About Dave — Tourism Digital Strategy Consultant

I’m a tourism digital strategy consultant based in Sydney — but unlike most consultants, I’ve actually been on the road. For nearly two decades I ran coach and private tours across NSW and QLD, built Escape Scenes from scratch, and figured out how to get direct bookings without handing 30% to the OTAs every time.

That’s not something you learn in a marketing degree. You learn it by actually running the operation — managing logistics, dealing with last-minute cancellations, watching your margins disappear into Viator’s pocket, and slowly figuring out how to build something that works without the middlemen.

I work with Australian tourism experience businesses — tour operators, coach companies, attractions, activity providers and accommodation businesses — who want to stop relying on OTAs and build a direct booking presence that actually works. I bring 18 years of web development experience and nearly two decades of operational experience to every client I work with. That combination is genuinely rare.

Why Drumroll Please?

I’ve been a drummer since the 80s. I know that timing is everything — and in business, your digital ecosystem works the same way. If your website, your SEO, your Google Business Profile and your booking system aren’t working in sync, you’re losing bookings every single day. Drumroll Please exists to get that rhythm right for tourism businesses who are serious about growing direct.

I’m not a big agency. I’m one person who works directly with every client — no account managers, no outsourcing, no call centres. Just straight-talking strategy from someone who genuinely understands your industry because they’ve lived it.

How I Work — And Why AI Is Part of It

When I say I use AI to help build your digital presence, it’s not as simple as asking it to “build me a webpage.” Not even close. I’ve asked close to 1,000 questions of AI as I build — and I’m very specific about my approach because I have a clear end goal in mind. AI is my assistant, and an incredibly good one. But I’m the one driving.

I dig deep into your business, understand where you want to go, and use AI as a precision tool to get there faster and smarter. When something doesn’t look right — and I’ve got nearly two decades of industry experience to know when that is — I step in and fix it. Because I’m not just building websites, I’m building direct booking machines that need to work for your specific operation.

Your success is my success. I’m genuinely passionate about getting results for my clients — and that means a personal approach to every single project, with every tool available working in your favour.

Ready to work with a tourism digital strategy consultant who actually gets the industry? Let’s talk.

What I Can Help You With

Tour Operator Website Design — high-converting direct booking websites built specifically for tourism experience businesses

Tourism SEO — local SEO and Google Map Pack optimisation that gets you found before the OTAs

Tourism Business Health Check — a full review of your online presence to find out what’s holding your direct bookings back

OTA Optimisation — making your Viator and TripAdvisor listings work harder while you build your direct channel