What services does Tilma Group offer to destination managers?

Tilma Group provides a comprehensive suite of services for destination managers, including Destination Management Planning (DMP), visitor servicing reviews, tourism product audits, and strategic activation. They also offer specialized support in experience design, such as agritourism and nature-based tourism development, and capability building through mentoring.

Does Tilma Group specialize in rural and regional tourism development?

Yes, Tilma Group is a specialist consultancy dedicated to rural, regional, and remote Australia. Their team focuses on creating sustainable, community-led visitor economies that reflect the authentic character of regional communities.

How does Tilma Group assist with Destination Management Plans (DMPs)?

Tilma Group develops practical, implementable Destination Management Plans and tourism strategies backed by data and community consultation. Their approach ensures that strategies are not just visionary but also implementable, focusing on social, economic, and environmental benefit.

Does Tilma Group provide mentoring for tourism teams and Councils?

Yes, Tilma Group offers tailored mentoring and coaching for destination managers and tourism teams (as well as for tourism businesses and farmers interested in agritourism). Their mentoring is designed to build confidence, provide strategic clarity, and develop leadership skills within local government and regional tourism organizations.

What is Tilma Group’s approach to sustainable tourism?

Sustainability is at the core of Tilma Group’s mission. They advocate for responsible tourism that protects natural assets and respects local culture. As part of their commitment, they donate 1% of their profits to support rural communities' resilience to climate breakdown.

Beyond the Town Hall: Why digital-first consultation delivers quality tourism strategies — Tilma Group | Regional Tourism Strategy, Destination Planning & Business Support

Traditional consultation

Gatherings in community halls have long been the default for regional community engagement.

However, expecting time-poor tourism operators, hospitality shift workers, and parents to commute long distances to a hall can results in low turnout or narrow representation dominated by the community’s loudest voices.

Packed community halls; listening to the next generation; one-on-one on-farm conversations; or online group forums - Tilma is able to faciliate stakeholder engagement in all forms for quality outcomes.

How online consultation adds

A digital engagement model offers council tourism managers an inclusive alternative that meets community engagement standards while maximising participation.

The strategic argument for digital consultation rests on accessibility, geographic reach, and resource efficiency. Online sessions allow entrepreneurs and business owners, hospitality staff, and community volunteers to participate from their workplace or home without taking hours away from their operations.

In rural regions, eliminating forty-five minute (or more) drives each way removes the largest barrier to community involvement.

Furthermore, remote engagement significantly stretches council budgets further (and reduces travel-related emissions), allowing resources to be focused on strategic outcomes rather than logistical overhead.

Ensuring quality and diverse engagement

To achieve valuable high-yielding engagement via digital channels, councils can combine broad public calls with targeted outreach strategies.

For example, Tilma’s Engagement Institute-aligned stakeholder consultation includes

Establishing a representative project steering group through a brief online Expression of Interest to ensure proactive accomplished industry leaders are directly involved.
Reaching under-represented demographics via established forums, such as existing youth council meetings and business chamber networking events.

Demonstrating community voices have been listened to

To assure councils and elected members that online input drives real decisions, we adopt a transparent reporting framework that clearly connects community input and feedback to final outcomes.

For example, when locals highlight that night-time activity is lacking in retail precincts or trail signage is confusing, our strategies outline corresponding actions, such as piloting an evening market or auditing wayfinding to identify priority gaps to fill.

The benefits of online engagement

By tracking the community’s input transparently and meeting stakeholders where they already are, digital consultation can deliver broader representation, stronger local buy-in, and an even more robust foundation for regional destination planning than in-person, in-region engagement.

It’s not to say there is no value in in-person consultation, such as in supporting industry and community networking. But, in terms of tourism strategy development, we see no difference in the quality of outcomes or in the industry buy-in to projects we deliver entirely remotely from those that have a combination of in-region and online engagement.