Join Carmen as she speaks with Molly Dobbins, Tourism and Hospitality Gateway to Industry Schools Program Coordinator at the Queensland Tourism Industry Council, about tourism career pathways, attracting young people into the industry, and why the language we use to talk about tourism careers matters.

Join Carmen as she speaks with James Coughlan, founder of Shorex Australia, about his journey from chef on board luxury cruise ships to shore excursion specialist and tourism business owner.

With around 25 years in the cruise industry, James shares what life at sea taught him about high standards, guest service, resilience and opportunity. He also speaks candidly about transitioning from employee to business owner, building Shorex Australia after COVID, and why local relationships matter so much in the future of cruise tourism.

Join Carmen as she speaks with Stephen Ekstrom, CEO and co-founder of Learn Tourism, about sustainable tourism, learning, storytelling, career pathways and the human connection that sits at the heart of memorable visitor experiences.

Together, they explore why tourism businesses need to be both sustainable and commercially viable, how frontline teams shape the guest experience, why tourism careers need better visibility, and what AI can and cannot replace in a people-powered industry.

In this first solo episode of Tourism Matters, Carmen Bold explores how the tourism industry can attract more people by doing a better job of showing the breadth, flexibility and value of tourism careers.

From invisible career pathways to outdated assumptions about what tourism work actually looks like, this episode looks at why the industry needs to tell a clearer, stronger story about the opportunities it offers, and why keeping good people matters just as much as attracting new ones.

Professor Judith Mair joins Carmen to share her career journey from Scotland’s tourism industry into academia in Australia. We talk about career reinvention, motherhood, moving countries, event legacies, sustainability, tourism education and why, even in an age of AI, hospitality still runs on people.

In this episode, I speak with Hannah Pearson, founder of Pear Anderson and co-host of the Southeast Asia Travel Show, about her winding career from Oxford and China to Kuala Lumpur, travel startups, market intelligence and building a tourism business through COVID.

We discuss workforce challenges, the disconnect between education and industry, and why passion is still one of tourism’s greatest strengths, as long as we don’t use it as an excuse to burn people out.

Carmen Bold steps into the guest seat as Sarah Jane Tilbury takes over hosting duties.

This episode unpacks a 25-year tourism career built on instinct, movement, and real-world experience - from Bungy platforms to major events and industry leadership.

Carmen shares her honest take on tourism careers - why they rarely follow a plan, why the industry undersells itself, and what actually keeps people in it long term.

Tabetha Beggs hasn’t followed a straight path - and she’s not trying to.

From working a cheese counter at Myer to shaping destination narratives across Western Australia, her career has been built through experience, instinct, and saying yes to opportunities as they show up.

In this episode, we unpack the value of backing yourself, why community voice matters in tourism, and how the most unexpected roles often end up being the most useful.

Birgitta March has built a tourism career that most people don’t even realise exists.

From guiding high-end clients across the US to interpreting technical tours around Australia, and now shaping the next generation through higher education, her journey has been a wild adventure.

In this episode, we unpack the reality of tour guiding, the challenges the industry still hasn’t solved, and why human connection is becoming more valuable, not less, in a digital world.

We explore Brad’s journey through the tourism industry, from large-scale infrastructure projects to building his own consultancy, and dive into what actually makes a tourism experience memorable.

Brad shares practical insights on how experience design links directly to business performance, why operators need to keep evolving, and what separates average tourism products from those guests can’t stop talking about.

From Hungary to Antarctica, this episode explores how a non-linear career can shape entirely new ways of thinking about tourism — and why travellers are starting to seek something deeper than just seeing a place.

Thomas Worry joins Carmen Bold to share what a real tourism career looks like — from seasonal work in Canada’s Yukon to corporate roles and global industry insight. This episode explores adaptability, career strategy, and the realities of building something long-term in tourism.

Regional tourism leader Linda Tillman joins Carmen Bold to unpack the realities of delivering events in regional Australia. From persistent challenges like workforce and funding to bold ideas like regional support hubs, Linda shares insights on capability, sustainability, and what needs to change for regional events to thrive.

Tourism researcher Professor Anne Hardy joins Carmen Bold to explore how tourism research can shape better industry decisions. From tracking tourists with smartphone technology to studying visitor behaviour in Antarctica, Anne shares insights on sustainability, behaviour change, and closing the gap between academia and the tourism industry.

Join Carmen as she chats with Matt Scott about building a global career in tourism, from tour guiding in Europe to product development and regional tourism in Australia. Matt shares practical insights on training, customer experience and what it really takes to create exceptional travel experiences.

Join Carmen as she chats with Emma Rhoades about building a career in tourism and the realities of navigating the workforce in a changing industry. Emma shares practical advice on networking, job seeking and the opportunities that exist across the tourism sector.

Join Carmen as she chats with Sarah-Jane Tilbury about her journey through the tourism industry, from early roles in travel and car rental to leading large tourism operations in Australia. SJ shares insights on leadership, team success and the realities of managing complex tourism businesses.

Join Carmen Bold as she chats with Kate Gibson, founder of Hike Collective, about building a tourism business centred on connection with nature, community and self. Kate shares how a simple idea—getting people outdoors to hike together—grew into one of Australia’s most recognised adventure tourism experiences.

Join Carmen Bold as she chats with Penny Brand about her colourful career journey from SeaWorld mascot and tour guide to Tourism Development Director at Gate 7. Penny shares how passion, networking and saying yes to opportunities helped shape a dynamic career in tourism.

Join Carmen Bold as she chats with Nic Cooper, founder of Wild Adventures Melbourne, about building a career in tourism that puts sustainability and responsible travel at its core. Nic shares how tour guiding, business development and entrepreneurship shaped his mission to create tourism that leaves a positive impact.