Business Cases for three art galleries and cultural centres in Northern Territory

The Northern Territory Government (NTG) committed $20M to upgrade / extend three Aboriginal art galleries: Godinymayin Yijard Arts and Culture Centre, in Katherine; Mimi Aboriginal Art and Craft, in Katherine; and The Nyinkka Nyunyi Arts and Culture Centre, Tennant Creek. Working with GHD Advisory, we were appointed by the Northern Territory government to prepare detailed … Read more

Cultural Tourism Plan for Wollongong

Cultural tourism allows travellers to be immersed in local rituals and routines, taking away not only pretty photos but also shared memories of unique experiences. Cultural tourism encourages local communities to embrace their culture and boosts economic growth.  Developing culturally geared tourism programs encourages destinations to celebrate and promote what distinguishes their communities, and in … Read more

Destination Management Plan for Albury

The planning process for this Destination Management Plan integrated both demand (the visitor or consumer needs) and supply (the product or experience). While the geographic area that this Plan focuses on is the Local Government Area of Albury, it also proposed a number of cooperative initiatives with the City of Wodonga, given its close proximity … Read more

Destination Management Plan for Docklands, Melbourne

Our process started with a review of the Docklands visitor economy operating environment, documented as a Situation Analysis Report. This revealed major inconsistencies in branding. and strategic issues with the current visitor product / experience offer: Not enough to drive Docklands as a destination, and less than most consumers expect Insufficient capitalising on the waterfront … Read more

Destination Management Plan for Moorabool Shire

Despite being just an hour’s drive west of Melbourne, Moorabool had low market awareness and was an immature destination. We conducted a brand compatibility match to the events, to determine which ones were helping build brand strength, and an event calendar that contrasted industry demand for stimulus with the supply of events, and colour coded … Read more

Destination Management Plan for Wellington Shire, NSW

We prepared a Destination Management Plan for the Wellington Shire, NSW. This included: An analysis of the regional visitor market. An analysis of the regional tourism product. An analysis of regional events. An analysis of regional tourism brand and marketing. The brand analysis involved a competitor analysis that included Parkes, Dubbo, Mudgee and Wellington, then … Read more

Development of five cultural heritage centres in Anguilla

The Ministry of Tourism in the country of Anguilla (Caribbean) contracted SMA to assist develop and market five Heritage Centres covering: Archaeology, Maritime, Plantations, Salt and Craft. The Project is being funded by the Commonwealth Secretariat, Ministry of Tourism and various donations. We worked closely with Indigenous Anguillans to determine the key stories and interactives … Read more

Feasibility Assessment for Warrnambool Art Gallery

The Warrnambool Art Gallery in Victoria was identified as having outgrown its building and consequently being unable to deliver its objectives to the standard of a typical regional gallery in Victoria. The project subsequently involved: identification of lead trends affecting galleries and museums; analysis of relevant local documents, targeted then wider stakeholder consultation, Functional Brief … Read more

Feasibility Study and Business Case for a new art museum, Shepparton Victoria

The Shepparton Art Museum in Victoria (Australia) is significantly constrained by its location, small building and management by local government. SMA were engaged to develop and test the feasibility of options for a new SAM, which included alternative art museum experiences, alternative locations and alternative governance models. As part of the consultation, we developed an … Read more

Night Skies Tourism Product Development Strategy

Destination Network Country & Outback NSW asked us to develop Australia’s first Product Development Strategy for ‘Night Skies’ experiences within the region. We first developed a Gap Analysis Report on Night Skies Tourism, which summarised the results of a literature review, product audit, stakeholder consultation and benchmarking initiatives from outside the region. We then developed … Read more

Product Development Strategy for dive, ecotourism, cultural tourism and adventure tourism

As a tourism destination, the Solomon Islands only receives a small number of visitors and has them spread out over a vast archipelago. Australian tourism consultants were appointed to develop a Tourism Product Development Strategy. The team consisted of a tourism product development specialist, marketing specialist, infrastructure specialist, consultation specialist and a quantity surveyor. An … Read more

