historic Sites of Quantrill's Raid, Historic Cemeteries Tour), curated Day Trips to nearby communities, and the Lawrence Passports gamified check-in program (Lawrence Bucket List and Kaw Valley Craft Pass). Content is locally produced by a small in-house team, including a named Marketing Content Manager, with editorial contributors who are local journalists. The platform is structured as a content discovery and marketing tool rather than a transactional booking system.

eXplore Lawrence's revenue mechanics are characteristic of a municipal DMO: the organization is funded by local tourism promotion fees and a membership/advertising program for local businesses, with specific pricing not publicly disclosed. Its go-to-market is community- and content-led, with the #UnmistakablyLawrence brand campaign, a blog covering arts, culture, live music, food, and sports, and partnerships with the City of Lawrence, Douglas County, the University of Kansas, Haskell Indian Nations University, and the Watkins Museum of History. The organization is not a venture-backed or equity-funded entity and operates as a public-purpose tourism promoter within a defined geographic remit.

Name

eXploreLawrence

Legal name

eXplore Lawrence

Website

https://explorelawrence.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

eXplore Lawrence is a non-profit destination marketing organization promoting tourism to Lawrence, Kansas. It operates the Simpleview-powered explorelawrence.com website, a visitors center, and programs such as self-guided tours and Lawrence Passports, serving visitors and local member businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Marketing Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations) (THAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Experiential & Cultural Programming (Tours, Activities, CSR/Voluntourism) (THAHADAF), Incentive Travel Design & Rewards Programs (THAHADAB), MICE Travel Technology & Program Management (Apps, Communications, Tracking) (THAHADAN), MICE & Event DMCs (Meetings/Incentives/Conferences) (THAKAEAB)

Keywords

• Destination marketing services
• Tourism promotion
• Visitor information
• Event marketing
• Travel guides

Headquarters

HQ city

North Lawrence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

eXplore Lawrence is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Lawrence, Kansas, that promotes tourism through its website, physical visitor center, and digital content. It provides visitors with event calendars, self-guided historical and walking tours, day trip recommendations, business directories for dining and lodging, the Lawrence Passports digital rewards program, and a downloadable visitor's guide. The organization also supports local businesses and event organizers with advertising and partnership programs.

