Jackie Ellis's tourism background covers experience of both private and public sector work, including 17 years in UK destination management. She became an independent consultant in 2006, using her knowledge of product development, communications and the visitor experience to assist NGOs, destinations, sporting venues and attractions across the UK, Europe, South America and The Middle East.
Jackie's recent projects include rural and urban visitor experience audits, product development for a new English touring route, project managing coastal and countryside tourism development initiatives, and providing communications support for destinations, attractions and events. For the past five years she has delivered vocational training for SMEs working in sustainable tourism, with a particular emphasis on outdoor activities and on food. She has written themed trails for National Parks and town walking tours.
She writes and edit case studies for VisitEngland and VisitBritain; edited the Handbook on Transnational Tourism Themes and Routes for the ETC and UNWTO (not yet published), and delivers projects under the EU Erasmus+ programme working with partners in multiple countries. One of her earliest projects involved the creation of St Cuthbert's Way, a long distance footpath running form Melrose in the Scottish Borders to Lindisfarne in Northumberland. She also co-authored Welcome Host Gold, the national customer service training programme.
Jackie is a Fellow of the Tourism Management Institute, member of the Tourism Society and former member of the European Union of Tourism Officers.