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Rural scene in the United Kingdom

Supporting the sector to create a collaborative and sustainable future for people, places and the planet

Bridge over the River Tyne in Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Providing dedicated expertise and strategic planning for regenerative tourism development globally

Riverfront in Copenhagen, Denmark

Helping tourism businesses innovate and stimulate the visitor economy

Remote hills and valleys in Lesotho, Africa

More than twenty years of sustainable tourism development for destinations worldwide

Welcome to Acorn Tourism Consulting

What We Do

Inspiration

  1. Market trader in Rwanda
    Our reputation in the field of tourism statistics and measuring the economic impact of tourism is unparalleled. We are experts in the development of systems of tourism statistics, compilation of tourism satellite accounts and natural capital accounting, as well as measuring the local economic impact of tourism. Our ATOM forecasting model and T-Stats tourism tracking system are two products we have developed and installed in destinations across the globe.
  2. Seven Sisters in East Sussex, UK
    We plan and develop tourism products and experiences that are financially and environmentally sustainable. Acorn’s in-depth understanding of niche visitor markets ensures we can help you differentiate yourself from your competitors by creating innovative market-led experiences. We can provide options appraisals, feasibility studies, business planning and capacity building to support your product development process.
  3. Kitesurfing in Aruba
    In an increasingly competitive global marketplace, it is essential to have a strong brand and a marketing campaign that clearly promotes your values and resonates with your target audience. Acorn builds destination brands and content marketing strategies. We deliver digital marketing campaigns, build national tourism websites and create inspiring content. Working with travel influencers we can do social media takeovers. We can also monitor your brand awareness and the effectiveness of your promotional campaigns.
  4. Boats on the Thames, Richmond upon Thames, London
    We can help you work out where you want to go and how to get there. Acorn uses a well-defined strategic planning process to establish how you can become a more competitive and sustainable destination or tourism business. Our approach is collaborative, engaging widely with your stakeholders, creating a joint vision and co-developing an Action Plan that can be implemented with the available financial resources and workforce.
  5. Sightseeing in Latvia
    We offer expert qualitative and quantitative tourism market research, including face-to-face and online surveys, focus groups, bulletin boards, and business and stakeholder consultations. We maintain and update vast databases of research that include niche market and destination profiles, inbound and outbound tourist flows, and industry trends. This allows us to commentate, predict and forecast with insight, intelligence and confidence.
  6. Camels in the desert, Namibia
    T-Stats is our online tourism tracking system for destinations. We understand that every destination is different, so T-Stats is tailor-made to allow you to track whatever is important, from accommodation occupancy, through to visits to attractions, footfall, attendance at events and even the weather. Bringing all this together into one easy-to-use database provides information for assessing the effectiveness of marketing activities, attracting investors, assisting funding applications or simply getting to know your destination better.
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Acorn Tourism Consulting has:

Inspiration

  1. Successfully completed
    328
    projects
  2. Enjoyed working with
    169
    clients
  3. Delivered projects in
    85
    countries
  4. Served the sector for
    22
    years

Where We Work

Number of results: 336

, currently showing 1 to 20.

  1. Address

    Worldwide, CBI, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency

    Telephone

    5000

    CBI, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency,

    A detailed report about the FIT (Fully Independent Traveller) market segment was required to support SME’s to prepare their tourism product for the European market.

  2. Address

    Surrey, United Kingdom, National Trust

    Telephone

    15000

    National Trust,

    Acorn provided market-led options for the development of the house at Leith Hill, a National Trust estate in Surrey, as part of a Conservation Management Plan led by associates ACTA.

  3. Address

    Kensington, United Kingdom, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

    Telephone

    65000

    Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea,

    The aim of this study was to provide up-to-date information on the importance of the visitor economy and to ensure that future policy decisions incorporated a detailed understanding of the benefits and potential conflicts that large numbers of…

  4. Address

    Botswana, Department of Tourism, UNWTO, UNDP

    Telephone

    120000

    Department of Tourism, UNWTO, UNDP,

    This one-year project focused on strengthening the Research and Statistics Unit by setting up a system of tourism statistics and developing a comprehensive tourism statistics database to formalise the storage, processing and retrieval of data.

  5. Address

    Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, Voyages to Antiquity

    Telephone

    11000

    Voyages to Antiquity,

    Study contracted by a specialist historical and archaeological focussed cruise operator, which was seeking to target their marketing activity more effectively, and needed to understand more about their customer base and prospects.

  6. Address

    Barcelona, Spain, Private Company

    Telephone

    10000

    Private Company,

    We shared our nautical tourism business and blue economy marketing expertise with the developers of an innovative underwater activity attraction and beach club, where divers and their families can enjoy and celebrate the underwater world.

