Tourism Project
Consultancy Services
Collaborative solutions to support strategic tourism growth across South Australia.
South Australia Destination Management Co. offers specialised tourism consultancy dedicated to delivering transformative, place-based strategies for destinations and communities across South Australia. With over 25 years of expertise, we bring together deep regional knowledge, robust industry connections, and a proven track record in project delivery to empower local tourism sectors and drive sustainable growth.
consulting is an integral part of our business. We guide local governments, industry organisations, and regional collectives through the complexities of tourism development, visitor servicing, and destination activation. Whether developing business cases, coordinating stakeholder engagement, or leading collaborative strategy projects, our tailored consulting approach ensures your precinct’s unique strengths and opportunities are harnessed for maximum impact.
📍Carrickalinga, Fleurieu Peninsula 📷 @a.simple.meandering
What Sets Us Apart:
-
In-Depth Local Knowledge: SAdmc combines grassroots understanding with strategic oversight, ensuring recommendations are informed, pragmatic, and place-relevant. We are connected in South Australia.
-
Bespoke Solutions: We don’t believe in off-the-shelf. Every strategy, plan, or itinerary is crafted in consultation with local stakeholders, responding to the aspirations and character of the community.
-
Full Service Management: From feasibility studies and destination master planning to grant applications and delivery oversight, we partner with you every step of the way.
-
Results: Our initiatives have consistently been recognised for excellence in destination development, regional marketing, and delivering genuine outcomes for visitors and local communities.
With deep local networks and destination expertise, we turn specialist travel objectives into exceptional outcomes.
Project Consultants
Sondra Stewart
Sondra Stewart is a tourism and economic development specialist with over 25 years of
experience across regional South Australia. She brings expertise in place-based planning, stakeholder engagement, and delivering
tourism infrastructure and strategy projects that drive community and visitor economy
outcomes.
Sondra has worked with local councils, state and federal agencies, First Nations communities, and regional development organisations across roles in local and state government and private enterprise. Her strengths lie in business case development, project management, and building partnerships that deliver real outcomes for regional communities.
She holds a Bachelor of Business (Tourism& Event Management) and is an Australian certified economic development practitioner, with experience in project management. She has led award-winning initiatives in destination development, visitor servicing, and event delivery.
Allison Russell
Allison Russell is a qualified historian with a Master’s in Museum Studies and brings over 30 years of experience in the cultural and heritage
sector. Her career has focused on creating meaningful and high-quality visitor experiences
at museums, heritage sites, and public spaces across Australia and internationally.
She was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2010 to explore best-practice community engagement in cultural settings, and an Asialink Arts Residency in 2018, working with the Georgetown Festival in Penang, Malaysia.
As Director of Community Programs at the History Trust of South Australia, Allison worked extensively with regional communities to codevelop innovative ways to share their stories with visitors.
Her leadership continued as Director of Assets and Operations at the National Trust of South Australia, where she developed and delivered significant regional tourism initiatives. During her tenure as Deputy Director of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, she played a key role in the delivery of the award winning Chihuly in the Botanic Gardens exhibition.
Dr Regan Forrest
Originally trained in Science Communication, Regan’s 25-year career has seen her plan,
develop and manage major tourism and cultural institutions across the UK, North America, Middle East and Australia.
Regan has developed multiple feasibility studies, business cases, master plans and exhibitions for sites as diverse as a space themed visitor attraction, a medieval guildhall, an American Revolution-era fort, a children’s museum in Amman, Jordan, Old Parliament House in Canberra, and West Terrace Cemetery in Adelaide.
Her breadth of project experience is complemented by a deep understanding of the psychology of visitor experiences, culminating in her being awarded a PhD from the University of Queensland’s School of Tourism in 2015.
Regan has held senior leadership roles at the South Australian Museum and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Most recently, she was Manager City Activation at City of Holdfast Bay, overseeing a large portfolio spanning events, arts, history, tourism, economic development and commercial operations.
Previous Experience
-
Delivered the business plan, stakeholder strategy, and project management for the $4M Experience Adelaide Visitor Centre.
-
Led region-wide engagement and development for the Eyre Peninsula Trails Strategy, producing shovel-ready projects to unlock future investment.
-
Drove award-winning place activation, event delivery, and capacity building across Adelaide, Eyre Peninsula, Flinders Ranges, and Outback regions.
-
Supported First Nations tourism enterprises through business mentoring, product development, and strategy implementation.