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Remote hills and valleys in Lesotho, Africa

More than twenty years of sustainable tourism development for destinations worldwide

Riverfront in Copenhagen, Denmark

Helping tourism businesses innovate and stimulate the visitor economy

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

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
    310
    projects
  2. Enjoyed working with
    165
    clients
  3. Delivered projects in
    85
    countries
  4. Served the sector for
    22
    years

Where We Work

Number of results: 324

, currently showing 241 to 260.

  1. Address

    Bexhill, East Sussex, United Kingdom, East Sussex County Council

    Telephone

    20000

    East Sussex County Council,

    After delivering the Pebsham Countryside Park Recreational Demand Study and Public Consultation, we were asked to prepare a Business Plan addressing the financial and organisational implications associated with the planning and delivery of the…

  2. Address

    Worldwide, World Bank

    Telephone

    2500

    World Bank ,

    Detailed analysis of the community-based tourism market in Africa, in particular looking at its potential for growth, in which countries, and to what type of tourists. Interviews were undertaken with tour operators and backed up with research of…

  3. 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…

  4. Address

    Northumberland, United Kingdom, Mid-Tyne Community Trust

    Telephone

    15000

    Mid-Tyne Community Trust,

    The feasibility study and options appraisal for the sustainable re-use of three redundant cottages at Barrasford Quarry in Tynedale, identified long-term mixed use for tourism, educational and commercial potential to support running costs

  5. Address

    East Sussex, United Kingdom, Ashdown Forest Conservators

    Telephone

    15000

    Ashdown Forest Conservators,

    Workable options for improving the Visitor Centre had to consider tight planning restrictions, limited budgets and the potential to move sites. Acorn’s Business Plan delivered pragmatic options that were acted upon by the Project Development…

  6. Address

    Falkland Islands, Falkland Islands Tourist Board

    Telephone

    25000

    Falkland Islands Tourist Board,

    Study to develop a system of tourism statistics to provide the Falkland Islands Tourist Board with robust data to plan, market, monitor and regulate the tourism sector. Included the design and implementation of air visitor, cruise visitor and…

  7. Address

    Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, Lincolnshire County Council

    Telephone

    15000

    Lincolnshire County Council,

    The cumulative potential of Uphill Lincoln's historic assets: the Norman castle, cathedral, Bishop's Palace and Magna Carta, were assessed and investment opportunities identified to help Lincoln move from being a half-day to a short break…

  8. Address

    France, La Direction du Tourisme

    Telephone

    33000

    La Direction du Tourisme,

    Acorn undertook the research in the UK to identify strengths and weaknesses of the public funding programme of tourist accommodation and to make comparisons between the UK and other European countries to identify good practice.

  9. Address

    Zambia, PEP Zambia, DFID

    Telephone

    80000

    PEP Zambia, DFID,

    Acorn delivered a Destination Management Plan for Livingstone, based on a placemaking approach, with extensive public and private stakeholder engagement, to guide local and national stakeholders to create a more competitive destination.

  10. Address

    Switzerland, Ministry of Labour, UNWTO

    Telephone

    18000

    Ministry of Labour, UNWTO,

    This study was commissioned by the Swiss Ministry of Labour and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to undertake an assessment of the Swiss tourism product, the key source markets, and competing destinations in Europe.

  11. 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.

  12. Address

    Worldwide, CBI, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency

    Telephone

    5000

    CBI, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency,

    This detailed business guide was conducted to support local tour operators throughout developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to compete effectively in the European tourism market for wellness tourism.

  13. Address

    Senegal, IFC

    Telephone

    90000

    IFC,

    Assessment of the current demand for tourism in Senegal, creating a detailed profile of existing and potential visitors to the country. Using this data, the study developed a long list of potential investment projects to satisfy the expected demand…

  14. Address

    Private Client

    Telephone

    2500

    Private Client,

    Market research was required to support the development of a wellness and glamping business in the south east region of the UK.

