and our 900+ members.
Industry Programs / Tourism Awards / Winners
View the state and national tourism award winners below.
Most category winners from the South Australian Tourism Awards go on to represent the state at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards.
Entrants who win their category three years in a row are inducted into the Hall of Fame. This applies to both the state and national tourism awards.
Why is it that your ideas seem to come from everywhere and yet too often end up going nowhere? The best way to put ideas into the world is through good storytelling that creates an impact and moves people.
When Andrea moved back to Broken Hill at the same time Mad Max did in 2009, she knew it was an important move for her own personal chronicle and the story of her home town. While there, she harnessed everything she had discovered as a leader in tourism – in places like Byron Bay, the Great Ocean Road and Yarra Valley – to develop and deliver a narative that would move people. She is a firm believer that stories are the best way to put ideas into the world, and has proof that it works.
Dr Shahin will speak about one of the largest family investments in tourism infrastructure in the state, as well as the highs and lows of setting up a tourism destination in regional South Australia.
This masterclass will cover: Tips for recruiting quality people, interviewing skills and the end to end recruitment process.
Kate Berry is known for her Human Resources expertise, leadership capability, strategic planning consulting skills and commercial acumen. Prior to joining Discovery Parks as their Chief People Officer, Kate worked in Senior HR leadership roles within the AFL, Professional Services (PwC and KPMG), Retail and Hospitality (Peregrine and the Southern Pacific Hotel Group) sectors in various locations throughout Australia.
Candice Brem is a Senior HR Business Partner at Discovery Parks. With over 12 years of Senior Human Resources experience, Candice holds a degree in Business Communications, majoring in Organisational Communication. Prior to joining Discovery Parks, Candice was the HR Manager for Terex Cranes (Manufacturing), she also held various HR and L&D roles for Bechtel (Engineering and Construction) which included a three year project in Gladstone, Queensland doing fly in fly out (that toughened her up!). Providing people with opportunities to succeed, coaching managers through tough times and supporting employees are all reasons why Candice remains passionate about the field of HR.
One billion people around the world use Instagram every month. 500 million people use Instagram Stories every day. 95 million posts are published each day. Nine million Australians are Instagram users… but how do you make the most of Instagram for your business? Rubina will cover best practice for using Instagram as a marketing tool for your tourism business.
Rubina Carlson is a social media zealot! Her expertise in this field stems from a genuine passion for engaging with others: people, brands, not-for-profits, the arts and tourism. With over 10 years of experience in the digital space, she currently develops and implements digital marketing initiatives for the SeaLink Travel Group. She has also lectured at University of South Australia and TAFE SA on social media and how brands and businesses can use these platforms to promote themselves and serve their business goals.
The Quality Tourism Framework (QTF) will merge the Australia Tourism Accreditation Program (ATAP), Star Ratings and the Australian Tourism Awards into a single framework. The framework is a simplified pathway for business development, incorporating online training, quality assurance, product development, digital distribution, market development and a stronger focus on customer experience.
Shaun de Bruyn’s background in tourism and business is both wide and varied, having worked within the roles of relationship management, business planning, destination and experience development, marketing and distribution, government engagement and strategic management for over 15 years. As CEO of the Tourism Industry Council South Australia (TiCSA), his primary role is to advocate on behalf of TiCSA’s 900-plus members to implement its Tourism Industry Agenda, unlocking the full economic potential of tourism within South Australia.
Already have an ATDW listing? Then come and learn how to maximise your online presence as a tourism operator or an event operator via your ATDW listing.
Callum Mack is the Industry Partnerships Executive at the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse and his role primarily is to work with governmental organisations in order to assist them in building efficiencies into their digital processes, specifically as it relates to digital tourism content. Working with the ATDW allows Callum to assist the tourism industry by building operators digital exposure by working with governmental stakeholders and thus expanding consumer knowledge of Australia’s tourism industry.
Chatbots, your 24/7 solution to customer queries. So easy it’s like having a virtual assistant in your pocket 24/7. Chatbots! What are they? How do I use them and why haven’t I heard about them before now? Adaire Palmer will be answering these and more questions for you and showing you real, live case studies where chatbots are being used. Adaire will show you examples of what is happening already in the Tourism Industry and share with you quick and easy ways you can use chatbots to make your own life easier and provide exceptional customer service to keep people connected to your business.