Product overview

eXplore Lawrence is a tourism marketing platform for Lawrence, Kansas operated by Simpleview CRM. The platform consists of a visitor information website featuring event listings, self-guided tours (including the Explore Mass Street Tour, Historic Sites of Quantrill's Raid Tour, and Historic Cemeteries Tour), day trip recommendations, and the Lawrence Passports program which includes the Lawrence Bucket List and Kaw Valley Craft Pass. The site also publishes blog content about local events, dining, arts, and culture, and provides downloadable visitor guides. The platform is structured as a content discovery and marketing tool rather than a transactional booking system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lawrence Passports Free passport program that includes the Lawrence Bucket List and Kaw Valley Craft Pass digital rewards initiatives, encouraging visitors and locals to explore local businesses and attractions by checking in to earn points and redeem prizes.
• Explore Mass Street Tour Self-guided walking tour of Massachusetts Street (Mass Street) in Downtown Lawrence covering historical blocks from 600 to 1000, with descriptions of notable buildings, businesses, and historical events dating from 1856-1953. Designed for tourists and visitors exploring Lawrence's downtown heritage.
• Historic Sites of Quantrill's Raid Tour Self-guided heritage tour tracing the locations of the August 21, 1863 Lawrence Massacre, including the Miller House, Watkins Museum, Oread Hotel, Eldridge Hotel, and Oak Hill Cemetery. Built for heritage tourists interested in Civil War history.
• Historic Cemeteries Tour Self-guided tour of historic burial grounds including Oak Hill Cemetery (Quantrill's Raid victims), Memorial Park Cemetery (basketball inventor James Naismith), Haskell Indian Nations University Cemetery, and other pioneer cemeteries. Designed for heritage tourists and local history enthusiasts.
• Day Trips Recommendations Curated recommendations for nearby day trip destinations including Lecompton (6 miles north), Eudora (8 miles east), and Baldwin City (15 miles south), highlighting historical sites, wineries, and local attractions for visitors looking to expand their Lawrence-area experience.
• Visitor's Guide Downloadable visitor's guide providing comprehensive information about Lawrence, Kansas attractions, events, dining, and accommodations. Distributed to tourists and meeting planners as a primary reference resource.
• Sports Event Hosting Services Sports event hosting support services for tournament directors and athletic event planners evaluating Lawrence as a host destination. Includes venue information such as University of Kansas athletic facilities and lodging coordination for teams and staff.
• Meetings and Groups Services Meetings and groups services for meeting planners, corporate event coordinators, and group tour operators. Provides destination information, venue options, group activity recommendations, and hospitality coordination for conferences, retreats, and group tours in Lawrence.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• SimpleviewcoreTechnology or IntegrationSimpleview provides the website platform and CRM technology powering explorelawrence.com. The site uses Simpleview's content management system and image hosting services for the tourism marketing platform.
• City of Lawrence and Douglas CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs the official destination marketing organization, eXplore Lawrence works with local government entities to promote tourism and economic development in Lawrence and Douglas County.
• Local Businesses (Hotels, Restaurants, Attractions)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner login access provided to local businesses for managing listings, events, and promotional content on the platform. Includes advertising and partnership program for enhanced visibility.
• University of KansasmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaskell Indian Nations University and KU campus featured prominently in tourism content. Algerian Men's National Football Team base camp mentioned in context of KU facilities.
• Watkins Museum of HistoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContent partnership featuring historical sites, Quantrill's Raid tours, and cemetery tours with museum providing historical information and content for self-guided tours.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Simpleview: The largest provider of DMO technology, CRM, and website platforms in the U.S. and the listed parent/technology partner of eXplore Lawrence. Comparable as the broader incumbent whose platform eXplore Lawrence depends on, and as a peer to the wider DMO technology ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Visit Nashville: DMO for Nashville, Tennessee, a comparable mid-sized city destination with strong music, cultural, and university-driven content. Similar mix of self-guided tours, event promotion, and group/meetings business.
• Visit KC: The DMO for Kansas City, operating across both Kansas and Missouri. Directly comparable as a regional destination marketing organization promoting meetings, sports, and leisure tourism in the same Kansas/Missouri corridor as eXplore Lawrence.
• Destination DC: The official DMO for Washington, DC, a Simpleview-powered destination marketing organization with a strong meetings, sports, and group business alongside leisure tourism. Comparable in operating model and platform stack.
• Visit Iowa City: DMO for Iowa City, a university town of similar scale and character to Lawrence. Closely comparable as a small-city, university-anchored DMO promoting cultural, historic, and sports tourism through self-guided content.
• Visit Bloomington (Indiana): DMO for Bloomington, Indiana, a comparable small college town (Indiana University) promoting arts, music, food, and outdoor recreation. Closely matched to eXplore Lawrence in scale, content mix, and visitor profile.
• Visit Denver: The official DMO for Denver, Colorado, similarly promoting a city destination across leisure, meetings, and sports. Comparable in mission, content-led website model, and use of a Simpleview-powered digital platform.

Regional players

• Visit St. Louis: DMO for St. Louis, a nearby regional destination also targeting leisure, meetings, and sports tourism from the same Midwest feeder markets. Comparable in mission, funding model (lodging tax-based), and product mix of cultural and event-driven content.
• Visit Topeka: DMO for Topeka, Kansas, located in the same state as eXplore Lawrence. Comparable in scale and function (city-level tourism marketing with a focus on heritage, arts, and events), competing for some of the same in-state visitors and group bookings.

Emerging players

• Bandwango: A digital passport and experience platform used by many DMOs, including for programs comparable to eXplore Lawrence's Lawrence Bucket List and Kaw Valley Craft Pass. Relevant as a potential technology alternative and as a peer in the destination engagement software space.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/visitlawrenceks
• Facebookfacebook.com/UnmistakablyLawrence
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/explore-lawrence

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about eXploreLawrence