The Tourism Business

What The Tourism Business does

The Tourism Business is a UK-based hospitality and tourism marketing consultancy founded in 2004 by Martin Evans and headquartered in York, England. The firm operates a dual consultancy-and-agency model, delivering strategic marketing planning alongside hands-on hotel and tourism marketing services, PR, and event management. Its core products include hotel marketing services (marketing plans, hotel PR, full marketing management for hotels without in-house marketing staff), tourism consultancy (Hotel Futures studies, destination PR campaigns, tourism operator training), an annual conference portfolio (National Hotel Marketing Conference since 2004, National Marketing Conference for Visitor Attractions, National Wedding Venue Marketing Conference), and a sister brand, ScreenTourism.com, which the firm claims is the UK's first marketing consultancy dedicated to film and television tourism.

The business serves a diversified UK client base of over 150 destinations, attractions, hotels, and leisure companies, spanning enterprise hotel groups (Best Western, Choice Hotels Europe, Holiday Inn), independent properties (The Royal Horseguards, The Chester Grosvenor, Beamish Museum), national tourism bodies (VisitBritain, VisitEngland), and regional destinations (Chester, Cornwall, Lancashire, York). Revenue is generated through professional services on a project/quote basis: consultancy engagements, recurring marketing management retainers, conference sponsorship and delegate fees, and ScreenTourism assignments. Distribution is entirely sales-led via direct consultancy relationships, industry conferences, downloadable content marketing resources, and affiliations with bodies such as the British Hospitality Association and Hotel Marketing Association.

The firm has no proprietary technology platform, no disclosed AI or ML capabilities, no external funding, and operates as a founder-owned business with over 20 specialist associates on a consulting basis. Geographic reach is concentrated in the United Kingdom, with ScreenTourism providing modest international exposure via film and television tourism engagements. Operating since 2004 with continuous client roster expansion and recurring conference operations, the firm functions as a stable, niche professional services boutique rather than a high-growth venture.

Name

The Tourism Business

Legal name

The Tourism Business

Website

https://thetourismbusiness.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Tourism Business is a UK-based hospitality and tourism marketing consultancy founded in 2004 by Martin Evans, serving over 150 UK hotels, destinations, and attractions with strategic marketing, PR, and conference services, and operating a sister ScreenTourism brand for film tourism.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Marketing Consultancy

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Tourism Trade & Services Exports Development (BPADAMAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tours, Activities & Experiences Booking (HSACAKAF)

Keywords

• Hospitality marketing consultancy
• Tourism marketing services
• Destination marketing strategy
• Hotel PR services
• Screen tourism consultancy

Headquarters

HQ city

York

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Consultancy Services: In-depth business and marketing consultancy for hotels, destinations, attractions and tourism operators. Provides strategic planning, marketing strategies, and project-based advisory services.
2. Marketing Services: Hands-on hotel and tourism marketing services including PR, marketing plan frameworks, and full marketing management for hotels without dedicated marketing staff.
3. Conferences and Events: Annual conferences and events including National Hotel Marketing Conference, National Marketing Conference for Visitor Attractions, and National Wedding Venue Marketing Conference. Also offers bespoke conference running services.
4. ScreenTourism Services: Film and television tourism consultancy including film tourism strategies, location marketing, movie maps, apps and websites, and destination PR and promotions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Tourism Business is a hospitality and tourism marketing consultancy and agency that sells strategic marketing consultancy, hands-on hotel and tourism marketing services (including marketing plan frameworks, hotel PR, and full marketing management), and annual industry conferences and training courses to hotels, destinations, attractions, and other tourism operators. The company also operates ScreenTourism as a sister brand specialising in film and television tourism marketing. Service delivery is project-based, led by founder Martin Evans and over twenty specialist associates.

Product overview

The Tourism Business operates as a hospitality and tourism consultancy offering a portfolio of interconnected marketing services. The core offering includes hotel marketing services (marketing plans, PR, and management), tourism consultancy (strategic planning and destination management), and annual industry conferences (National Hotel Marketing Conference since 2004, National Marketing Conference for Visitor Attractions, and National Wedding Venue Marketing Conference). The company also operates ScreenTourism as a sister brand specializing in film and television tourism marketing. Supporting resources include downloadable marketing guides and documents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ScreenTourism.com: A sister company to The Tourism Business, the first marketing consultancy unit in the UK to specialise in film and television tourism. Offers full service for destinations, attractions and other businesses who wish to exploit marketing opportunities through appearing on screen - including film tourism strategies, location marketing, movie maps, apps and websites, and destination PR and promotions.

