Decades of Experience

Claire has worked for over 35 years in a variety of roles focussing on the development of new product and tourism experiences and ensuring they create sustainable long term outcomes for the business, communities and the wider region. During this time she has been a tourism operator, employed by other operators, a tourism academic and researcher, in State Government and most recently a consultant.

National Recognition

Claire is recognised nationally, having chaired the Destination Management Planning Working Group for the National Long Term Tourism Strategy for Australia for several years, and in her consultancy has worked on national projects as well as in Western Australia, NSW, South Australia, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania. Having worked in Asia during the 1990's, she has recently undertaken further international work again. She has built a reputation for creating long term positive outcomes that consider all stakeholders and stakeholder management is one of her key strengths.

Recent Projects

  • Development of a Park-based future scan (30 year) Visitor Experience Concept Plan for Kangaroo Island, Dept. of Environment and Water, SA (2020).
  • Supporting Parks Australia in the development of tourism in Commonwealth Marine Reserves (ongoing).
  • Stakeholder engagement and grant writing support for Tasmanian Wilderness Guides Association to review the Tasmanian draft Tourism Master Plan for the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (2020).
  • Development of the Regional Event Strategy for Kangaroo Island (Feb-May 2020).
  • Grant writing for Kangaroo Island bushfire recovery grants (2020).
  • Project managing the State of Volunteering Report for Volunteer Victoria, The Economic, Cultural and Social Value of Volunteering for Victoria (2020).
  • Adelaide Plains, Tourism and Economic Development Strategy, (project lead Holmes Dyer, 2020).
  • Advice to European Union Project on the development of an Atlantic Tuna Route, Mediterranean (2019).
  • Market research and feasibility work around Tasmania’s next iconic multiday walk with Myriad Research, Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Services (2020).
  • A market sounding and also a competitive positioning study for Light to Light multi-day walk in southern NSW, NSW Parks and Wildlife Services (2019).
  • Priority project identification and actions for active and indulgent markets in Clare Valley Region (2019).
  • Development of Greater Port Macquarie Destination Management Plan (in conjunction with Meredith Wray, 2019).
  • Strategic positioning of the NSW Parks and Wildlife Service Discovery Program (2019).
  • A market sounding study for Murramarang walk, to gauge the level and areas of existing and potential operator interest in delivering a range of services for walkers for NSW Parks and Wildlife Service (2019).
  • Visitor Information Servicing interim and long term options for Kangaroo Island Council (2019).
  • Development of new KPIs focussed on financial measures of Victorian Visitor Information Centres, for Visit Victoria (2018-19).

Affiliations

  • Ecotourism Australia (current Chair and Board member since 2011)
  • Volunteering Tasmania (Board member since 2011)
  • NRM Southern Tasmania (Board member since 2016)
  • Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute Associate

Helping Create Success

Claire Ellis concentrates on a small number of projects annually creating real results.