Tourism Matters
Tourism Matters explores careers, capability and the people shaping the tourism industry. Host Carmen Bold speaks with professionals, leaders and educators from across the sector about how they built their careers, the lessons they’ve learned along the way, and where the industry is heading next. The podcast offers insight for anyone working in tourism, considering a career in the industry, or responsible for developing the next generation of talent.
Episodes
29 episodes
The Business of Tourism - Lisa Pagotto on Shark Tank, Learning to Fly and Building Crooked Compass
Join Carmen as she chats with Lisa Pagotto, founder of Crooked Compass and Crooked Compass by Air, about building a tourism business, backing yourself and finding opportunity in some very unexpected places.Lisa launched Crooked Compass i...
Jason Gelineau on Luxury Cruise, Guest Experience and the Power of Your Network
Join Carmen as she chats with Jason Gelineau, a cruise and tourism industry leader with more than 30 years of global experience, including 24 years working at sea.Jason shares how a teenage taste of Caribbean resort life sparked a career...
The Business of Tourism - Alex Dykman on building Maverick Tourism, assembling a great team and digital change
Join Carmen as she chats with Alex Dykman, founder of Maverick Tourism and Grow Tourism, about entrepreneurship and the business of tourism.Alex’s tourism career began with a chance conversation over drinks and an entry-level role with ...
Molly Dobbins: Connecting Classrooms to Tourism Careers
Episode DescriptionJoin Carmen as she speaks with Molly Dobbins, Tourism and Hospitality Gateway to Industry Schools Program Coordinator at the Queensland Tourism Industry Council.Molly is passionate about empowering the ne...
James Coughlan: 25 years in cruise, from galley to gangway and into the world of entrepreneurship
Join Carmen as she speaks with James Coughlan, founder of Shorex Australia, about his 25-year journey through the cruise industry.James began his career as a chef, working in high-pressure kitchens before joining Crystal Cruises and step...
Stephen Ekstrom: Learning, Storytelling and Better Tourism Experiences
EPISODE DESCRIPTIONThis week on Tourism Matters, I sit down with Stephen Ekstrom, CEO, co-founder and self-described nerd whisperer at Learn Tourism.Learn Tourism is a non-profit academy creating smart, immersive learning a...
Solo Episode: Tourism Careers Have a PR Problem
Episode DescriptionIn this first solo episode of Tourism Matters, prompted by a question asked of her on LinkedIn, Carmen Bold explores one of the biggest challenges facing the tourism industry: how do we attract more people into ...
Professor Judith Mair: Motherhood, Migration and a Career in Tourism
In this episode of Tourism Matters, I’m joined by Professor Judith Mair, Academic Director and Associate Dean (Education) at The Hotel School Australia, Southern Cross University.Judith’s career began in Scotland, where she studied langu...
Hannah Pearson: Travel, Startups and Building a Business Through Crisis and Consistency
In this episode of Tourism Matters, I’m joined by Hannah Pearson, founder of Pear Anderson and co-host of the Southeast Asia Travel Show.Hannah’s career has taken her from studying languages at Oxford to teaching in France and China, cor...
Carmen Bold: From Bungy Jumping to Supporting Entrepreneurs, my Tourism Career, Built One Opportunity at a Time
Episode DescriptionThis one flips the script.For the first time on Tourism Matters, Carmen moves from host to guest, with Sarah Jane Tilbury taking the reins.What unfolds is not a polished career narrative. ...
Tabetha Beggs: Building a Tourism Career Through Curiosity, Risk and Storytelling
Tabetha Beggs hasn’t followed a straight path - no, no.In this episode of Tourism Matters, Carmen sits down with Tabetha Beggs, Tourism Experiences Lead at Destination Perth, to explore a career shaped by curiosity, risk-taking, and a w...
