Are events worth the effort? What councils need to know about event ROI
Are events worth the time and money for regional councils? Absolutely — when aligned with a clear strategy. Here’s how events support local economies and how to get the most return on your investment.
The 5 mistakes holding back your destination’s tourism growth (and how to fix them)
If your region’s tourism isn’t growing, you’re not alone. These 5 common destination development mistakes — from missing strategy to poor visitor servicing — might be the reason. Here’s how to fix them.
Visitor centre or not? What councils should consider before making the call
Is your visitor centre still the best way to serve travellers? Learn what councils should consider before deciding to close, keep, or reimagine their regional visitor servicing model.
What is a destination development strategy (and does your region really need one?)
Is your region ready for a destination development strategy? We explain what it is, how it helps, and why it’s more than just another tourism plan — it’s a tool for long-term regional growth.
Destination 2045 - Delivering Queensland’s Tourism Future
Queensland’s new 20-year tourism strategy is here—and it's a game-changer for regional Australia. With a bold but grounded vision, Destination 2045 puts the spotlight on agritourism, ecotourism, capability building, and event development. Tilma Group is proud to see our ideas reflected in this forward-thinking plan—and we’re ready to help bring it to life.
From visitor to local: How tourism can help regional communities grow
What if tourism wasn’t just about visitors — but future residents? With more Australians trading city life for the charm of regional towns, smart communities are using tourism as a gateway to growth. This blog explores how your town can turn visitors into locals by showcasing lifestyle, connection, and opportunity.
Is it time for tourism beneficiaries to pay?
With tighter budgets and growing tourism impacts, regional destinations are rethinking how tourism is funded. From business levies to visitor contributions and voluntary giving programs, this blog explores real-world examples of ‘beneficiaries pay’ models that are helping communities sustainably fund destination management.
The Tilma way: ongoing tourism development relationships
At Tilma, we believe the real magic happens after the strategy is written. That’s why we work with councils and destination managers on long-term tourism development journeys—mentoring, supporting, and activating strategies year after year. This case study of Central Queensland Highlands shows what’s possible when strategy meets sustained support.
Support for agritourism development - a state by state guide
Thinking about growing or improving your agritourism offering? Across Australia, there’s a wealth of support available—if you know where to look. This guide breaks down the best tools, grants, training, and planning resources by state to help you turn your agritourism idea into a visitor-ready experience.
Celebrating our 2024 Tourism for Good Impact
In 2024, Tilma Group proudly delivered 28 tourism development projects, directly benefiting 25 regional communities and 21 business owners. From strategy and mentoring to sustainability and social impact, this year we looked at both the small steps and the big picture. Here’s how we created meaningful change across regional Australia.
More doing, less planning - We need bolder leadership in 2025!
We don’t need more plans—we need more action. In this call-to-arms for 2025, Tilma Group’s Linda Tillman challenges destination managers and local governments to stop over-consulting and start leading with purpose. If your strategy is gathering dust, now’s the time to activate it.
National Recognition for Agritourism Development
Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council and Tilma Group have won a National Economic Development Award for Excellence for agritourism development.
Award-winning agritourism development by a NSW Council
Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council near Wagga Wagga is one of Australia’s leading Councils for proactively developing agritourism.
Here is what they have achieved with the support of grants and Tilma Group since 2018 - which was recognised with a national economic development award.
The value of regional events
What a fabulous few days our industry has just had in Mackay Queensland for the Australian Regional Tourism Convention!
I was honoured to be flying the flag for regional events, presenting on measuring the social value of events.
Learnings from the WA Tourism Conference
Linda’s key takeaways from the WA Tourism Conference
Learnings from the Global Sustainable Tourism Summit
Takeaways from the Global Sustainable Tourism Summit
Takeaways from Local Government NSW’s Destination and Visitor Economy Conference
Linda’s key takeaways from Local Government NSW’s Destination & Visitor Economy Conference
An Australian-first collaborative approach to developing a destination's events sector
An Australian-first collaborative approach to acquiring events has resulted in a huge economic benefit for Victoria’s Gippsland region.
Events Gippsland, a collaboration of six Councils to pool resources to acquire events rather than compete and duplicate effort and resources, has provided a return on investment of 80:1 so far.
How many strategies are gathering dust on your shelf?!
Are your tourism plans such as your Destination Management Plan, Regional Events Strategy, or Visitor Servicing Strategy living documents that guide what you work on, or have they been kind of forgotten as time passed since they were created?
'Business for good' in the tourism industry
On World Tourism Day, 27 September, regional tourism development consultancy Tilma Group is launching a program that contributes to the resilience of regional, rural and remote communities.
Tilma Group have established a donation program to contribute 1% of revenue each year to grant provider, the Foundation for Regional and Rural Renewal (FRRR).