Tourism Development Plan for Townsville Region

SMA Tourism produced a Tourism Development Plan for Townsville City and the Townsville region. The region incorporates Burdekin to the south, Charters Towers to the west, Magnetic Island to the east and Hinchinbrook to the north. Our work included: review of current target markets versus current visitor data; review of current brand versus current marketing; … Read more

Tourism Development Strategy for East Arnhem Land

The East Arnhem Land region is situated in the far north-eastern corner of the Northern Territory, covers an area of 34,000km2 and has a population of 9,120 people – mostly Yolngu people, the traditional owners of the region. East Arnhem Land is made up of more than 50 Indigenous communities including. Commercial enterprises such as … Read more

Tourism Product Development Strategy for Far North West Tasmania

The Tasmanian government asks us to identify product development and investment opportunities that could drive visitor demand to Far North West Tasmania. And specifically increase first-time and repeat visitation to the target region; increase the average length of stay; increase visitor expenditure; increase visitor dispersal (geographically and seasonally); increase visitor satisfaction, and consequently, increase the … Read more

Annoncita Batamuriza

Annoncita (Anny) Batamuriza headshot

Annoncita (Anny) joined SMA Tourism in 2020 to develop religious tourism in Rwanda and is based in Rwanda. She has 22 years’ experience in tourism development and tourism marketing in Rwanda. Her tourism career evolved from managerial positions in international hotels, to that of a part time consultant for hotels and government and full-time manager … Read more

Jane McArthur

Jane McArthur headshot

Jane joined SMA Tourism in 2015 as the food, wine, hospitality, health and wellness tourism expert, and is based in Newcastle, Australia. Jane has 20 years’ experience in tourism and hospitality business development, operations and marketing – developed through operating her own café, catering and food production business. She blends lateral thinking, creative concepts and … Read more

Jesse Mowbray

Jesse Mowbray headshot

Jesse started working with SMA Tourism as an Associate in 2019, including a Feasibility Study for the former Wellington Gaol and Police Station in western New South Wales, Australia. Jesse is a registered Architect with more than 14 years of professional experience in local, national, and international projects. This work has been undertaken across the … Read more

Julián Huerfano

Julian Huerfano headshot

Julián joined SMA Tourism in 2018 to develop nature tourism and an investment plan in Colombia, and then a Nature Tourism Recovery Plan for Colombia, and is based in Colombia. He has 15 years’ experience in administration, finance, social investment and project management relating to sustainability and tourism. During the last 10 years, he has … Read more

Karl Flowers

Karl Flowers headshot

Karl joined SMA Tourism in 2014 to lead tourism market analysis, economic impact assessment and policy design, and he is based in Melbourne, Australia. Karl has 25 years’ experience as a tourism industry specialist working as a Tourism & Aviation Economist and acting Director Strategy and Research for Tourism Australia, General Manager Policy and Research … Read more

Marina Novelli

Marina Novelli headshot

Marina joined SMA Tourism in 2020 and is based in the United Kingdom. She is an internationally renowned tourism and international development expert and Professor of Tourism and International Development at the University of Brighton (UK), and an Affiliate Member of the UN World Tourism Organisation. Marina has written and advised extensively in the field … Read more

Maudie Palmer

Maudie Palmer headshot

Maudie joined SMA Tourism in 2017 to prepare a feasibility study and business case for a new art gallery in Shepparton, Victoria, and is based in Melbourne, Australia. Maudie has since operated as the SMA Tourism expert in similar gallery projects across Australia. Maudie is an expert in the field of Australian modern art and … Read more

Mauricio Rincón Falla

Mauricio Rincon Falla headshot

Mauricio joined SMA Tourism in 2018 to develop nature tourism in Colombia and is based in Colombia. He is a specialist in marketing management, focusing on projects that improve community and SME access to sustainable economic opportunities, especially in the tourism sector. He is skilled in situation analysis, and medium and long-term planning, has extensive … Read more

Simon McArthur

Simon McArthur headshot

Simon has managed SMA Tourism since its inception in 2013. He has 35 years international experience working in tourism for government, the private sector and not for profit organisations. He has extensive post graduate qualifications in business, marketing, tourism and hotel management, and has published many books in these fields. His qualifications, diverse experience and … Read more