Birgitta March: Languages, Academia & Why Tour Guides Are More Important Than Ever
Episode DescriptionIn this episode of Tourism Matters, Carmen sits down with Birgitta March, a tourism lecturer, PhD researcher, and former international tour guide. Exploring a career that spans continents, sectors, and ...
Brad Rowe: The Art + Science Behind Memorable Tourism Experiences
In this episode, Carmen is joined by Brad Rowe, a tourism consultant with deep experience across product development, infrastructure, and destination management.We explore his journey from growing up in New Zealand to working on major to...
Beáta Szablics: From Hungary to Antarctica, and a New Way of Thinking About Tourism
Episode DescriptionIn this episode of Tourism Matters, Carmen Bold sits down with Beáta Szablics, whose career has taken her from a small town in Hungary to cruise ships, global product development, launching a luxury exp...
Thomas Worry: From Seasonal Work to a Sustainable Tourism Career
Episode DescriptionIn this episode of Tourism Matters, Carmen Bold speaks with Thomas Worry, a Canadian tourism professional whose career has been built across seasonal roles, international experience, and corporate tourism operat...
Linda Tillman: Why Regional Events Are Struggling (And What Needs to Change)
Episode DescriptionIn this episode of Tourism Matters, Carmen Bold speaks with Linda Tillman - Managing Director of Tilma Group and co-founder of the Australian Centre for Regional Events - about the realities of building tourism ...
Professor Anne Hardy: Why Tourism Research Matters - Behaviour, Data and Antarctica
In this episode of Tourism Matters, Carmen Bold speaks with Professor Anne Hardy — tourism researcher, consultant, academic, and Chair of Destination Southern Tasmania — about how research can shape tourism decisions.Anne shares the stor...
Matt Scott: Tour Guiding, Product Development and Building a Global Tourism Career
In this episode of Tourism Matters, join Carmen Bold as she chats with Matt Scott about his journey through international tourism, tour guiding and product development.Matt shares how early travel experiences and cultural exposure led hi...
Emma Rhoades: Tourism Careers, Networking and Navigating Workforce Challenges
In this episode of Tourism Matters, join Carmen Bold as she chats with Emma Rhoades about her career journey and her current work supporting tourism businesses through workforce development at the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC)....
Sarah-Jane Tilbury, Leadership, Commercial Accumen and do penguins have knees?
In this episode of Tourism Matters, join Carmen Bold as she chats with Sarah-Jane Tilbury about building a career in tourism that spans international travel, operational leadership and general management.Sarah-Jane shares her journey fro...
Kate Gibson: Hike Collective, Human Connection and Purpose-Driven Tourism
In the first episode of Tourism Matters for 2026, join Carmen Bold as she chats with Kate Gibson about her journey from horse riding and personal training to founding Hike Collective, a tourism business focused on meaningful outdoor experiences...
Penny Brand: From SeaWorld Mascot & 60+ Skydives to Destination Marketing Leader
In this episode of Tourism Matters, join Carmen Bold as she chats with Penny Brand about building a career in tourism that spans adventure tourism, international tour guiding and destination marketing.Penny shares how her early roles—fro...
Nic Cooper: From Tour Guide to Eco-Tourism Founder and the Future of Responsible Tourism
In this episode of Tourism Matters, join Carmen Bold as she chats with Nic Cooper about his journey from working in tourism from a young age to founding Wild Adventures Melbourne, an eco-tourism company focused on sustainable travel experiences...
Ged Brown: Low Season Travel, Overtourism and Rethinking When We Travel
In this episode of Tourism Matters, join Carmen Bold as she chats with Ged Brown about his journey through the global travel industry and the idea that led him to found Low Season Traveler.Ged shares insights from a career that spans tou...
Giselle Whitaker: Saying Yes, Global Tourism Careers and Unexpected Opportunities
In this episode of Tourism Matters, join Carmen Bold as she chats with Giselle Whitaker about building a career across multiple countries, industries and unexpected opportunities in the tourism sector.Giselle shares stories from a career...