Adaire Palmer has a passion for helping people help people. She is keen to bring people together and her superpowers include developing communities using technology like chatbots and platforms like Facebook. Adaire brings a sense of fun and a child-like curiosity to her work and she loves working with small businesses to use technology to grow. As a recognised thought leader in the social media industry, Adaire is a sought after speaker and facilitator.
Use technology to optimise the customer journey from inspirational browsing through to post stay.
Working in Online Travel Agencies for eight years, Allyvia Oberman proudly represents South Australian accommodation partners within Expedia Group as a Market Manager based in Brisbane. Based in Sydney, Grace is an Associate Market Manager for Expedia Group Lodging Partnerships. Grace represents the company’s 200+ travel booking sites globally to continue bringing property’s within reach of customers worldwide.
The independent Climate Council last year released ‘Icons at Risk: Climate Change Threatening Australian Tourism’ report indicating Australia’s tourism is the ‘most vulnerable and least prepared’ of all Australian industry sectors in responding to the threat of climate change due to our dependence upon our natural environment. Australia’s iconic beaches, wilderness areas, national parks and the Great Barrier Reef are the most vulnerable hotspots, while our unique native wildlife is also at risk, as climate change accelerates. The South Australian tourism industry is heavily dependent on our natural environment and we all share a responsibility to consider strategies and opportunities to reduce our own carbon footprint, while preparing for our changing climate.
Professor Lesley Hughes is a Councillor with the Climate Council and Distinguished Professor of Biology and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Integrity & Development) at Macquarie University. Her research has mainly focused on the impacts of climate change on species and ecosystems.She is a former federal Climate Commissioner and former Lead Author in the IPCC’s 4th and 5th Assessment Report. She is also a Director for WWF Australia, a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, the Director of the Biodiversity Node for the NSW Adaptation Hub and a member of the expert advisory committee for Future Earth Australia.
Become an ‘Expert in Exports’ at the ATEC Seminar – Mastering Tradeshows and Contracting for Success.
Please note: This is a standalone event, tickets are NOT included in the conference packages. Delegates are eligible to attend the seminar at a discounted cost. REGISTER NOW >
Mark Abercromby is a professional manager and trainer with many year’s experience in the Travel and Tourism industry, having successfully held management positions in small and large corporations in both private and public sectors. Mark has been actively involved in all facets of the industry: international, domestic, wholesale, retail, inbound, group travel, product development and marketing. Mark’s work and experience has encompassed destination management and marketing, product and sales management, product planning and development, contract negotiation, pricing and distribution, business development, strategic planning, marketing, plus budgeting and sales targets.
An overview of South Australia’s current and future economic performance: learn where our economy is heading and the opportunities emerging across the state.
Aaron Hill leads Deloitte Access Economics’ practices in South Australia and the Northern Territory. In addition to his passion for the South Australian economy, Aaron is part of Deloitte’s national practices delivering advice on the economics of cities and urban policy. Elizabeth Alvaro is a Manager in Deloitte Access Economics’ Adelaide office and a member of Deloitte’s national tourism practice. Elizabeth’s research interests include economic development, tourism economics and cultural economics.
The Skilling South Australia initiative is helping people gain skills and qualifications to build lasting careers, encompassing a range of activities to support more apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities. The South Australian Government is committed to ensuring that these opportunities are attractive to job seekers, business and industry, and meets the state’s skills needs now and in the future.
Callan is the A/Project Director, Trainees and Apprentices in the Skills and Workforce Capability Group of the Department for Innovation and Skills. He is currently leading a significant change project under the Skilling South Australia (SSA) initiative which aims to increase apprenticeships and traineeships and build lasting careers to grow South Australia’s skilled workforce and meet industry needs. Callan has over a decade of experience working at in senior leadership roles in the South Australian and National VET sector, for both not-for-profit and State Government, and demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of key policies, practices and trends, impacting training, employment and social inclusion.
Simon will share personal insights into the trials and tribulations of establishing unique and often contentious tourism experiences, and his thoughts on the future.
With over 37 years’ experience as a tourism visionary, developer, operator and consultant specialising in remote area and marine tourism, Simon’s focus on the tourism experience, particularly the wilderness and excellence in food and beverage, is now synonymous with the Tasmanian brand. He is the visionary and developer behind some of Tasmania and Australia’s most celebrated tourism experiences, including the development of Australia’s wine tourism industry in the Hunter Valley, Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain Lodge, Strahan Village, Franklin Manor, Peppermint Bay and Hobart Cruises, and the unique World Heritage Area site of Pumphouse Point at Lake St Clair in Tasmania’s central highlands. Simon consults both nationally and internationally, providing expert advice on operations, new destination evaluation, market evaluation, and infrastructure and experience development.
