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.

Agritourism Development Guides — Tilma Group | Regional Tourism Strategy, Destination Planning & Business Support

Bathurst, Oberon and Lithgow

West of Sydney across the Blue Mountains in Central West NSW, these three Councils collaborated to enable local farmers to diversify their farm incomes with agritourism.

Project purpose

To enable their region’s farmers to better cope with a hotter and drier climate and more frequent extreme weather, Bathurst, Oberon and Lithgow councils developed a Drought Resilience Plan.

One action in the plan was to enable farmers to diversify their farm incomes to improve resilience to loss of productivity.

Project overview

The project involved

A thorough review of support available to help farmers diversify their incomes with agritourism. This included the Setting up an agritourism business guide to the NSW’s planning legislation, Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) compliance requirements, the Councils’ Local Environmental Plans and Development Control Plans, and the agritourism resources of Australian Regional Tourism, Destination NSW and Destination Central West NSW.
Developing a database of over 150 local farmers to support the Councils’ future engagement on agritourism opportunities.
Extensive consultation with local farmers and agritourism operators, Council planning and tourism officers, the Destination Network, 8 peak agricultural bodies, and other stakeholders such as Local Land Services, a planning consultant and insurance brokers.
Developing guides on what types of agritourism and tourism developments are permissible on farms in each of the local government areas for use by farmers. The guides include the risks of non-compliance as many local farmers were operating tourism enterprises without development approval.
Developing local case studies of different farm sizes that produce different produce by different types of farmers (such as long-time farmers and new farmers, and farmers of different ages and genders), and different types and scales of agritourism businesses, such as farm stays, farm tours, wedding venues, and cellar doors.
The guides and case studies, and links to other relevant agritourism support resources were published on each Council’s website: Lithgow, Oberon and Bathurst
Developing flow-charts as handouts to direct farmers to these webpages.
Facilitating three in-region launch events for farmers.
Providing business development coaching to farmers from six local farms, with resources to support them, such as business and marketing plan templates.

Oberon’s agritourism support webpage, Oberon’s flow chart for farmers interested in agritourism, the Lithgow launch event, and a local case study.

The capacity building events included the following experts who provided insights to help farmers analyse if agritourism might be a suitable diversification option for their farm:

A planning consultant on planning approvals
A solicitor on tax implications of adding agritourism to a farm
An insurance broker on securing affordable insurance for agritourism
A successful local agritourism business owner on leveraging support from Service NSW and the tourism industry to rapidly grow a new agritourism business
General manager of the regional tourism organisation and agritourism development consultants (Tilma Group) on the value of agritourism for farmers
The Council’s planning and tourism or economic development officers on how they can support agritourism developments

The events were so successful, they were also delivered as a national webinar and an article published with the expert’s advice.

Learnings

Many farmers are operating agritourism businesses that are not compliant (such as without development approval), and farmers are telling each other incorrect information about compliance requirements.
Support for agritourism development does not exist in agricultural organisations but sits with tourism organisations, which farmers are not connected with. Wine Australia is the only peak agricultural body that proactively supports agritourism.

Project outcomes

Each Council now has a page of resources available on its website for local farmers to access to learn how to enter into agritourism.

This project supported the Global Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification…and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors.
Target 8.9: Devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.

Referee

Debra Keane
Tourism and Economic Development Manager
Oberon Council
02 6329 8123
Debra.Keane@oberon.nsw.gov.au

Want to help your farming community tap into the visitor economy?

We design and deliver award-winning agritourism development programs that equip farmers with the tools, knowledge, and support to turn paddocks into places of purpose. Let’s work together to grow sustainable, experience-rich rural tourism.

Get in touch