Meet Simon Smith
Simon is the Chairman and Principal Consultant of AEC Group Pty Ltd (Australia). He has 30 years of professional experience in economics, financial and market research relating to economic and tourism development including socioeconomic analysis, demand analysis & forecasting, economic impact assessment, financial modeling, cost-benefit analysis, strategic and business planning and funding applications.
He has an in-depth understanding of cruise tourism, having assessed the economic impact of the cruise shipping industry in Australia every year since 2004-05 on behalf of the Australian Cruise Association (ACA) (formerly Cruise Down Under), Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). More recently he has assessed the economic impact of cruise tourism in New Zealand. He has also conducted cruise tourism related projects in most Australian states and New Zealand and for PNG, Chile, Peru, and Chinese Taipei on behalf of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Secretariat.
Meet Tammy Marshall
Tammy is an experienced consultant focusing on the tourism and cruise sectors and a seasoned C-Suite Tourism and Hospitality executive. She has 30 plus years in the cruise and tourism industry with experience in strategy, destination planning, and management, product and experience development, yield and deployment with a focus on growth and innovation.
She has an in-depth understanding of cruise tourism, having deployed a consumer demand study of the Australia cruise industry for the Australian Cruise Association (ACA). She has worked with international cruise lines, ground handlers, operators and also conducted cruise tourism-related projects in Australia, PNG, Chile, Peru, and Chinese Taipei and for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Secretariat.
Having extensive experience working with a variety of businesses - from global brands to start-ups - she has worked very closely with destinations, tourism organisations, local tour operators, ground handlers and understands the importance of the industry working collaboratively.
She is passionate about destinations having a clear roadmap for the cruise sector and keeping sustainability top of mind.
"The opportunity for destinations is now, the cruise sector is rebounding and growing, let's seize this opportunity and sustainably manage this growth for the benefit of communities."
- Tammy Marshall
Meet Natalie Godward
Natalie Godward is well-known as a leader in the development of regional cruise destinations and was instrumental in developing Eden to become the most successful regional transit port in NSW, Victoria and South Australia. Natalie’s expertise is in community and stakeholder engagement, recognising that successful projects start and end with this key component. As a regional community member and having worked with regional communities, Natalie is confident in delivering sustainable project outcomes that benefit all parties.
Following leadership roles in cruise tourism and with local and regional tourism boards, Natalie followed her passion and started Saltando Consulting to further explore the opportunities cruise visitation can provide destinations across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.
In her spare time Natalie is a volunteer firefighter and President of Merimbula Rural Fire Brigade, involved in many volunteer tourism and events groups and a mother of two teenage daughters, who know everything and keep her on her toes!
