076⎢ Placemaking Through Events with Linda Tillman
Tourism Hub Podcast with Despina Karatzias
Release Date: 07/10/2025
081⎢Eventfolk: Building a Collective Voice for Regional and Rural Events
Tourism Hub Podcast with Despina Karatzias
In this episode of The Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias sits down with Linda Tillman, co-founder of the Australian Centre for Regional Events, to explore how collaboration and innovation are transforming regional tourism through events. Discover how a powerful moment at the Australian Regional Tourism Convention inspired Linda to champion regional and rural events, and how that spark led to the creation of Eventfolk, a new digital community built to connect and empower event professionals across Australia. From advocacy and capacity-building to the upcoming AI for Eventfolk...
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080⎢Governance and the AICD Advantage with Greg Ewing
Tourism Hub Podcast with Despina Karatzias
In this episode of the Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias sits down with Greg Viewing from the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) to discuss the importance of professional development in the tourism sector. Greg shares insights about the AICD's mission to elevate board professionalism and the newly launched partnership with Australian Regional Tourism aimed at enhancing governance skills among directors. Listeners will learn about the significance of the company directors course, an internationally recognised programme that equips aspiring and current directors with...
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079⎢Why Tourism Is a Career Worth Choosing with Lucy Dewhurst
Tourism Hub Podcast with Despina Karatzias
In this inspiring episode of the Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias sits down with Lucy Dewhurst, a rising star in the tourism industry, to explore the multifaceted career pathways available in tourism. Lucy shares her personal journey, beginning with a pivotal moment in Halong Bay that ignited her passion for sustainable tourism and conservation. She reflects on her experiences volunteering in Wales and how these shaped her understanding of the intersection between tourism and environmental stewardship. Listeners will gain insight into Lucy's strategic approach to career development,...
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078⎢What AI Can and Can't Do for your Tourism Business
Tourism Hub Podcast with Despina Karatzias
In this enlightening episode of the Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias explores the transformative power of artificial intelligence in marketing and its implications for the tourism industry. Drawing on insights from industry leaders and recent research, Despina highlights the staggering growth of AI in marketing, projected to soar from $27.4 billion in 2023 to $107.5 billion by 2028. She shares the compelling quote from Paul Rotzer: "Artificial intelligence will not replace marketers, but marketers who use AI will replace those who don't," setting the tone for a deep dive into the...
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077⎢CTRL+ALT+DELETE: AI, Algorithms & the Attention Economy
Tourism Hub Podcast with Despina Karatzias
In this thought-provoking episode of the Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias dives deep into the complexities of our digital lives and the impact of the attention economy. Drawing from a recent report by Dentsu, which reveals that the average person scrolls through an astounding 91 metres of content daily, Despina sets the stage for a conversation about the value of attention in today's world. Sharing her personal journey as she nears the completion of her Masters in Digital and Social Media Marketing, Despina reflects on her final creative project titled "Control Alt Delete: Attention...
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076⎢ Placemaking Through Events with Linda Tillman
Tourism Hub Podcast with Despina Karatzias
In this dynamic episode of the Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias welcomes Linda Tillman from the Tilma Group, as they delve into the pivotal role of regional events in fostering community connections. Valinda shares her insights from the recent ART Convention in Mackay, where she and Stu Spears sparked a conversation about shifting the focus from solely economic metrics to a more holistic understanding of the social value events bring to regional and rural communities. Listeners will be inspired by Valinda's passion for regional tourism, as she recounts her journey from Wagga Wagga...
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075⎢Reset. Realign. Reignite for FY25/26
Tourism Hub Podcast with Despina Karatzias
In this invigorating episode of the Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias reflects on the vital role of tourism in Australia and the importance of strategic planning as we enter a new financial year. With insights drawn from the latest research by Tourism Research Australia, Despina highlights the resilience of over 360,000 tourism-related businesses and the significance of solo operators and micro businesses in shaping the industry. Listeners are encouraged to take this opportunity for reflection and to reset their business visions. Despina shares personal anecdotes from her 14-year...
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074 ⎢ The Social Impact of Tourism with Dana Ronan
Tourism Hub Podcast with Despina Karatzias
In this enlightening episode of the Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dana Ronan from Nourish Group. They discuss exciting developments in the tourism industry, including the announcement of the 2025 ART Convention set to take place in the beautiful Adelaide Hills, just a short drive from Adelaide's city centre. Listeners will gain insight into Nourish Group's groundbreaking partnership with Australian Regional Tourism, focusing on the social impact and value tourism brings to local communities. Dana elaborates on the innovative use of...
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073 ⎢ The Power of Your NETwork
Tourism Hub Podcast with Despina Karatzias
In this empowering episode of the Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias explores the transformative power of intentional networking. Drawing from her own journey in the tourism industry, Despina shares a unique framework she calls "Net," designed to help listeners connect more strategically and purposefully. She reflects on her recent speaking engagement at the City of Monash and Eastern Innovation Business Centre, where she inspired a group of women entrepreneurs to elevate their networking game. Listeners will discover the three essential steps of the Net framework: narrowing your...
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072 ⎢ Building Tourism Networks Across Australia: Melissa Souter Robertson’s ART Convention Experience
Tourism Hub Podcast with Despina Karatzias
In this vibrant episode of the Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias chats with Melissa Souter Robertson from the Shire of Collie, WA, as they discuss her experiences at the recent ART convention in Mackay. Melissa shares her enthusiasm for the event, highlighting the inspiring speakers and invaluable insights gained from the agritourism conference, which has sparked her interest in implementing similar initiatives in her region. Listeners will discover the unique features of Collie, a picturesque town located just two and a half hours south of Perth, known for its stunning bushland,...
info_outlineIn this dynamic episode of the Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias welcomes Linda Tillman from the Tilma Group, as they delve into the pivotal role of regional events in fostering community connections. Valinda shares her insights from the recent ART Convention in Mackay, where she and Stu Spears sparked a conversation about shifting the focus from solely economic metrics to a more holistic understanding of the social value events bring to regional and rural communities.
Listeners will be inspired by Valinda's passion for regional tourism, as she recounts her journey from Wagga Wagga to becoming a specialist in regional events. She highlights the importance of recognising the pride and engagement that events instil within communities, and the necessity of measuring their broader impacts beyond just economic benefits.
The episode also features an exciting preview of the upcoming 2025 ART Convention in Adelaide Hills, where Valinda emphasises the value of networking and collaboration among tourism professionals. With a heartfelt call to action, she encourages listeners to embrace the power of events and to advocate for their significance in shaping vibrant regional communities.
01:41 - Stu Spears and I had a fabulous session yesterday on regional events
06:26 - Rose spoke on Wednesday about agritourism and sparked interest in events
07:39 - The Adelaide Hills art convention will be held in 2025
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Show hosted by Despina Karatzias and brought to you by Tourism Hub in association with Institute Of Excellence.
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