Do you want to guarantee
the money you spend on marketing will grow your tourism business?
You offer a fantastic tourism experience to your guests and they're giving you rave reviews, so you know your product and pricing are hitting the mark... But, you know that to create the sustainable tourism business you've always wanted, you need to lift your marketing game.
Marketing can be daunting at the best of times
Deciding where to invest your precious marketing dollars can cause unnecessary confusion & overwhelm,
which often leads to reactive marketing, which we all know from experience, yields poor results.
What if there was a better way to 'do' tourism marketing?
What if you could work with two tourism marketing specialists who have spent the last 6 years working one-on-one with tourism operators.
And, what if these two specialists provided a DIT (do-it-together) solution where they'll SHOW you step-by-step how to create and implement a marketing strategy that WILL drive growth & sustainability for your business>
So, If you own or market a small-medium size tourism business and are serious about growth and sustainability, then our Tourism Marketing Academy & Mastermind is designed especially for you!
I’ve just completed the 2017 Tourism Marketing Academy and it’s just been brilliant!
I’ve just completed the 2017 Tourism Marketing Academy and it's just been brilliant. It's been absolutely fantastic for me and my work and my career. I've thoroughly enjoyed it, I’ve loved the webinars, I've loved the approach of Paige and Rebecca. They are just so personable, so open and friendly. There's no silly questions, every question was welcomed! The program has an incredible breadth of material, it will keep me going through many years to come and I'll keep referring back to it. It is just the most valuable resource of qualified tourism marketing content that has been put together, I would highly recommend to anybody who is in a tourism marketing role!
A Tourism Marketing Course Designed to Help You
Since we started facilitating this course in 2016, we've developed and evolved our Program to ensure that it addresses our students key challenges when it comes to tourism marketing.
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You want your time and investment in marketing to be worth it
You understand the power of marketing as a driver of business growth, and have dedicated resources to invest, but you want qualified advice & guidance to ensure every minute & dollar is accounted for
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You want a clear plan to follow
You've tried doing it yourself with a bit of success, but you haven't got the time to take it to the next level and you need a solid plan of attack to get better results
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You want to know the 'why' and the 'how'
You're not ready to completely outsource your marketing, so you need to know all of the 'how to' tools and tactics on top of understanding the 'why' behind the strategy
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You want a strategy that is easily maintained in-house
You don't have the funds to pay thousands of dollars to engage a consultant or agency every time you want to update your marketing strategy
If you can relate to any of the above, then you’ve found yourself in the right place!
We're rebecca and Paige,
your mentors
We're two passionate tourism marketers, who have worked in the industry for 26+ years combined. We've worked extensively in international & destination marketing, and as tourism marketing trainers and facilitators.
Since 2011, we’ve worked as tourism marketing strategists in our own consultancies. In 2012, after seeing the lack of cutting-edge professional development for tourism operators to help them with their marketing, we decided to team up to establish Tourism eSchool.
We'd love you to read our 'About' page to learn more about each of us, and our story >.
We've worked with hundreds of tourism businesses during recent years, training them on marketing strategy development, product development, trade marketing and online marketing and implementation.
Why we Created This Program
After working closely with many tourism operators over the years, we've developed an intimate understanding of the key challenges of marketing a tourism business, including:
- Understanding who their most profitable customers are, and how to get more of them buying their tourism product
- How to price their tourism products for profit, to remain financially sustainable
- The challenge of balancing third party distribution of their product via Online Travel Agents (easier) vs generating more direct bookings (more time consuming).
- Choosing relevant and appropriate marketing activities that are guaranteed to grow their business, and not waste their hard earned money
- Finding the time to implement marketing activities, especially for owner-operators who have limited resources
- Understanding the true value of marketing as a result of limited knowledge of how to measure return on marketing investment
More than just 'How To' Tourism Marketing Training
The last thing we wanted to do was create another ‘how to’ marketing training product for the industry. Instead we aim to address the massive knowledge gap in tourism marketing, which is the link between strategy, implementation & measuring return on investment.
Our Tourism Marketing Academy not only covers all of the 'How To' basics, but shows you how all of the components of marketing a tourism business come together to achieve business objectives, and can drive real growth & sustainability.
Is the Academy the right choice for you?
More than just a 'how to' training workshop, this Program is designed to educate, inspire and set a clear path for you to push forward confidently with your marketing to grow your business.
