ABOUT US
To make tourism a force for good - fueling economic vitality, strengthening communities, and protecting the places we love.
Vision:
Mission:
We make tourism work - for destinations, businesses, and sites - by simplifying tourism development and management into practical, actionable and tailored solutions, empowering people and their places every step of the way.
Addressing a Problem:
TourismWORKS was created to meet a growing need among destinations, businesses, and sites for simpler, more effective ways to plan, develop, and manage tourism.
​
Many of our partners face competing priorities across a complex tourism ecosystem. They’re looking for clarity on where to start and how to best use their time and resources. We provide a solution - breaking actions into bite-sized, practical steps, and providing an extra set of hands to achieve results wherever they are on their tourism journey.
​
Simon Jones - Founder of TourismWORKS & NatureScapes
OUR COMMITMENT
Tourism development isn't one-size-fits-all. That's why we've created 20+ programs that provide practical tools, guidance, and resources for every stage of the journey. We are committed to providing hands-on support that helps organizations achieve their tourism goals, whether they're planning a new initiative, building a tourism experience, strengthening their destination, or sharing their story with visitors. Organized into five pathways, Wayfinder, Organizer, Researcher, Kickstarter, and Storyteller, our programs help destinations, businesses, and communities grow tourism in ways that strengthen local economies, support communities, and protect the places people love to visit.
Our Team
Cara Treadway
Cara is a branding and marketing professional specializing in brand development and digital storytelling. She enjoys exploring North Carolina and learning about its history.
Jesa McNeill-Valle
With a background in program and project management, she helps guide initiatives from planning through implementation. Her strengths include stakeholder engagement, collaboration, and operational leadership.
Lily Herbert
With an M.A. in Hospitality & Tourism, Lily combines experience and research to support tourism initiatives. Her work focuses on community engagement, sustainability, and strengthening destinations and visitor experiences.
Milena Nikolova
Milena specializes in behavioral economics, using insights from human psychology to better understand travel behavior. She helps businesses and destinations apply behavior-smart strategies to improve decision-making and outcomes.
Neil Birnie
Neil brings more than 20 years of experience in nature tourism, destination development, and conservation-focused planning. He works with tourism businesses, destinations, and organizations to create innovative strategies that support economic and environmental goals.
PJ Wirchansky
P.J. brings more than 20 years of experience in hospitality, tourism, and strategic communications. His expertise includes storytelling, brand development, marketing strategy, stakeholder engagement, and tourism training programs.
Ryan Meritt
Ryan brings more than 15 years of experience in graphic design, branding, and visual identity development. His expertise includes brand strategy, wayfinding design, public engagement, and creative solutions for communities, destinations, and organizations.
Simon Jones
Simon brings more than 20 years of experience in nature tourism, destination development, and sustainable tourism planning. He has worked with businesses, governments, destinations, and nonprofit organizations around the world to support tourism growth and stewardship.
If you are interested in working with us, please send us your resume.