Destination and experience design with purpose
The Experience Era was founded in 2024 to provide strategic advisory services to organisations and businesses with a focus on destination and experience strategy and development. We are your partner in the design of visitor economy solutions that contribute to community and economic prosperity.
Introducing John Fitzgerald
Founder and Principal John Fitzgerald is a nationally recognised senior executive in the visitor economy sector with 20 years' experience in destination leadership at national, state, and regional levels in Australia.
He believes strongly in the integration of tourism with community ensuring visitor economy outcomes contribute to personal and community aspirations and prosperity.The Experience Era (TEE) understands the importance of grassroots engagement and how individual and collective values contribute to people and place.
John Fitzgerald has lived and worked extensively in regional Australia including in Tasmania, Queensland and the Northern Territory. He has worked with destinations and engaged with hundreds of businesses gaining an in-depth knowledge of Australia's visitor economy landscape. Consequentially, John has built a significant professional network across Australia and partners with leaders across disciplines to provide holistic strategy, planning and actionable outcomes.
Expertise and Experience
CEO Tourism Tasmania 2013-2023
Prior to founding The Experience Era, John oversighted the strategy and operations of one of Australia's most successful destination brands, including Tasmania's global brand and marketing strategy delivering unprecedented value for the visitor economy.
Senior Government Tourism Executive
John Fitzgerald was formerly the most senior government executive in both Tasmania and the Northern Territory's visitor economy. He was previously CEO of the Regional Tourism Organisation on Queensland's Sunshine Coast and is a former COO of the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre.
Governance and Strategy
TEE has a deep understanding of visitor economy structures and governance in Australia through participation in the Premier's Visitor Economy Advisory Council (PVEAC) in Tasmania and John's chair role of the T21 Steering Committee, developing and delivering Tasmania's visitor economy strategy and action plans, reporting directly to his Board and three Tasmanian Premiers through his tenure.
Recent Tourism Projects
Geelong and Ballarine International Strategy
Guided the development of an International Market Strategy for Geelong and The Bellarine Tourism.
Seven Mile Beach Golf Tasmania
Market analysis for the Seven Mile Beach Golf Development in southern Tasmania.
Australian Fishing Strategy
Assessing future opportunities for private sector growth and international market engagement in fishing tourism in Australia.
Brisbane 2032 Destination Planning
Working with Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) to develop a DMP for the Brisbane region towards the Olympic and Para Olympic Games in 2032.
Wellington Park Business Case
Developing a commercial business case for Wellington Park Management Trust for the sustainable long term management of Tasmania’s most visited natural attraction.
Dinosaur Experiences Australia Chairman
At the invitation of Tourism and Events Queensland, John is the current Chair of Dinosaur Experiences Australia (DEA), supporting the development of paleo tourism in Queensland with a focus on Qld’s Outback.
Specialised Services
Advice and Mentoring
John's experience as a leader and CEO of State Tourism Organisations (STOs) and Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) enables provision of strategic advisory services to Boards and senior leaders, including within State Tourism and Regional Tourism Organisations.
Business Events
As a State and regional leader John has directly oversighted strategies of Convention Bureau (Business Events) in the NT and Sunshine Coast. He spent a decade on the Board of Business Events Tasmania, as well as a number of years on the Board of the Australian Association of Convention Bureau (AACB).
Access and Aviation
Access and aviation strategy has been at the foundation of John's leadership, oversighting aviation and cruise strategies and implementation in both the Northern Territory and Tasmania, to deliver community, business and visitor outcomes.
Board and Committee Experience
John is an experienced Board Director and is currently Foundation Chair of Dinosaur Experiences Australia (DEA), a collective of paleo tourism operators in Queensland. John is interested in contributing through selective additional Board roles relevant to his experience and ambition for contemporary destination strategy in particular.
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2023–present Dinosaur Experiences Australia – Board Chair
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2016–2023 Premier's Visitor Economy Advisory Council (PVEAC)
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2016–2023 T21 Steering Committee (Visitor Economy) – Chair
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2013–2023 Aviation/Access Working Group (Tasmania) – Air & Sea
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2013–2023 Business Events Tasmania
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2013–2023 Australian Standing Committee on Tourism
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2013–2023 Australian Tourism Data Warehouse
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2011–2013 NT Major Events Company
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2011–2013 Darwin Waterfront Corporation
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2011–2013 NT Aviation Committee
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2011–2013 National Indigenous Tourism Working Group (Co-Chair)
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2011–2013 Tourism Research Advisory Board (national)
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2006–2008 Queensland Tourism Industry Council
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2003–2008 Australian Association of Convention Bureau (Vice President)
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2003–2008 Regional Tourism Organisations of Queensland
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2006–2007 Tourism Australia Domestic Industry Advisory Panel
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1999–2003
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Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Kakadu National Parks Tourism Consultative Committees
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Darwin Wharf Precinct Development Taskforce
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Darwin & Alice Springs Convention Centre Development Taskforces
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Aboriginal Tourism Taskforce
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Tourism Council NT
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Darwin Cruise Shipping Committee
Contact John at The Experience Era
+61 448 899 424