  7. Address

    Germany, German National Tourist Office

    Telephone

    7500

    German National Tourist Office,

    The German National Tourist Office in the UK commissioned a benchmarking study on the impact of social media Influencers and OTAs and their relationships with national tourist boards.

  8. Address

    Asir Province, Saudi Arabia, Soudah Development Company, Saudi PIF

    Telephone

    100000

    Soudah Development Company, Saudi PIF,

    The primary objective of the Soudah Development Destination Sustainability Strategy was to provide Soudah Development with minimum sustainability criteria for application to the entire tourism sector based on the Global Sustainably Tourism Council’s…

  9. Address

    East Sussex, United Kingdom, Hastings Borough Council

    Telephone

    15000

    Hastings Borough Council,

    This project required the preparation of a Destination Management Strategy and plan for Living, Learning and Business Investment in the Hastings-Bexhill Urban Area, to complement the recently published 1066 Country Destination Management Strategy.

  10. Address

    Swift Gardens, Visit Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN24NF

    Telephone

    26000

    Visit Lincoln, Lincoln

    Study to provide Visit Lincoln and two surrounding local authorities with an in depth understanding of the profile of visitors, focusing in particular on demographics, lifestyle and interests. Also included the investigation into seasonality…

  11. Address

    Sao Tome and Principe, Cabo Verde and Gambia, World Bank

    Telephone

    250000

    World Bank,

    The aim of the project was to improve the World Bank’s understanding of how small island developing states (SIDS) and small coastal nations can increase their tourism competitiveness in the wake of COVID-19 through more sustainable and resilient…

  12. Address

    Worldwide, CBI, The Netherlands Enterprise Agency

    Telephone

    5000

    CBI, The Netherlands Enterprise Agency,

    The study provided a detailed picture of the global cruise industry and offered a wide range of advice and tips including how to plan and market a cruise and selling shore excursions to passengers. Clear segmentation by cruise type and passenger…

  13. Address

    East Sussex, United Kingdom, Tourism South East

    Telephone

    26000

    Tourism South East,

    This study assisted the Camber Visitor Management Initiative to develop a business plan and delivery mechanism to install a local shareholding company, owned by residents, that would be responsible for the operation of public car parks, public…

  14. Address

    London Bridge, United Kingdom, Northern Tourism Growth Fund

    Telephone

    12000

    Northern Tourism Growth Fund,

    Consumer research to assess the effectiveness of exhibitions within the City Information Centre that focused on destinations in the North of England. Face-to-face interviews were held with visitors as they departed the CIC.

  15. Address

    London, United Kingdom, London Wildlife Trust, Thames Water

    Telephone

    35000

    London Wildlife Trust, Thames Water,

    This award-winning Masterplan and Business Plan for the development of a visitor facility at the Woodberry Wetlands, was part of a major regeneration scheme in Hackney and supported a successful Heritage Lottery Fund bid.

  16. Address

    South East, United Kingdom, South East Food Group

    Telephone

    11000

    South East Food Group,

    Research and production of a guide for local producers explaining how they can sell their produce to the tourism industry, in particular the accommodation and food and beverage sectors.

  17. Address

    Jordan, USAID

    Telephone

    15000

    USAID,

    Developed a model for projecting visitor arrivals and expenditure to Jordan, the Middle East and worldwide over the period to 2030. Scenarios for the development of the pandemic were then applied to identify impacts on visitor arrivals,…

  18. Address

    Worldwide, Mintel

    Telephone

    2500

    Mintel,

    Specialist niche market report covering Golf Tourism: who plays and top generating markets, where they play, which operators lead the market and what the future holds for the sector.

  19. Address

    Yemen, Ministry of Tourism, UNWTO

    Telephone

    15000

    Ministry of Tourism, UNWTO,

    Review of the system of tourism statistics in Yemen, with recommendations for improvements to broaden the scope and timeliness of data collection and dissemination, and establish a computerised tourism statistics database.

  20. Address

    Namibia, Millennium Challenge Corporation

    Telephone

    186000

    Millennium Challenge Corporation,

    Large sample tourism exit survey to provide detailed tourist profile and trip characteristics in Namibia. Interviews were carried out at land border posts and airports, using face-to-face interviews in eight different languages.

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Featured Projects

Inspiration

  1. Caribbean Regional Tourism Marketing Strategy
    This Regional Tourism Marketing Strategy was developed to provide a detailed and instructive way forward for marketing Grenada, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a region in the Caribbean.
    1. 1 Jan 202431 Dec 2024
  2. Feasibility Study for the Development of a Cultural Heritage Research and Visitor Centre on the Farasan Islands
    This feasibility study was commissioned to assess the development of a Farasan Archipelago Cultural Research and Heritage Centre (FARHC), which would serve local communities, particularly educational institutions, as well as national and international visitors.
    1. 1 Jan 202431 Dec 2024
  3. Tourism Satellite Account for Botswana: 2019
    This study was the fourth Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) compilation for Botswana, with previous compilations being undertaken for the years 2006, 2009 and 2016. The main data for the compilation of the TSA was derived from the Visitor Exit Survey undertaken annually by the Department of Tourism and a range of data compiled by Statistics Botswana including GDP calculations, employment data and other economic statistics.
    1. 1 Jan 202431 Dec 2024
  4. Relaxing on the beach in Sierra Leone
    Acorn Tourism, along with joint venture partners, The Journey Tourism Consulting and Management, were commissioned to provide Sierra Leone’s National Tourist Board with an international Marketing and Rebranding Strategy, funded by the Government of Sierra Leone and the World Bank. The marketing and branding strategy and action plan delivered a roadmap to build a positive narrative for the country, improve the destination’s position, and increase the value of the tourism sector. The Journey-Acorn team also initiated the digital marketing campaign and advised on the domestic marketing campaign.
    1. 1 Jan 202431 Dec 2024
  5. Place Brand and Destination Management Plan for Melton Mowbray
    Acorn, working with thinkingplace, developed the Melton Story, Destination Management Plan and Place Brand, based on a robust destination assessment and extensive stakeholder engagement, to provide Melton Mowbray with the direction for a strategic, innovative and joined up approach to Melton’s future development.
    1. 1 Jan 202431 Dec 2024
  6. Green Business Toolkit for Thanet
    An online toolkit for businesses to understand what simple steps they could take to start/continue their journey towards sustainability, learn more about the biodiversity crisis and the commitment to Net Zero, find inspiration from successful local examples, find out about interesting resources available to them (training, financial support, etc.) and discover options for global recognition of their efforts.
    1. 1 Jan 202431 Dec 2024

"Acorn Tourism has produced multiple tourism research projects for the CBI including tourism sector Value Chain Analysis and niche market studies for SMEs in developing countries.  They are a very solid research partner and always deliver to great satisfaction."

Arthur Scheinhardt
Programme Manager Marketing Intelligence, CBI, Netherlands Enterprise Agency
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Blogs

How Dive Tourism Drives Sustainability and Conservation

How Dive Tourism Drives Sustainability and Conservation

Read time: 4 mins

Exploring the Depths: What is Diving Tourism?

Diving tourism is a growing segment within adventure travel, offering experiences that bring travellers up close to marine life and underwater landscapes like coral reefs, shipwrecks, and unique marine habitats. It’s an industry that appeals to millions worldwide, with around 6 million Europeans actively participating in diving activities. As interest surges, destinations globally are tailoring their offerings to meet the demand for high-quality, sustainable dive experiences.

Countries like the UK, France, and Germany lead the European dive tourism market, with divers seeking opportunities to experience new underwater ecosystems. For many, dive tourism is not just a hobby but an immersive journey that promotes awareness and respect for marine environments. But for the industry to thrive, it must prioritize protecting these environments from overuse and degradation. 

Agritourism

Agritourism: A Path to Food Security, Cultural Heritage Recovery, and Peacebuilding

Read time: 2 mins

Agritourism is more than just a niche market where travelers visit farms and taste local food, it can also be a powerful tool for empowering communities, especially in underdeveloped regions. By focusing on sustainable agricultural practices and local gastronomy, agritourism helps preserve cultural heritage, build food security, and even contribute to peacebuilding in post-conflict areas.

LGBTQ+ Balloon

Attracting the LGBTQ+ market

Read time: 2 mins

The LQBTQ+ travel market is on the rise due to the increasing acceptance of the community worldwide and increasing numbers of Gen Y and Gen Z identifying as LGBTQ+. While many countries still have restrictions and laws that make it difficult for the LGBTQ+ community to travel to, many others have grown in tolerance and acceptance, making travel safe and welcoming for this target group.

Overtourism is damaging destinations

Addressing Overtourism - A Strategic Approach

Read time: 3 mins

Overtourism has become a pressing concern for many popular destinations worldwide. The news is flooded with headlines of residents protesting visitors as the numbers rise for summer.

Solo Travel

Unlocking the potential of the European solo tourism market

Read time: 2 mins

The solo tourism market is booming with solo travellers now making up 18% of global tourism bookings and they are a growing audience eager to explore independently. To tap into this dynamic market, it’s crucial to understand the motivations, preferences, and behaviours of solo travellers.

Certification schemes for UK businesses

Which sustainability certification is best for your business?

Read time: 1 min

Many businesses have been asking this question due to a notable surge in recent times in consumers seeking sustainable products. This trend is particularly evident in the tourism industry, where research indicates a growing preference for sustainable options. However, issues arise around where consumers can find such products without businesses providing evidence of their impacts.

2024: our year so far

2024: our year so far

Read time: 2 mins

This year, we have both worked in both new and familiar destinations. New destinations include Thailand, Tajikistan, and Sint Maarten. We have continued our work in Jordan and started a new project in The Gambia, a country we worked in a couple of years ago. Our sister company T-Stats has also had a very exciting year with a new project for the Southwest of England.

Generations BLog

A snapshot of the different generations in travel

Read time: 2 mins

Understanding different generations' travel preferences and traits is crucial when tailoring and selling your product or destination. Each generation has very different travel preferences and interests, and understanding these is essential to making good business decisions.

This blog highlights each generation's critical expectations when making travel decisions.

Empowering sustainable tourism

Leading from the top: how tourism boards can drive the sector towards a more sustainable future

Read time: 4 mins

Tourism boards, both national and regional can play a vital role in supporting their destinations sustainable development. Historically, the traditional role of a tourism board was to market the destination, helping to grow visitor numbers and spending as the main goal. However, with the growing interest and need for the tourism industry to increase its sustainability practices tourism boards must take a more strategic approach. This includes shifting from a streamlined focus on marketing and putting emphasis on research, analysis, development and planning for the destination’s future development.

ITB Berlin 2024: Sustainability, Aqaba and Awards

ITB Berlin 2024: Sustainability, Aqaba and Awards

Read time: 1 min

In early March, Director Alison Burgh travelled to ITB Berlin by train as part of Acorn Tourism’s ongoing CBI project work in Jordan. As always, it was a busy few days packed with meetings, awards and some extremely exciting milestones for Aqaba, Jordan.

Key trends in tourism for 2024 spearheaded by sustainability and regeneration

Key trends in tourism for 2024 spearheaded by sustainability and regeneration

Read time: 2 mins

Making the transition to a sustainable business is no longer just a trend. It is now an urgent and essential task to tackle the climate crisis and meet the commitment to reduce carbon emissions. Tourism is a major contributor to global climate change and the sector is forecast to grow over the coming years. To manage tourism growth responsibly, urgent steps are required.

Navigating a Circular Economy: challenges and opportunities for island based MSME accommodation providers

Navigating a Circular Economy: challenges and opportunities for island based MSME accommodation providers

Read time: 4 mins

The use of circular economy concepts for hospitality businesses has been on the rise in recent years and is a useful way to reduce the environmental impact of their operational practices. In 2022 Acorn Tourism worked with Buro Happold on a World Bank funded project ‘Circular and Resilient Tourism on Small Islands and in Coastal Destinations’. For this project we travelled to Cabo Verde, Sao Tome and Principe and The Gambia to engage with the private sector to better understand the current opportunities and constraints they face in developing a circular economy model.

Big and small data infographic

Making sense of big and small data for destinations

Read time: 5 mins

More and more we are hearing that big data has all the answers that destinations are looking for when trying to understand what visitors are doing, where they are going, how much they are spending and so on.  This sounds enticing and useful.  But is it?

Overtourism

Using Data to Avoid Overtourism: Creating Smarter Destinations

Read time: 2 mins

Pre-pandemic, the term overtourism was being increasingly used as popular destinations struggled to cope with demand.  It was seldom spoken about in 2021 when focus shifted to encouraging visitors out of their homes to travel freely again, and breathing life back into economies and businesses. 

Business and Marketing: What are the next steps towards sustainable destination management

Business and Marketing: What are the next steps towards sustainable destination management

Read time: 1 mins

Sustainable destination management can be challenging, and it may sometimes be difficult to know where to start. From reducing GHG emissions, becoming nature-positive, supporting local businesses, managing waste, water and energy efficiently, etc., destination managers have a lot of responsibilities. All the while marketing and positioning their destination to attract visitors and satisfy their expectations.

Acorn Tourism Climate Action Plan

Celebrating Milestones, Awards, Longstanding Relationships and Our Continued Support to Sustainable Tourism Development

Read time: 4 mins

The beginning of 2023 has been a busy one, not only are we celebrating our big 21st Birthday in February, but we have also been awarded with a Green Tourism Gold Award for our ongoing commitment towards sustainability, within our office and operations.  We have also just released or Green Climate Action Plan for 2023, a requirement as a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration. The Glasgow Declaration was launched at COP 26, with the commitment, alongside many other tourism stakeholders, to halve our emissions by 2030.

Social Wellbeing

Social Well-being: What are the next steps towards sustainable destination management

Read time: 1 min

Sustainable destination management can be challenging, and it may sometimes be difficult to know where to start. From reducing GHG emissions, becoming nature-positive, supporting local businesses, managing waste, water and energy efficiently, etc., destination managers have a lot of responsibilities. All the while marketing and positioning their destination to attract visitors and satisfy their expectations.

News

News

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September 2022

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Contact us

3 Woodland Enterprise Centre, Hastings Road,
Flimwell, East Sussex, TN5 7PR, UK

+44 (0) 1580 879970

contact@acorntourism.co.uk