Tourism Strategy and Business Planning
Tourism projects don’t fail through lack of ambition.
They struggle when the idea hasn’t been tested properly.
I work with tourism businesses and project teams to make better decisions about what to develop, how to position it, and how to make it commercially work.
That includes feasibility studies, business planning, pricing and positioning based on how people actually plan and book, not how we hope they will.
This work can also support funding applications, investment decisions, and mortgage or finance applications for tourism accommodation by providing clear evidence on demand, pricing, competition, and commercial viability.
I am typically brought in when a business is launching, investing, repositioning or seeking funding, providing clear, evidence-based direction at the points where decisions matter most.
Brodick Bay
What I Help With
- Tourism feasibility studies.
- Tourism business plans.
- Holiday let and self-catering developments.
- Visitor attractions and tourism projects.
- Pricing and positioning reviews.
- Funding and investment business cases.
- Strategic advice for tourism organisations.
Every project is different. However, most clients come to me because they need clear evidence before making an important decision. Once the market has been assessed, the next step is understanding how the project can perform commercially.
Feasibility Studies and Business Planning
Before investing time and money, you need to know whether the idea can work.
I help clients answer questions such as:
• Is there sufficient demand?
• Who is the target market?
• What is the competition doing?
• What should the business charge?
• Will the project be commercially viable?
• Is there a strong case for funding or finance?
My work includes:
• Tourism feasibility studies.
• Holiday let business plans.
• Self-catering accommodation developments.
• Glamping and rural tourism projects.
• Visitor attraction feasibility studies.
• Business cases for funding applications.
• Investment appraisals and mortgage applications.
I also work alongside architects and planning teams to ensure proposals are commercially realistic, evidence-based and deliverable.
Marketing Plans and Positioning
A marketing plan only works if the offer, audience, pricing and positioning are clear.
I focus on:
Who the business is for.
What makes it different?
What should it charge?
How can it attract bookings, visitors or support?
How can it perform across the year?
The result is a practical tourism marketing plan based on how people actually make decisions, not how we hope they will.
Experience
I am a Fellow Chartered Marketer with over 30 years’ experience in tourism, across national organisations, regional destinations and rural businesses.
My work is particularly focused on rural tourism, community tourism, accommodation development, and visitor projects, where ideas need to work in practice for businesses, visitors, and the communities around them.
I am a Director of the Scottish Community Tourism Network, recognised as one of the UK’s Top 100 Women in Tourism, and recently nominated for the Female Founder Awards Scotland.
How I Work
I work with clients who want practical answers, not lengthy reports that sit on a shelf.
That means understanding:
• The market opportunity.
• The likely demand.
• The risks and challenges.
• The commercial potential.
• The best route forward.
Know the market. Test the idea. Make the decision.
