To provide you with the best experience, cookies are used on this site.  Learn more

Allow cookies
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

  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.
  7. Show More
Acorn Logo

Acorn Tourism Consulting has:

  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

View map

Number of results: 349

, currently showing 81 to 100.

  1. City of London T-Stats

    Address

    City of London, United Kingdom, City of London Corporation

    Telephone

    5000

    City of London Corporation,

    The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile in London with the task of developing and promoting the area to visitors. To assist with planning, marketing and monitoring tourism they contracted Acorn T-Stats in 2013 to…

  2. Economic Contribution of Mongolia’s Tourism Markets

    Address

    Mongolia, Netherlands Enterprise Agency

    Telephone

    50000

    Netherlands Enterprise Agency,

    This study assessed the system of tourism statistics in Mongolia and used existing data to estimate the economic impact of tourism in the country’s economy.

  3. Regional and National Capacity Building in Tourism Data Collection and Analysis in the South Pacific

    Address

    Fiji, South Pacific Tourism Organisation

    Telephone

    130000

    South Pacific Tourism Organisation,

    21-month study looking in detail at the systems of tourism statistics in 15 P-ACP Pacific countries, making recommendations and implementing improvements, developing a regional online tourism statistics database for the Pacific, and training.

  4. Financial Support for TSA Development in Cyprus

    Address

    Cyprus, Cyprus Tourism Organisation

    Telephone

    6000

    Cyprus Tourism Organisation,

    Developed a proposal for the Cyprus Tourism Organisation to submit to the EC for funding for a tourism satellite account project. The document set out the scope of work, identified the stakeholders that would be involved, and the timeline and…

  5. Tourism Statistics and Information System Assessment and Design in Albania

    Address

    Albania, Albania Development Fund, World Bank

    Telephone

    32000

    Albania Development Fund, World Bank,

    This project reviewed the current system of tourism statistics in Albania, and made realistic and implementable recommendations on how to improve it over a three-year period. The study included the drafting of the Terms of Reference for this work,…

  6. Great Yarmouth

    Address

    Suffolk, United Kingdom, Great Yarmouth Borough Council

    Telephone

    10000

    Great Yarmouth Borough Council,

    The Winter Gardens in Great Yarmouth is in desperate need of restoration. We provided an option appraisal for its future use and the initial business case for a Phase 1 HLF bid.

  7. Volunteering in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Address

    Africa, Mintel

    Telephone

    2500

    Mintel,

    Specialist niche market report on Volunteering in sub-Saharan Africa, providing a market profile of volunteering tourism, the most common destinations and volunteering experiences, and summarises a range of tour operator profiles and business models.

  8. Market and Feasibility Study for a Family Attraction in Wales

    Address

    City and County of Swansea, United Kingdom, Skyline Luge

    Telephone

    12000

    Skyline Luge,

    Market and feasibility assessment of a luge, zipwire and restaurant leisure development in Swansea. Included a demand assessment, survey of local residents, assessment of local attractions and accommodation, and current trends in visitor…

  9. Feasibility Study of a Desert Resort in Saudi Arabia

    Address

    Saudi Arabia, Private Client

    Telephone

    75000

    Private Client,

    Market feasibility study for a luxury resort targeting the Saudi and expatriate markets in the country. This included identifying the best location for the resort based on available infrastructure and proximity to the markets. The study also…

  10. Zambia Tourism Sector Value Chain Analysis

    Address

    Zambia, CBI, The Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries, Netherlands

    Telephone

    30000

    CBI, The Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries, Netherlands,

    Extensive research, stakeholder engagement and workshops, informed CBI about the opportunities to invest in an Export Coaching Programme to support a more competitive and sustainable tourism value chain in Zambia and increase SME exports to Europe.

  11. Horse Racing and Equestrian Tourism in Scotland

    Address

    Scotland, United Kingdom, VisitScotland

    Telephone

    16000

    VisitScotland,

    Study to undertake market research into horse riding and horse racing in Scotland, and to develop a market profile for each that would include clear guidelines on developing, marketing and promoting each segment.

  12. Richmond Transport Study, London

    Address

    Borough of Richmond upon Thames, United Kingdom, London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames

    Telephone

    16000

    London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames,

    Survey of residents and visitors to 10 attractions within Richmond-upon-Thames to find out how they had travelled to the attraction, and what would encourage them to travel to the destination using a sustainable means of transport.

  13. Website User Survey and Review for the Falklands

    Address

    Falkland Islands, Falkland Islands Tourist Board

    Telephone

    6000

    Falkland Islands Tourist Board,

    Survey to gain insight into the users of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board website, and to gauge their levels of satisfaction with regards to the information it provided, its layout, ease of use, content, and usefulness providing information for…

  14. Nicaragua Tourism Market Research and Competitive Analysis

    Address

    Nicaragua, CBI Netherlands and INTUR (Instituto Nicaragüense de Turismo)

    CBI Netherlands and INTUR (Instituto Nicaragüense de Turismo),

    This project supported INTUR in positioning Nicaragua as a competitive destination for European travellers by identifying niche tourism opportunities and benchmarking against regional competitors. Through market research, stakeholder consultations,…

  15. TSA, Tourism Satellite Account, Jordan

    Address

    Jordan, USAID

    Telephone

    15000

    USAID,

    Acorn compiled the first Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) for Jordan with a reference year of 2012, and subsequently updated this two years later for a reference year of 2016. This study updated the 2016 TSA to provide estimates of Tourism Direct…

  16. Shropshire

    Address

    United Kingdom, Shropshire Council, Shropshire

    Shropshire Council, Shropshire

    This project supports the creation of a more connected, inclusive, and sustainable outdoor tourism offer in Shropshire. By enhancing infrastructure, promoting new outdoor products, and engaging local communities, the plan helps position Shropshire…

  17. Music Festival Tourism

    Address

    Worldwide, Mintel

    Telephone

    2500

    Mintel,

    Specialist niche market report that looks as Music Festival Tourism Worldwide, explores the current music festival scene, profiles a music festival tourist and the benefits of the festival sector, and what’s next for the industry.

  18. Sculpture in the City Impact Assessment

    Address

    London, United Kingdom, City of London Corporation

    Telephone

    7500

    City of London Corporation,

    Assessment of the economic impact of the Sculpture in the City projects, including an estimate of visitor numbers, and evaluation of the impact, in terms of expenditure, on the City economy that the sculpture park generated.

  19. Tourism Information Dissemination System in Latvia

    Address

    Latvia, Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Latvia, European Union

    Telephone

    8000

    Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Latvia, European Union,

    Study to assess the existing collection and organisation of tourism information in Latvia, and propose a national system to provide all the regional tourism information offices with up-to-date information on the sector.

  20. Food stalls

    Address

    Worldwide, CBI, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency

    Telephone

    5000

    CBI, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency,

    This detailed business guide was aimed at supporting SMEs throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America to compete effectively in the European tourism market for food tourism.

Acorn Logo

Featured Projects

  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 202531 Dec 2025
  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 202531 Dec 2025
  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 202531 Dec 2025
  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 202531 Dec 2025
  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 202531 Dec 2025
  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 202531 Dec 2025
  7. Show More

"I have worked with many consultants during my career, and Acorn has been one of the top in their professionalism, commitment, and passion to get the job done right...for the right reasons! Highly recommended..."

Brian Ross
In-country management for UNREDD, Zambia
Acorn Logo

Blogs

  • 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?

  • Why a Business Sector Sustainability Scan is the Smart First Move

    Why a Business Sector Sustainability Scan is the Smart First Move

    Ambition becomes action when you can measure it, and that’s exactly what a Business Sector Sustainability Scan (BSSS) enables. It provides destinations with data on how local tourism businesses perform against Green Destinations' Good Travel Scan criteria. With this evidence, you can focus time and budget on the issues that matter most.

  • 2024 in Review: Acorn Tourism’s Sustainable Journey and What’s Next

    2024 in Review: Acorn Tourism’s Sustainable Journey and What’s Next

    Read Time: 4 Minutes

    As we step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on a transformative year for Acorn Tourism. 2024 was marked by impactful projects, meaningful collaborations, and new opportunities to advance sustainable tourism worldwide. It’s been a year of growth and innovation, and we’re excited to share some of the highlights with you.

  • Delivering Sustainable Tourism: Insights for Inbound Tour Operators

    Delivering Sustainable Tourism: Insights for Inbound Tour Operators

    Read Time: 6 minutes

    At Acorn Tourism Consulting, we’ve seen how sustainable tourism can transform destinations—enhancing the environment, uplifting communities, and driving long-term economic benefits. Through our work with destinations and tour operators across diverse regions and our ongoing research into niche markets, we help operators diversify their offerings, generate local spend, and lead the way in responsible tourism.

  • 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?

  • Why a Business Sector Sustainability Scan is the Smart First Move

    Why a Business Sector Sustainability Scan is the Smart First Move

    Ambition becomes action when you can measure it, and that’s exactly what a Business Sector Sustainability Scan (BSSS) enables. It provides destinations with data on how local tourism businesses perform against Green Destinations' Good Travel Scan criteria. With this evidence, you can focus time and budget on the issues that matter most.

  • 2024 in Review: Acorn Tourism’s Sustainable Journey and What’s Next

    2024 in Review: Acorn Tourism’s Sustainable Journey and What’s Next

    Read Time: 4 Minutes

    As we step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on a transformative year for Acorn Tourism. 2024 was marked by impactful projects, meaningful collaborations, and new opportunities to advance sustainable tourism worldwide. It’s been a year of growth and innovation, and we’re excited to share some of the highlights with you.

  • Delivering Sustainable Tourism: Insights for Inbound Tour Operators

    Delivering Sustainable Tourism: Insights for Inbound Tour Operators

    Read Time: 6 minutes

    At Acorn Tourism Consulting, we’ve seen how sustainable tourism can transform destinations—enhancing the environment, uplifting communities, and driving long-term economic benefits. Through our work with destinations and tour operators across diverse regions and our ongoing research into niche markets, we help operators diversify their offerings, generate local spend, and lead the way in responsible tourism.

  • 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.

  • Why a Business Sector Sustainability Scan is the Smart First Move

    Why a Business Sector Sustainability Scan is the Smart First Move

    Ambition becomes action when you can measure it, and that’s exactly what a Business Sector Sustainability Scan (BSSS) enables. It provides destinations with data on how local tourism businesses perform against Green Destinations' Good Travel Scan criteria. With this evidence, you can focus time and budget on the issues that matter most.

  • 2024 in Review: Acorn Tourism’s Sustainable Journey and What’s Next

    2024 in Review: Acorn Tourism’s Sustainable Journey and What’s Next

    Read Time: 4 Minutes

    As we step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on a transformative year for Acorn Tourism. 2024 was marked by impactful projects, meaningful collaborations, and new opportunities to advance sustainable tourism worldwide. It’s been a year of growth and innovation, and we’re excited to share some of the highlights with you.

  • Delivering Sustainable Tourism: Insights for Inbound Tour Operators

    Delivering Sustainable Tourism: Insights for Inbound Tour Operators

    Read Time: 6 minutes

    At Acorn Tourism Consulting, we’ve seen how sustainable tourism can transform destinations—enhancing the environment, uplifting communities, and driving long-term economic benefits. Through our work with destinations and tour operators across diverse regions and our ongoing research into niche markets, we help operators diversify their offerings, generate local spend, and lead the way in responsible tourism.

  • 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?

  • News

    News

    May 2025

    March 2025

    February 2025

    January 2025

    November 2024

    October 2024

    September 2024

    July 2024

    May 2024

    April 2024

    March 2024

    February 2024

    January 2024

    December 2023

    November 2023

    October 2023

    September 2023

    July 2023

    June 2023

    May 2023

    April 2023

    March 2023

    Acorn Logo
    Search our projects
    Search our projects
    Region:
    Type:
    Keyword:
    Search our projects

    Stay updated with Acorn

    Follow us on social media

    Contact us

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

    +44 (0) 1580 879970

    contact@acorntourism.co.uk