For 6 solid months, we teach & guide you through the tourism marketing maze to ensure you can:
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Create a marketing strategy that works
Confidently develop, implement and deliver a superior, results-focused marketing strategy which will be geared to increase bookings and sales of your tourism product
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Develop confidence in choosing the right tactics
Increase your knowledge and confidence in choosing and implementing marketing tactics that are aligned with your customers and markets—your strategy!
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Become an industry leader
Grow into an influencer and leader in marketing for your product and destination
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Build lifelong relationships
You'll have the opportunity to network and collaborate with other like-minded, enthusiastic tourism business owners
how does the
programwork?
Facilitated online. One Intake Per Year
The Academy is facilitated (totally) online over the period of 6 months.
Next intake scheduled for early-mid 2021 (dates to be confirmed!)
Personalised Access to Two Tourism Marketing Professionals
Participants will have access to Paige & Rebecca via the Live Training Webinars, on Email and in the private Mastermind Facebook Group for the length of the Program.
Total Value = $3,000
Live Training Webinars Each Fortnight
12 x 1 hour live training webinars that will cover each of the Program Modules outlined below, with each one recorded and made available via a secure membership area on the Tourism eSchool website.
Total Value = $4,500
'Done for You' Workbooks, Toolkits and Templates
We've spent 100+ hours perfecting our bespoke training materials, which have been designed specifically to help our tourism operators work toward developing a comprehensive marketing planning document.
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Module Workbooks. Value = $2,400
For each Module, we have crafted a Workbook, which identifies actionable tasks, that together with the webinar,
helps participants to build their Marketing Strategy.Each Workbook also features live website links through to resources shared in the Module, and additional online resources for participants own further professional development.
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Marketing Strategy Toolkit. Value = $10,000+
Our Marketing Strategy Toolkit is 20+ worksheet Microsoft Excel document, which features easy to use formula based input fields, in conjunction with planning tables which are fully customisable.
This Toolkit is used to record results and information on the nuts and bolts of planning of a tourism
marketing strategy, and can be used as a informal tourism marketing strategy document itself, or to inform the development of a formal marketing strategy document. -
Marketing Review Template. Value = $2,500
Our Marketing Review Template assists participants to undertake a 360 degree audit of their marketing activities, to ensure they have a 'start line' before developing their new Strategy.
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Marketing Strategy Template. Value = $850
On completion of the Program, participants will be encouraged to customise their very own Marketing Strategy based on our Marketing Strategy Template - a flexible, yet formal report style document to assist with stakeholder buy-in and investment of the proposed strategy.
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Task Orientated Templates. Value = $1,500
To delve deeper in the planning of specific marketing tactics, we've developed a series of Task Orientated Templates to assist Participants to complete tasks to maximum potential, which leads to more strategic outcomes for their business.
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Private Mastermind Access. Value = priceless
To facilitate life-long learning and opportunity, we've set up a private Facebook group for participants to join upon enrolment in the Academy. This space is where participants can ask questions of Paige & Rebecca, receive help with working through the program tasks and build relationships with and learn from other participants in the program.
lifetime access to course content
While the length of the Program is 6 months, you will have access to the learning materials for the life of the Program. That means if something comes up in your professional or personal life, the learning materials will be waiting for you when you have the time!
And, every time we update the content (when we run the Academy over again), you will have the option to
receive the updates, and you will also be able to stay a member of our private Facebook group!
The marketing plan we developed after completed the Academy was extremely valuable in preparing our submission for the awards, so I'm glad we made the investment!
Our business Moores Hill Estate received a 'Silver' award at the recent 2017 Tasmanian Tourism Awards. We were really pleased with the result as it was our first time entering and we are a very small business in the winery category. The marketing plan we developed after completed the Academy was extremely valuable in preparing our submission for the awards, so I'm glad we made the investment!
Tourism Marketing Modules
Enrolment Savings for
Industry members
We love supporting people who are committed to the tourism industry and their own professional development.
So we've teamed up with the below State Industry Councils and Regional Tourism Organisations offering their members 20% saving on the cost of the Academy.
To access the 20% saving, simply quote your Member number when you enrol!
what our students have
to say about the Academy
Paige and Rebecca are highly polished duo in their presentation and knowledge. They are approachable, friendly, and both clearly passionate for tourism marketing.