  15. Address

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Information Technology

    Telephone

    250000

    Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Information Technology,

    This study provided input into the Sustainable Tourism Master Plan 2023-2028 for St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The marketing strategy was developed around the key niches of Ecotourism Adventures, Community-based Tourism (CBT) and Yachting/Sailing…

  16. Address

    Hungary, Hungary Ministry of Tourism, European Union

    Telephone

    35000

    Hungary Ministry of Tourism, European Union,

    Study to establish the most effective and efficient delivery systems for distributing tourism information to existing and potential visitors to Hungary, tour operators and travel agents, travel writers and researchers, as well as within the…

  17. Address

    Worldwide, CBI, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency

    Telephone

    5000

    CBI, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency,

    A practical business guide aimed at supporting local tour operators and SMEs looking to enter the European tourism market for nature and ecotourism.

  18. 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.

  19. Address

    Lesotho, Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation, World Bank

    Telephone

    120000

    Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation, World Bank,

    Design and implementation of a 6,000 sample visitor exit survey for Lesotho using electronic data capture through iPads donated by Acorn. The project also included the implementation of an online business barometer survey to track sentiment in the…

  20. Address

    Namibia, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, UNWTO, UNDP

    Telephone

    12000

    Ministry of Environment and Tourism, UNWTO, UNDP,

    This project was commissioned to review the national tourism information system and system of tourism statistics, and make relevant recommendations and project proposals in order to strengthen the operational capacity of the Ministry of Environment…

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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

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.

Culture and Traditions: What are the next steps towards sustainable destination management?

Culture and Traditions: 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.

Environment and Climate: What are the next steps towards sustainable destination management?

Environment and Climate: What are the next steps towards sustainable destination management?

Read time: 2 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.

Nature and Conservation: What are the next steps towards sustainable destination management?

Nature and Conservation: 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.

Organisation and Planning: What are the next steps for sustainable destination development?

Organisation and Planning: What are the next steps for sustainable destination development?

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.

Influencer Marketing - the fastest growing trend within the Tourism Industry

Influencer Marketing - the fastest growing trend within the Tourism Industry

Read time: 2 mins

The trend of Influencer marketing has taken off in the last decade and is currently one of the fastest growing activities within the digital marketing space. The movement has been on the rise due to the growth of social media and the influence of word-of-mouth marketing. For marketers “brands are no longer what companies tell consumers but rather what consumers tell each other”.

World Tourism Day, Re-Thinking Tourism

World Tourism Day, Re-Thinking Tourism

Read time: 2 mins

As we celebrate the UNWTO’s World Tourism Day with the theme ‘Re-Thinking Tourism’, one can’t help but look back at the highs and (many) lows that the Tourism Industry has experienced over the last three years. And, although the lows were very low, we must look to the future and be thankful in a way that tourism did slow for a small while, as it gave us the unique and needed opportunity and realisation that there was a dire need for the tourism industry to stop and ‘re-think’ its future development.

How can you grow your business with online bookings?

How can you grow your business with online bookings?

Read time: 1 min

Online bookings are increasingly popular as they provide a convenient, trustworthy experience for customers, allowing them to book services from anywhere at any time, with real time information, while having full control over the experience.

Everything you need to know about using a website to grow your business.

Everything you need to know about using a website to grow your business.

Read time: 1 min

Your website is the face of your business, and a powerful tool to connect with your customers, present your products and services and grow your business. A great website can make or break your business. It is increasingly becoming essential for customers to find out about your business.

Courses to help boost your knowledge on Sustainable Tourism

Courses to help boost your knowledge on Sustainable Tourism

Read time: 3 mins

Here at Acorn Tourism Consulting, we believe in the strength of working together to build a greater sustainable future for the tourism sector and beyond. We have been promoting some sustainable tourism through our social media platforms and decided that it would be helpful to also collate them all into one blog.

News

News

March 2024

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December 2023

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July 2023

June 2023

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April 2023

March 2023

February 2023

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September 2022

July 2022

June 2022

March 2022

January 2022

December 2021

November 2021

October 2021

August 2021

July 2021

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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