That Bad Review with Adrian Easdown

Josh Carnavas is the Managing Director of Brisbane Camperland, a successful family business that has risen above many hardships within a tough industry, especially early on in its development. In this week’s episode, Adrian and Josh chat about the importance of taking time away from a business, in order to make good business decisions. They discuss the advantages and pitfalls of ... Read More The post 107. Revisiting: Achieving Results by Taking Time Out, Operating a Successful Family Business & Industry Shaping Technology (Ep. 71) appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Karl Heyman is the CEO of Family Parks Australia & New Zealand, a network of pet friendly holiday parks that celebrate having a point of difference. Before moving to Australia, Karl worked for the Caravan Club in the UK. The Caravan Club (now the Caravan and Motor Home Club) is a 107-year-old club with traditional values, turning over 100 million pounds a year, boasting over 400 thousand members across approximately 250-270 parks in England, Scotland, Wales and Republic of ... Read More The post 106. Revisiting: Point of Difference, Building Mutually Beneficial Partnerships & Handling Customer Complaints Effectively (Ep.69) appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Peter Buttigieg is the CEO and Founder of RMS, a global Cloud Software Company that specialises in software solutions. With 35+ years’ experience, Peter has witnessed the rapid transition into the digital age and countless technological changes. Throughout his career, Peter’s main role has been introducing such advancements to the public and encouraging involvement. Business owners across the globe are ... Read More The post 105. Revisiting: Embracing Technology, Using Feedback to Implement Change & Recognising Challenges (Ep.52) appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

While it’s possible to set out the path we would like our lives to take, if there is one thing that is certain, life has a tendency to throw out curve-balls when we least expect it. This has been highlighted for every person, in almost every country across the world. We have been served a curve-ball of unprecedented proportions, one that is impacting us on a global scale.  We ... Read More The post 104. Revisiting: Dealing with Industry Disruption, Risk Appetite & Being Your Authentic Self  appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

This week on the ‘That Bad Review’ podcast series, we present the third episode in the Southern NSW, Visitor Economy Bushfire Recovery Summit podcast series. Episode three begins with a conversation between Adrian and Graeme Haycraft.  Graeme was instrumental in the tourism recovery efforts on behalf of the Murrindindi and Mitchell Shire Councils, after the Black Saturday Fires of 2009. Graeme ... Read More The post 103. Graeme Haycraft & Jeremy Wilshire on Mental Health Support, Keeping Community Spirit High & Access to Recovery Resources appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Richard Beere is the Managing Director ofFastrak Asian Solutions and the Chair of Destination Southern New South Wales. With over 40 years’ experience working in the Tourism Industry, Richard possess a wealth of knowledge. Adrian was keen to chat with Richard, and hear what advice he has for industry stakeholders. Richard’s insights are even more valuable at this period in time, ... Read More The post 102. Richard Beere on Target Markets and Best Fit Products, Building Resilience Through Diversity & The Holistic Circle Driving Consumerism appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

This week on the ‘That Bad Review’ we present the second episode in the Southern NSW, Visitor Economy Bushfire Recovery Summit podcast series. Episode two begins with a conversation between Adrian and Shannan Perry-Hall. Shannon is the Recovery Action Team Lead – Economic & Tourism, and the Acting Tourism Manager at Shoalhaven City Council. Shannon and Adrian have a great ... Read More The post 101. Communication is Key, Recovery Tips for Operators & Consistent Messaging appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

To celebrate the 100th episode of ‘That Bad Review’ podcast series, Adrian chats with Australian actor, musician, long-standing TV host and more recently holiday park owner, Frankie J Holden. Frankie shares his experience around falling in love with the caravan and camping industry, while hosting the TV series ‘What’s Up Downunder’. “We would travel all over Australia and visit wonderful ... Read More The post 100. Frankie J Holden on: Falling in Love with the Caravan and Camping Industry, Connecting with Nature & The Future of Holiday Parks appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

In February 2020, a Visitor Economy Bushfire Recovery Summit, was held on the South Coast of NSW, in the wake of a prolonged and devastating bushfire period. The event focused on sharing strategies to support communities through a locally-led recovery process. The event also provided a platform for attendees to communicate the needs of local and regional business owners. Adrian ... Read More The post 99. Visitor Economy Bushfire Recovery Summit: Locally-Led Recovery, Reactivating Local Economies & Building Better Futures appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Neil James is the Vice President of Global Customer Success at ReviewPro. ReviewPro offers accommodation providers with integrated tools and processes to increase guest satisfaction and revenue. On this week’s episode of ‘That Bad Review’, podcast series, Adrian and Neil discuss issues around responding to online reviews. They chat about the unpredictability of industry altering events, and how adaptability is ... Read More The post 98. Neil James on Advantages of Workplace Learning, Industry Shaping Events & the Pitfalls of Responding to Reviews appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Gavin McKay and his wife Steph are relief managers, traveling Australia. It’s not something they fell into, it was a meticulously planned life decision, an idea hatched over thirty years ago. However, despite a well-planned itinerary, Gavin and Steph’s journey has switched directions multiple times. Their Big-Lap became more about the adventures to be had, rather than ticking off the ... Read More The post 97. Gavin Mckay on Freedom offered by Relief Management, Planning for the Big Lap & the Impact of Tourism on Regional Australia appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Justin Sheppard is a Big Picture Advisor in association with Big Picture Education Australia, offering innovative programs that are revolutionising the education system.  Designed to support passionate high-school students through identifying and exploring what excites them, the program is producing incredible results. On this week’s episode of ‘That Bad Review’ podcast series, Adrian catches up with Justin for a chat about ... Read More The post 96. Justin Sheppard on Big Picture Education, the Advantages of Exploring Passions Early On & Building the Right Foundations appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

This week on the show, Adrian chats with a very special guest, Bart Easdown. Bart is the Operations Manager for all four of Adrian’s holiday parks and the youngest of his brothers. A musician at heart, Bart has felt an underlying pull towards hospitality and tourism-based roles. For the good part of a decade, Bart has tried his hand at ... Read More The post 95. Bart Easdown on Working with Family, Social Media Diluting the Human Connection & Understanding Employees appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Karen Baldwin is the owner-operator of Best Western Kennedy Drive Airport Motel, in Tweed Heads, NSW. Adrian and Karen met at the Best Western Australasia conference, where Karen and her husband Steve won a ‘Quality and Service’ Award. The couple also proudly hold a number one in customer service award. In addition to these impressive accolades, they boast the third ... Read More The post 94. Karen Baldwin on Challenges within the Accommodation Industry, Guest Perspective and Prioritising Staff Needs appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Craig Coughlin is the CEO of LUXXE Outsourced Hotel Services, a company that offers outsourced service solutions to hotels. Adrian was keen to chat all things staffing with Craig, and get some tips on how to maintain a healthy balance when employing a large number of people, especially in the often-transient hospitality sector. On this week’s episode of the ‘That ... Read More The post 93. Craig Coughlin on Outsourced Hotel Services, Tapping into Hidden Skills Sets & Eliminating Waste in Guest Accommodation appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Hugh Fitzpatrick works with Industry Insights at the Caravan Industry Association of Australia (CIAA) and is also the chair for the Young Tourism Network. Hugh is passionate about regional Australia and works hard to provide business owners with actionable insights to help businesses succeed. On this week’s episode of the ‘That Bad Review’ podcast series, Adrian and Hugh discuss the ... Read More The post 92. Hugh Fitzpatrick – Tourism Insights, Caravan & Camping Trends & Rebuilding after a Natural Disaster appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Michael Collins is the principal of CF Global, a procurement company specialising in products used across multiple service-based industries. After years working in the tourism and hospitality sector, Michael came across a niche market that needed servicing and took advantage of the opportunity to start his own business. On this week’s episode of the ‘That Bad Review’ podcast series, Adrian ... Read More The post 91. Michael Collins on Eco-Tourism in Indigenous Communities, Made in China & the Importance of a Supportive Family appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Liz Ward is the Co-Founder and CEO of Tourism Tribe. Liz started a career in digital strategy and digital marketing when working for Tourism and Events Queensland. Honing her skills whilst project managing the development of the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW), a large online resource used by organisations nation-wide. Liz later became the CEO of ATDW, a position she ... Read More The post 90. Liz Ward on Training Solutions for Tourism Operators, Co-Founding a Successful Business & Digital Savvy Small Business Owners appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Bruce Harkness is the Senior Vice President of HR and Customer Experience at Wyndham Destination, Asia Pacific.  Wyndham Destination is a global company which develops, markets and sells vacation ownership interests in approximately 110 countries. On this week’s episode of the ‘That Bad Review’ podcast series, Adrian and Bruce chat about providing a personalised customer experience. Bruce shares how Millennials ... Read More The post 89. Bruce Harkness on Personalised Customer Experience, Accommodation Based Communalisation & Industry Shaping Millennials appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Bert van Spronsen is the Founder & Managing Director of Kui Parks, a network of over 80 holiday parks across Australia. Parks within the Kui network are carefully chosen against a well-researched criterion, and tend to offer facilities similar to those of traditional holiday parks. On this week’s episode of the ‘That Bad Review’ podcast series, Adrian and Bert have ... Read More The post 88. Bert van Spronsen on Traditional Holiday Parks, Four Key Elements of a Successful Park & Focusing on Existing Guests appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Katrina McCarter is a speaker, author & marketing strategist, as well as the founder and CEO of Marketing to Mums. Through her business, Marketing to Mums, Katrina coaches brands in understanding how to sell more effectively to Australia’s biggest consumer market, mums. Katrina is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to marketing, sharing her insights in her books, keynote ... Read More The post 87. Katrina McCarter on Marketing to Australia’s Largest Consumer Group, Inter-Generational Travel & the Power of Testimonials appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Alistair Mitchell is a mental health advocate, performance coach and the founder of Discovering the Best You. ‘Discovering the Best You,’ provides programs and presentations designed to tackle mental health in schools, businesses and sporting organisations. Alistair draws on his own battle with mental health to better equip others with the skills necessary to support people going through difficult times. ... Read More The post 86. Alistair Mitchell on Mental Health, Disengaged Employees & Being an Empathetic Boss appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Andrea Plawutsky is the Director of Amplify Me, a Tourism Consultancy specialising in the Chinese market. Andrea spent numerous years living in China, learning the language and building a solid understanding of the Chinese culture. With over twenty-years experience in tourism and travel, one service Andrea provides is to guide Australian business owners through the process of becoming ‘China Ready’. ... Read More The post 85. Andrea Plawutsky on: Becoming China Ready, 8 Tips for Tapping into a New Market & Selling Benefits not Features appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Sean Haylan is the General Manager of Destination Southern NSW (DSNSW), a regional, industry focused tourism body, driving the visitor economy in south east New South Wales. On this week’s episode of the ‘That Bad Review’ podcast series, Adrian and Sean have a great chat around the growing recognition of the tourism sector as a powerhouse industry. A sector that ... Read More The post 84. Sean Haylan on Positive Attitude Verses Skill Set, The Growth of Tourism in Regional Areas & The Benefits of Collaboration. appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

On this week’s episode of the ‘That Bad Review’ podcast series, we take a look at highlights from some of the conversations Adrian has had with a fantastic mix of podcast guests. We revisit the valuable insights for success offered by Nick Ellis, the General Manager of Ovolo Inchcolm in episode 56. Nick shares his advice around not judging a ... Read More The post 83. Insights for Success with Nick Ellis, Mateship & Comradery with Laura Cocking & Turning Detractors into Promoters with Timo Lorenzen appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Matt Bruckner is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for NRMA Parks and Resorts. Adrian and Matt entered the industry around the same time, both securing jobs through the Australian Tourism Park Management (ATPM).  Adrian and his wife Casey moved away from ATPM and explored the holiday park industry as an independent husband and wife team, while Matt continued as an ... Read More The post 82. Matt Bruckner on Accessibility, Sustainability & Communicating Effectively with Guests appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Avril Carter  is a Sales Director with ReviewPro, responsible for business acquisition and support within Australasia. ReviewPro provides guest intelligence solutions to hospitality businesses, with a focus on managing online reputations and delivering improved guest experiences. Adrian caught up with Avril for a chat about his favourite topic, reviews. On this week’s episode of the ‘That Bad Review’ podcast series, ... Read More The post 81. Avril Carter on: The Evolution of Reviews, Amplifying Complaints to Benefit Your Business & Reading Between the Lines of Feedback appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Craig ‘Macca’ McGown is a host on the popular Australian travel television show ‘What’s Up Downunder’, which celebrates all things caravanning and camping. While growing up, Macca’s family holidayed in a caravan or tent. These fun filled trips ignited Macca’s passion for the industry and eventually led him to his dream job. In this week’s episode, Adrian and Macca have ... Read More The post 80. Craig ‘Macca’ McGown On Caravanning and Camping, ‘Anti-Social’ Social Media & What Kids Won’t Learn in School appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Michael Vincent is the host of The Seachange Business Podcast. Through his podcast, Michael seeks to understand the back story behind what makes business owners successful. This week’s episode of ‘That Bad Review’ Podcast is done a bit differently. Instead of asking the questions, Adrian is interviewed by Michael. By sharing Adrian’s own experiences with podcast listeners, Michael and Adrian ... Read More The post 79. Adrian Easdown on Everyone has a Story, Tips for Success & How to Effectively Scale Your Business. appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Sandi-Kate Hutchins is the owner-operator of Prime Pet Friendly Tourist Park in Lakes Entrance, Victoria. In four years, Sandi-Kate and her husband have transformed the run-down park into a popular pet friendly holiday destination. Adrian caught up with Sandi-Kate to chat about what sets her park apart from other pet friendly accommodation businesses. In this week’s podcast episode, Adrian and ... Read More The post 78. Sandi-Kate Hutchins on Increase in Pet Friendly Tourist Parks, Tips for Accommodating Pets & Connecting Guests through Music appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Robert Zatta’s is the owner operator of the multi-award winning Best Western Bluegum Motel in Dubbo. Five years ago, Robert and his wife Amanda embarked on a renovation of the motel’s infrastructure and an overhaul of systems and procedures. The upgrades transformed the business, taking it from an average 3 ½ star motel to a popular 4 ½* property. In ... Read More The post 77. Robert Zatta on How to Soar to the Top on TripAdvisor, the Importance of Word-of-Mouth and the Pros & Cons of Mobile Check-In appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Kate Mitchell is an ex-holiday park manager and co-owner of City Centre Motor Inn Armidale. Kate’s constantly on the lookout for innovative tourism ventures and progressive self-development opportunities. This week Kate shares  tales of her most recent transformational adventure in Peru. In this week’s episode, Adrian and Kate chat about the importance of maintaining a positive mindset and the effect ... Read More The post 76. Kate Mitchell on Personal Transformation, Operating at a High Frequency and Questioning Social Norms appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Colby Hutchinson is the Director of Customer Experience (CX) & Brand Management Administration at Best Western® Hotels & Resorts. Despite being in the hospitality game for over 25 years, Colby Hutchinson wakes up each day excited to go to work. Adrian caught up with Colby after he flew in from the United States for the Best Western Australasia National Convention. ... Read More The post 75. Colby Hutchinson on Fundamentals for Life, Working in a Data Rich, Process Poor Industry & the Benefits of Online Travel Agents (OTAs) appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Adam Hutchinson is the founder of CamperMate and GeoZone, two digital solutions reshaping the Caravan & Camping Industry in New Zealand. Born from the simple desire to connect tourists with available camping facilities, the concept has since been developed into technology that is addressing significant industry problems. In this week’s episode, Adrian and Adam discuss GPS enabled apps that reduce ... Read More The post 74. Adam Hutchinson on Freedom Camping Issues Tackled with Technology, Secrets to Success & Discovering Your Passion appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Graham Perry is the Managing Director for Best Western Hotels & Resorts Australasia. Adrian and Graham caught up during the hotel group’s National Convention held at Noosa. Adrian was invited to the event as the official podcast media host.  The invitation was an innovative effort by Best Western to ensure important conversations discussed during the event were continued post conference. ... Read More The post 73. Graham Perry on Technology & Distribution, the Value of Partnerships & Tapping into the Consumer Perspective appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Jess Dineen is the multi-award-winning Operations Manager at Dineen Tourism Management and an advocate for establishing a balance between work and play. Having recently returned from a three-month trip travelling around Europe, Jess is well positioned to share her views on the effects of recharging to ensure productivity within the workplace. In this week’s episode, Adrian and Jess chat about ... Read More The post 72. Jess Dineen on Empowering Staff to Make Confident Decisions, Benefits of the Award Process & Attracting New Target Markets appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Josh Carnavas, the Managing Director of Brisbane Camperland, boasts an interesting surname. It’s an anagram of a word related to the industry of which he is very passionate about. Have you figured it out? Adrian was fortunate enough to steer Josh away from his beloved caravans for a chat this week about the industry from a trade perspective. In this ... Read More The post 71. Josh Carnavas on Operating a Successful Family Business, Achieving Results by Taking Time Out & Industry Shaping Technology appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Justin Hales is the founder and CEO of Camplify, a recreational vehicle (RV) hiring platform and a major player in the share economy industry.  After dominating the Australian market, Justin and his team launched in the UK, seeing fantastic growth in the last twelve months. Camplify will soon expand into other European countries and places like New Zealand. In this ... Read More The post 70. Justin Hales CEO of Camplify on Turning Ideas into a Successful Business, Offsetting Recreational Vehicles & the Breakdown of Traditional Education Pathways appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Karl Heyman is the CEO of Family Parks Australia & New Zealand, a network of pet friendly parks spanning across Australia, New Zealand and China. Before moving to Australia 8 years ago, English born Karl worked for the Caravan Club in the UK. The Caravan Club (now the Caravan and Motor Home Club) is a 107-year-old club with traditional values, ... Read More The post 69. Karl Heyman CEO of Family Parks on Having a Point of Difference, Building Mutually Beneficial Partnerships and Handling Customer Complaints Effectively appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Mark Band is the CEO of Parks & Leisure Australia, a national peak body supporting over three hundred thousand people who design, advocate and protect our places and open spaces.  Mark and the association members together promote the good use of leisure time, while ensuring our public spaces are accessible and usable. In this week’s episode, Adrian and Mark chat ... Read More The post 68. Mark Band, CEO of Parks & Leisure Australia on Leisure as a Human Right, the People Behind our Places and Spaces & the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Irene Viergever, the After-Market Sales & Marketing Manager for global company Thetford, relocated to Australia from the Netherlands five years ago to pursue her dreams. With a strong focus on personal connections and providing high levels of customer service, Irene is inspiring others to look for ways to constantly improve and grow the Caravan and Camping Industry. In this week’s ... Read More The post 67. Irene Viergever from Thetford on Product Quality Assurance, Young Leaders Fostering Positive Relationships within the Industry and Journaling as a Daily Motivator appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Amir Harpaz is the co-founder & CEO of Book Outdoors, Board Member of the Florida & Alabama Association for RV Parks & Campgrounds, and Vice President of Harp Development. Amir was invited by Newbook to speak at the Tourism Innovators Conference held at the Gold Coast in June this year, where Adrian was fortunate enough to spend a bit of ... Read More The post 66. Amir Harpaz on: Industry Dilemma Solved by Book Outdoors, the Issues with 100% Occupancy & the Millennial takeover of the American RV Industry appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Paul Bambei is the President and CEO of the Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (ARVC), based in Denver, Colorado.  Adrian was fortunate enough to catch up with Paul at the Tourism Innovators Conference held at the Gold Coast in June 2019 and chat with him about the parallels and differences between the Australian and American markets. In this week’s ... Read More The post 65. Paul Bambei – CEO of ARVC on The Pros and Cons of Emotional Decision Making, the Growth of a Recession Proof Industry & Attracting Diverse Minority Groups appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Content Creators Aaron & Jules Davenport have a passion for the tourism industry, sharing and documenting countless travel adventures with their three young boys. Together this collective of fun-loving explorers are known in the caravanning and camping industry as the Travelling Family Circus. In this week’s episode, Aaron, Jules & I chat about their family’s mission to inspire other families ... Read More The post 64. Travelling Family Circus, the Real Life Classroom & Handling Negative Feedback the Right Way appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Dr Christopher Warren is an award-wining industry expert on sustainability, dedicating his time to better understanding how we as humans can significantly reduce our carbon footprint. Christopher realised many years ago that there was a large void of inaction in the area of sustainability and decided to make his own contribution. In this week’s episode, Christopher explains that while many ... Read More The post 63. Christopher Warren on Sustainability in Tourism, understanding your Carbon Footprint & breaking through the Green Ceiling appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

While safe players within the Start-Up Industry believe it’s best to focus energy on one start-up at a time, Mike Hill founder of multiple successful start-ups, believes timing should be the dictator behind grabbing hold of an opportunity and running with it. When Mike Hill hears someone complain about a service, or lack thereof, he would never dream of tuning ... Read More The post 62. Mike Hill, Co-founder of Aircamp on the Timely Birth & Death of Start-ups, the Instant Generation & the Effects of Social Media Marketing appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Chris Hartley, CEO of Global Hotel Alliance shares the importance of providing a global voice to independent and family owned hotels and hotel collections. Adrian and Chris discuss the history of the hotel industry and the increasing need for local, privately owned hotel businesses to pool resources to compete with mega brands. They chat about the important role Artificial Intelligence ... Read More The post 61. