Destination Growth Services
We help destinations strengthen their visitor economy by building more profitable, capable tourism, hospitality and event operators.
Exceptional Experiences partners with local councils, RTOs, LTOs and regional alliances to deliver practical destination programs that improve operator performance, visitor experience, and sustainable growth. We work with operators and destinations to develop experience-led product that visitors actively seek out, book and recommend.
What we help your destination achieve
Stronger operator profitability and resilience meaning less vulnerability to seasonality
Higher quality, bookable experiences and better conversion without discounting
Consistent visitor experiences across the region, improving standards, service, delivery
Increased dispersal and longer stays through clear product and trail development
Stronger collaboration across your visitor economy; shared direction + follow-through
Programs and plans that are implemented not left on a shelf
Testimonial for Sarah Colgate & the Exceptional Experiences Team
We are pleased to share our strong endorsement of Sarah Colgate from Exceptional Experiences following the successful completion of Phase One of our tourism operator capability program. Throughout this initial stage, Exceptional Experiences demonstrated exceptional professionalism, deep industry expertise, and a genuine commitment to strengthening the capacity of Redlands Coast tourism businesses.
Their structured interview program provided us with an insightful, evidence‑based understanding of operator readiness across the region. The thoroughness of their assessment—spanning trade readiness, business maturity, operational capability, and growth constraints—has given Council an invaluable foundation from which to plan future industry development initiatives.
Exceptional Experiences has proven to be a trusted and knowledgeable partner, and their work has laid a strong platform for the next phase of our program. We look forward to continuing this partnership as we progress into the operator training and trade‑readiness development stage.
Shannon Thwaites
Service Manager Tourism & Events
Redlands City Council
Who we support
We work with:
Local councils and regional alliances
RTOs and LTOs
Economic development and placemaking teams
Destination managers and industry development leads
Visitor economy stakeholders across tourism, hospitality and events
How we help destinations succeed
Choose one pillar or combine them into a tailored annual program.
1) Experience & Product Development
Build a destination visitors want to return to and talk about.
We help you:
Audit existing product and identify gaps and high-yield opportunities
Work with operators to develop bookable, experience-led product including cultural, culinary, Indigenous, nature-based, wellness and events
Create story-driven experiences that increase perceived value and visitor advocacy
Package and structure experiences so they’re easier to choose, easier to deliver, and more profitable
2) Operator Capability Programs
Stronger operators = a stronger destination.
We design and deliver capability programs that lift performance across tourism, hospitality and event businesses.
Core program streams; pick one or run them as a series:
Profitability & Pricing Program: pricing confidence, margin improvement, yield and packaging
Systems & Sustainable Growth Program: workflow, role clarity, onboarding, consistency, owner-dependence reduction
Distribution & Demand Training Program: OTA performance training + direct demand foundations training only, not management
Team Training & Leadership: delegation, accountability, service standards, seasonal planning, KPIs
What destinations get:
Structured workshops + practical toolkits
Optional coaching support for priority businesses
A measurable uplift plan (baseline → actions → outcomes)
3) Visitor Experience, Dispersal & Trails
Extend stays. Spread the benefits.
We work with destinations to:
Curate trails, hero experiences and itineraries that drive dispersal
Improve visitor readiness through product structure and operational consistency
Support shoulder season planning (product, packaging, events, messaging)
Align visitor experience with infrastructure, services and wayfinding planning
4) Innovation & Regenerative Visitor Economy Support
Build a tourism future that benefits communities and visitors.
We support destinations to:
Run innovation and capability initiatives that encourage new product and better performance
Embed regenerative principles into destination development
Ensure growth protects cultural and environmental assets and benefits locals
5) Stakeholder Engagement & Destination Planning
Bring your tourism ecosystem together — with momentum.
We can help you:
Facilitate consultation and collaboration across stakeholders
Host forums, workshops and working groups
Develop Destination Management Plans with a clear implementation pathway
Translate “strategy” into practical action and accountability
Step 1 — Diagnose: understand your destination goals, operator needs, and product gaps
Step 2 — Design: build a tailored program (workshops, capability streams, product
development, planning)
Step 3 — Deliver: implement with your stakeholders and operators
Step 4 — Embed: tools, training and support so changes stick long-term
What working with us looks like
Popular ways destinations engage us
Operator Capability Uplift Program: profitability + systems + distribution/demand training
Experience Development Sprint : identify gaps + build bookable hero experiences
Shoulder Season Activation Planning: offer structure + packaging + event and dispersal readiness
Destination Strategy + Implementation Support: engagement + DMP + delivery roadmap
Workshops + Toolkits: one-off or quarterly capability training
Want stronger operators and a stronger visitor economy?
Let’s discuss your destination goals and build a practical program that delivers measurable uplift across tourism, hospitality and events.