From the outset the professionalism of the course was evident with a plethora of informative tools and resources methodically released in concurrence with online webinars. Paige and Rebecca’s online webinars were easy to navigate and experience, and gave a great sense of collective endeavor as you could ask real time questions and share ideas with other group members also completing the course. This was further enhanced through the membership of the Facebook group, whereby we could share ideas further or ask questions. I found the content flow methodical, and relevant and most of all, well researched. On a personal level, Paige and Rebecca are highly polished duo in their presentation and knowledge. They are approachable, friendly, and both clearly passionate for tourism marketing.
I loved how approachable Paige & Rebecca were throughout the year. 100% recommend this course for people from any background and any business – big or small!
As a complete beginner in the Industry, I found this course to be a great insight into the world of marketing. I loved how approachable Paige and Rebecca were throughout the year, the amount of information they would give me after I asked a question was so helpful! Completing the modules on time was manageable with my work schedule as we had a fortnight in between modules. It was a very relaxed learning experience and it was great for me who works for a company who already has a strong marketing plan and presence to better understand my role and even come up with ideas to implement into our plan! 100% recommend this course for people from any background and any business – big or small!
I was impressed with the quality of the information provided resulting in me learning more than I could have anticipated. Highly recommended!
As we know the online marketing world is forever changing and I found that by participating in Academy I was able to get up to speed across a broad range of online marketing must do's. The program provided me with the skills and importantly the confidence and knowledge to speak the language with providers and consultants! Rebecca Paige constructed the program to be well paced, easy to follow and understand and provide outstanding resources and templates for ongoing use in your business. The provision of these templates have provided me with many insights that I now use in my marketing and budgeting planning. This information and data have provided insights that know form an important asset for my business. The knowledge and support provided throughout the program is above and beyond.
Every session was jam packed with gold that you could take away and implement if not immediately, then very soon after.
The program was really comprehensive and it was very clear Paige and Rebecca were experts in their respective fields. I felt very confident that I was getting the best and most current advice in industry best practise when it comes to web and digital marketing. I really enjoyed the depth and breadth of material, and the workbooks were very practical and comprehensive. Being able to go back and rewatch sessions to reinforce/restudy the learnings was also beneficial. Real life examples used throughout to help the material 'stick' and provide a compelling case study to illustrate a point. Every session was jam packed with gold that you could take away and implement if not immediately, then very soon after.
We are yet to schedule our next Academy...
In the mean time, we do work with destinations to run operator mentoring programs for Regions or Industry Sectors, so you could talk to your Local or Regional Tourism organisation, or industry group about working with us to deliver one for you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tourism eSchool a Registered Training Organisation and do I get a qualification at the end of the Program?
No – Tourism eSchool is not a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). The reason for this is we have consciously chosen not to align the Academy with any Vocational Training Qualifications.
While Vocational Training is fantastic for students starting out their careers after high school or people looking to get the foundations of marketing or running a business, the reality of Marketing and Digital Marketing Qualifications is they aren’t specific enough when it comes to marketing a small-medium sized tourism business.
Due to the fast pace of change with digital technology, digital channels and consumer behaviour, we overhaul every module on the Academy each time it’s run, to ensure we are teaching what is currently working when it comes to marketing a Tourism Business.
We’ve made the very conscious decision to invest our time in getting your results in your business over an official qualification which may or may not deliver what you need to grow a profitable Tourism Business.
You will receive a participation certificate and more importantly, if you are willing to put in the hard work to apply your learnings from the Academy, you will absolutely be able to grow the profits and sales of your Tourism Business!
Will there be homework in the Academy, will it be marked and how long will it take?
Yes, there will be, and it is call “Module Tasks” and we can provide feedback on on all Module Tasks.
Homework Overview
Each Module has a Workbook which outlines a number of Tasks to complete. These Tasks allow you to apply your learnings in your business. Typically, Module Tasks include reviewing, optimising, implementing and measurement of your marketing activities.
Each Module will vary in number of Tasks, and how long they take to implement will depend on where your business is at with their Marketing Activities.
As a guide, Tasks are as following
Quick Win Tasks – Usually 2 – 4 per Module. They usually take around 2 hour (total) to complete. We recommend they are completed before the next Module’s Live Webinar.
- Example task “Review and Update Your Business’s Instagram/Facebook/TripAdvisor Profiles”
Medium Term Tasks – Around 4 – 8 Tasks per Module. Medium Term tasks usually take longer to implement. They need to be planned for in the coming 3 – 6 months of work.