Products and services

• Hotel Marketing Services Comprehensive hotel marketing services including marketing plan frameworks, hotel PR, and full marketing management for hotels without dedicated sales or marketing staff. Designed for UK quality independent hotels and hotel groups that need external senior marketing expertise on a project or retained basis.
• Tourism Consultancy Strategic tourism consultancy services including Hotel Futures studies, Tourism Marketing Strategies, Destination PR campaigns, conference management, and training for tourism operators. Targeted at destinations, tourist boards, attractions, and tourism operators needing senior strategic input.
• Tourism Events and Conferences Annual industry marketing conferences and training courses including the National Hotel Marketing Conference (established 2004, held in Manchester, Birmingham, York, Liverpool, Heathrow, central London, and St George's Park, attracting over 200 delegates at recent events), the National Marketing Conference for Visitor Attractions, and the National Wedding Venue Marketing Conference. Also includes bespoke conference management for client organisations.
• ScreenTourism Film and television tourism marketing consultancy offering destination marketing through screen appearances, location marketing, movie maps, apps, websites, and destination PR and promotions. Directed by Martin Evans with key associates with expertise in tourism and media sectors; serves destinations, attractions, and other businesses looking to exploit marketing opportunities through appearing on screen.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150 leading UK destinations, attractions, hotels and leisure companies served
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ScreenTourism.comcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScreenTourism.com is a sister company to The Tourism Business, and was the first marketing consultancy unit in the UK to specialise in the fast-growing sector of film and television tourism. Directed by Martin Evans and key associates with expertise in tourism and media sectors.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• MMGY Global: The largest integrated marketing firm dedicated to the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry, with offices across North America and globally. Represents what a more scaled, internationalized version of The Tourism Business's model could look like.
• Ogilvy: Global advertising and integrated marketing network with an established travel and tourism practice serving destinations and hospitality clients. Represents the broader-agency alternative to specialist tourism consultancies.
• FleishmanHillard: Global public relations and integrated communications firm with an active travel, tourism, and transportation practice serving destinations, airlines, and hospitality brands worldwide. Competes for the same enterprise destination marketing budgets but at significantly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Burson (BCW): Global communications and public relations firm with a travel and hospitality practice providing destination marketing, hotel PR, and integrated communications. Competes at the enterprise end for national tourism organization accounts.
• Weber Shandwick: Global public relations and communications agency with travel and hospitality clients including destinations, hotels, and consumer brands. Lighter touch in tourism vertical than MMGY but offers broader communications capabilities The Tourism Business cannot match.
• Ketchum: Global public relations and communications firm with a dedicated travel and tourism practice handling destination marketing, hospitality, and airline clients. Operates at a much larger scale than The Tourism Business but competes for similar national-tourism-board mandates.

Direct peers

• Hills Balfour: UK-based public relations and marketing agency specializing in travel, tourism, and hospitality clients. Provides destination marketing, hotel PR, and crisis communications with a similarly UK-focused client base, making it the most directly comparable peer to The Tourism Business.
• Midas PR: London-based public relations agency with a dedicated travel, tourism, and hospitality practice, serving hotels, destinations, attractions, and travel brands across the UK and internationally. Directly comparable in size, vertical focus, and service mix to The Tourism Business.
• Hotwire: Global communications consultancy with strong travel, tourism, and hospitality expertise, combining PR, marketing services, and content strategy for destinations, hotels, and travel technology clients. Mid-sized and similarly positioned to The Tourism Business, with stronger international footprint.
• Brands2Life: UK-based B2B-focused public relations and integrated marketing agency with travel, hospitality, and tourism sector expertise. Operates at a similar scale and UK-centric footprint to The Tourism Business, serving overlapping mid-market clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/martinevansttb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-tourism-business

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Tourism Business