Already have an Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) listing? Then come and learn how to maximise your online presence as a tourism operator or an event operator via your ATDW listing.
Stay tuned for more details.
Q & A session with Phil Sims to hear the Robern Menz story.
Phil Sims has been the Chief Executive Officer of Robern Menz for over 27 years. The confectionery and fruit snack manufacturer and brand marketer includes numerous brands and retail stores. Menz FruChocs are an Icon of South Australia (National Trust SA) and in 2008 Robern Menz celebrated 100 years of family business ownership by the Sims family. Phil is currently an SA Chapter Committee member for Family Business Australia, Board Member of Food South Australia and Advisory Board Member of SADB Directional Drilling.
Rod Hillman will discuss why can’t we have national guidelines for commercial developments in our protected areas? Each State and Territory has a different approach. Daniel Smedley will come at the issue from an architect’s viewpoint with practical design solutions.
Rod Hillman is the CEO of Ecotourism Australia. He has considerable experience as a National Park Manager and as a Tour Operator. Daniel Smedley and wife Amy are the Directors of Studio S2 Architects – specialist Architects to the tourism industry.
How can local government engage with the visitor economy. Arming our Tourism Managers to advocate for tourism to local government executive and councillors. How we can support each other to share knowledge, advice and develop best practice solutions. Achieving tourism positive attitudes in regional communities.
Donna Foster lives in Mount Gambier, South Australia where she holds the role of Manager Tourism and Economic Development. Donna has a passion for regional Australia and the opportunities our regions have through the development of strong visitor economies. Donna has a strong background in International Trade, Economic Development including Investment Attraction gained in both State and Federal roles. She led the New Zealand Trade team for Austrade in New Zealand and held the Pacific and New Zealand desk for the Queensland State Government. She enjoys serving on the Board of Australian Regional Tourism to ensure the importance of our contribution to the regional and national economy is recognised by State and Federal Government decision makers and the Regional Visitor Economy is integrated into all strategic plans at all levels of government.
Adelaide Airport has been one of the fastest growing international airports in the country since privatisation. What does the future hold for connectivity of the gateway to South Australia?
Brenton Cox is the airport’s CFO, General Counsel, head of corporate affairs, sustainability, risk and safety, he also looks after the airport’s airline commercial relationships and lives to grow Adelaide’s current customers and attract future customers to make South Australia a more connected place. He was previously a non executive director of Sydney Airport and Hobart Airport and worked for Macquarie Airports in Europe.
LinkedIn is no longer just online CV, it has grown to be one of the biggest professional online social media networks. Leveraging LinkedIn to improve your own personal brand and position yourself appropriately within the professional realm is a key to sustained business success and growth. Learn how to take LinkedIn connections to a whole new level and use a proven strategy for turning those online relationships into strong business partnerships offline from Adelaide’s leading social media specialist. NB: We recommend that all attendees bring laptops with access to their LinkedIn profiles, as this workshop is designed to be interactive, with activity time set aside for them to actively update their profile and utilize the platform.
Simone Douglas is a Certified Practicing Marketer, and the CEO of Social Media AOK. Her strong practical focus on tangible outcomes, combined with an extensive background in business, and a wealth of marketing knowledge, Simone is well placed to take you through the social media minefield that is the modern age of marketing.
The struggle many regional events are having is real! We know that sustainable funding is tough to secure, that it’s hard to recruit new (and sometimes younger) volunteers and that organisers are getting tired. There are some fundamental things that event committees can be doing to make their event more sustainable, and their job as a volunteer much easier. We will share this with you in this practical workshop.
Linda Tillman is Managing Director of regional tourism and events agency, Tilma Group, and a Director on the Board of The Australian Regional Tourism. She is a regional tourism strategist and practitioner boasting a suite of regional tourism and event expertise with LGAs and RTOs across Australia in regional tourism and event development, tourism strategy, destination marketing, regional branding and capability building.
Adventure Based Learning (ABL) is a form of experiential education that if delivered effectively, can have positive impacts on well-being. Find out what this is all about and how ABL can add value to your tourism business, your bottom line and even perhaps, your life. A little bit of theory, a little bit of listening, a whole lot of doing!
Rod Quintrell is an experienced group facilitator with qualifications and experience in tourism, counselling and outdoor recreation. Rod has years of experience in small business, tourism and mental health. Rod writes and delivers programs for corporate, conference and specialised populations.
The typical internet user is watching around 1.5 hours of video content per day, any business that’s not creating video is missing out on a huge opportunity. The good news is you don’t have to be a big enterprise with an unlimited budget to take advantage. In this highly interactive workshop we will take you through how to use some of our favourite video tools, and at the end of the session you will be able to create video content to tell the story of your business.
Simone Douglas is a Certified Practicing Marketer, and the CEO of Social Media AOK. Her strong practical focus on tangible outcomes, combined with an extensive background in business, and a wealth of marketing knowledge, Simone is well placed to take you through the social media minefield that is the modern age of marketing.
The South Australian Government and the South Australian Heritage Council are both keen to bolster heritage tourism, bring a better understanding of its potential and help operators realise its economic and community benefits. Expanding globally, it is about authentic cultural experiences and captivating story telling and more. We can do that!
Keith Conlon is a veteran presenter and writer on Adelaide’s radio and TV scene. During his 15 years with Postcards on NWS9 (SA Tourism Awards Hall of Fame), he earned the nickname ‘Mr South Australia’ – and a personal Tourism Award. He is Chairman of the South Australian Heritage Council, and is still busy telling our stories on bike rides and walks, in Fringe shows and on Instagram.
Find out why we expanded into property and how we ended up in luxury accommodation.
Rick and Cathy Edmonds are grape and citrus farmers just outside Renmark and have lived in the Riverland all their lives. Over the years they have expanded their business interests to property and in 2004 purchased a number of executive stays across 3 states and called them Emaroo Cottages. In 2014 they built their dream, The Frames at Paringa, wanting to offer ultra luxurious accommodation on the Murray River.
How can local government engage with the visitor economy. Arming our Tourism Managers to advocate for tourism to local government executive and councillors. How we can support each other to share knowledge, advice and develop best practice solutions. Achieving tourism positive attitudes in regional communities.
Bringing a fresh perspective to tourism, Coralie Bell is a business and creative marketing professional. With a diverse career in a variety of roles and industries, Coralie has worked in and around tourism for over 20 years. From business strategy, networking, report writing and stakeholder engagement to press advertising, public relations and marketing, you name it, she’s done it. Coralie is currently working as the Tourism Manager for Shoalhaven City Council and has also played an active role in the South Coast Regional Tourism Organisation (SCRTO).
Branding is paramount in tourism services. As a crowded and competitive market, tourism businesses use their brand as a key way to differentiate their tourism experience, carving out a niche market which ideally results in increased visitations. As brands recognition increases, reputation is built and word of mouth is generated, all of which contributes to increased brand value. Many businesses are unaware of the protection they have (if any) in their brand, which includes their name, logo, taglines, website, advertising and other digital assets. Key issues discussed include protecting my brand: logo, taglines and the trade mark regime, re-branding: what you must know, copyright, domain names, implications if buying or selling a business, licensing agreements and franchising: what happens if there is an infringement?
Paul Gordon has a broad commercial law skill set, with specialisation in the areas of technology, media law, intellectual property and corporate governance. He is one of Adelaide’s leading experts on social media and privacy law, having been recognised in Doyles Guide for Leading Technology, Media and Telecommunications Lawyers and for Leading Intellectual Property lawyers. Paul is a sought after speaker at technology and online law conferences, a guest presenter on radio programs and is an author of various publications discussing the intersection of technology and the law.
There used to be a handful players for distribution of hotel rooms, with clear delineations between the different categories – but in today’s environment the lines are blurring and everyone seems to (attempt to) play in every field. More often than not this is coming at the cost of the hotel operator with an ever increasing complexity to own and protect the integrity of rates and distribution.
In his 25+ years in the travel and consulting industry, Georg Ruebensal has worked in sales and senior management roles at multiple airlines prior to joining the Expedia Australia start-up team in 2005. Establishing the operations first in ANZ then across APAC, Georg had returned to Australia to lead the Expedia ANZ Group (Expedia/Wotif) as Managing Director until end of 2016.He then made the ultimate sea (and wine) change, moving to McLaren Vale and putting into practice what he had preached to hoteliers for many years: starting his own boutique accommodation operation with Karawatha Cottages and using OTAs as marketing platform to establish the business and ultimately drive direct bookings.
Did you know studies have found that 90% of human decision-making is dictated by emotion and that 85% of consumer purchases are driven by emotional attachment? This informative and entertaining session will help you tap into knowledge that has largely been the domain of big business, including how to better understand and define your brand, the biology of decision-making, and why emotion is so effective in brand communications.
Greg Kavanagh has more than 20 years experience in marketing, advertising and brand strategy. His business, Branded Culture specialises in helping businesses – mainly SME’s – better understand their brands and bring them to life in everything they do. Greg has a particular interest in areas of consumer psychology, buyer behaviour, cognitive bias and the role of emotion in engendering meaningful commercial exchange.
User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful way to authentically, creatively and organically connect and engage with your visitors and audience. Story-tell, build vision, and create buzz around the ‘experience’ you offer and help take your digital marketing to the next level. Learn how UGC has created a ‘shift’ in marketing, how to generate UGC as a brand, and find content already created by region visitors, and gain insight into UGC best practice in the Tourism Industry.
Nic Henry Jones is the Director & Senior Digital Media Strategist behind Market Me Marketing Australia. A highly driven business creative, she is cutting edge in approach, passionate about building business ‘the smart way’, and is a sought after thought leader and educator in the digital marketing Industry.
Being found on page one of Google is essential to business success, and this is achieved through SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). But SEO is for robots, you can’t forget that you still need to write for humans too.
Doug Phillips is a sought-after Copywriter who specialises in blogs for small to medium business. With over 20 years’ experience in small to medium-sized businesses, Doug understands what business-owners endure on a daily basis. Specifically, Doug writes content that sells for businesses. Sells their products, or their services.
Understanding your pricing structure while still being competitive within the current market place. How do I use the different distribution platforms to my advantage?
In 2013 Matthew Peters started working at the Discovery Parks Group as the Yield & Channel Manager and then later as the National Revenue Manager. In 2017 Matthew moved into the Operations Team as the 2IC for Western Australia. Upon leaving Discovery, in 2018, he worked independently as a consultant before joining the Hurley Hotel Group, as their Revenue & Distribution Manager, in February of this year.
Learn the key elements of effective safety leadership using event safety management as an example.
Paul Findlay works for SafeWork SA as a WHS Advisor and visits businesses for free across the state to help them improve their WHS systems and practices. Paul has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Canada and over 30 years experience working in Adelaide across a wide variety of industries. Feel free to contact Paul to see how he can assist you.
This presentation will review recent performance for the Visitor Economy in South Australia and Australia as well as trends and projections for the future. Adam will also present recent campaign activities by the SATC.
Adam Stanford is the Strategy & Insights Manager at the South Australian Tourism Commission. He has worked in tourism research since 2006, specialising in quantitative research and strategy. Most recently, he has managed the development of the South Australian Visitor Economy Sector Plan 2030.
The SAHMRI Well-being and Resilience Centre’s purpose and passion is to measure, build and embed well-being into everything we do – at works and at home! Keeping well in a high-pressure work environment isn’t always easy, and this inspiring session will include evidence based practical tips you can take back to your workplace to boost your own well-being as well as that of your colleagues and clients.
Gabrielle Kelly is the SAHMRI Well-being and Resilience Centre’s founding Director. She is a global speaker about the practical application of well-being at scale and the ever-expanding body of research knowledge that supports well-being and resilience in people, across the life course.
Export Ready – what does this mean? Understanding the Inbound Tourism Sector and how to work with the distribution system.
Caroline Densley is a director and owner of Diverse Travel Australia a niche market inbound tour operator and a specialist in Indigenous Cultural experiences across Australia. For over 20 years she has been involved in inbound tourism sector and is a passionate advocate for tourism in South Australia. Diverse Travel Australia is the Travel Network partner for Adelaide’s Great Wine Capital Network membership which satisfies Caroline’s passion for our food & wine tourism sector.
If you are a retailer or a tourism operator, ignoring the Chinese visitors will be a major strategic error. But what exactly do you have to do in order to create strong brand positioning? What investment should you make, and what mistakes should you avoid?
Jing Cao provides management consulting, cultural competency training and business strategy development for many Australian brands, education institutions and government agencies. He sits on many corporate advisory panels to help clients develop business and cultural intelligence skills needed to build partnerships and expand into the China market.
Jing Cao, Managing Director, Chinese Language & Cultural Advice
I provide management consulting, cultural competency training and business strategy development for many Australian brands, education institutions and government agencies. I sit on many corporate advisory panels to help clients develop business and cultural intelligence skills needed to build partnerships and expand into the China market.
Rich Crazy Asians
If you are a retailer or a tourism operator, ignoring the Chinese visitors will be a major strategic error. But what exactly do you have to do in order to create strong brand positioning? What investment should you make, and what mistakes should you avoid?
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