- Example task “Set up Conversion Goals in your Google Analytics Account”
Long Term Tasks – Around 3 – 4 per Module, depending on your business. Often they may also have budget implications, such as Redeveloping your Website. Therefore we recommend they are planned over the coming 6 – 12 months.
- Example task “Update your Top 5 Website Landing Pages for Persuasion and Conversion”
Homework Marking
While we set recommended completion dates for tasks, the completion and submission of Homework by the recommended date is not compulsory, as we know how busy things can get when running a Tourism Businesses.
However, at a minimum, we encourage the completion of Quick Win Tasks before the next live Webinar.
We are also on hand to provide feedback and mentoring support around any of the Tasks that have been set in a Module.
How much time should I set aside to do the Program?
It depends on where you are at with your marketing in your businesses. However as a guide, we recommend you put aside 3 – 4 hours per fortnight over 6 months of the Academy to ensure you don’t lose momentum with your learning.
This time includes attending the live webinars (or watching the replays), reading the workbooks, undertaking the Quick Win tasks, planning out Medium and Longer Term Tasks, and interacting with other Academy Participants in the private Facebook Group Forum.
What technical requirements do I need to participate in the Program?
In order to participate effectively in the Academy, you will need:
- Access to a laptop or desktop computer – if it doesn’t have a microphone, you can dial in via phone to join the webinar live via GoToWebinar, a popular web conferencing service.
- Reasonably fast internet access, so you can watch and hear the live webinars and also watch the pre-recorded webinars or catch up on missed webinars.
- Relatively high data limit – as the webinar files can be quite large (If you are unsure about whether or not your data plan is suitable, feel free to contact us and we will work through it with you).
I’m based outside of Australia, can I still join the program?
We’ve had students successfully join the program from the Pacific, New Zealand, Europe, Africa and North America.
Therefore, regardless of where you are based, you are welcome to join the Program, assuming your business is the right fit (see previous 2 Frequently Asked Questions).
The only consideration is the timezone of the live webinars. We run them at Australian Central Standard (Adelaide) time of 10.30am. To convert to your local time click here.
If you can’t join the webinars live, you will need to be self-motivated to watch them in your own time, which many students have done successfully. You can also still access all the mentoring via our Facebook Page.
We also use case studies of Tourism Brands from around the world, so depending where you are based, we may weave some examples from your local country into the case studies if they are available.
Will the Academy be advanced enough for me?
That’s a good question, and it depends on a few things:
- What is the scale of your tourism brand and product offering? Are you are operating across multiple locations/ have multiple brands and products/part of a major travel brand chain/have a dedicated marketing team? If so, this program may not be for you.
- How much control do you have over your marketing? If your product is part of a larger brand chain, the program is only relevant if you have control over the marketing tactics we cover in the Program.
- How is your brand tracking currently with it’s marketing? Do you feel it has room to improve in any of the areas we cover in the program? If you feel you are kicking goals and up to speed in all the areas we cover, then the program isn’t for you.
If you are still not sure if the program is right for you, don’t hesitate to contact us and we can organise a time to discuss with you on the phone.
I’m yet to launch my tourism business, is Academy the right training for me?
The Tourism Marketing Academy + Mastermind is aimed at tourism businesses who are already established. However, if you are yet to launch your tourism business, then it is definitely a program that you will get a lot out of.
It will help you with your business plan – financial and product planning, and will help ensure you hit the ground running with your Marketing Plan, meaning you wont waste time or money on marketing tactics that don’t align to your ideal customer.
Some of the tasks may not be relevant for you right away, such as we get you to optimise your websites, social media and eNews channels, but in great news you will have the information on how to set them up right and ready to attract and convert customers from day 1!
If you are still not sure if the program is right for you, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Who facilitates the Program?
Rebecca White and Paige Rowett co-faciliate the Mentoring Program, and they will both be on hand via email, phone and the private forum to help support you with all the help you need throughout the lifetime of the Mentoring Program.
Together they have 26 + years of marketing experience and 18+ years specifically in tourism marketing. Learn more about Rebecca & Paige >
Do I need any prior knowledge before starting the Academy?
No, you don’t need any special knowledge to join the Academy. You just need to be working in a role (Owner/Operator, Marketing Manager, Marketing Coordinator) that has the responsibility of marketing a tourism business.
Before starting the Academy, it would be very helpful for you to also have access to all of your social networking profiles, and your Google (website analytics, search console) as we will be asking you to reference and make adjustments to these online accounts throughout the Academy.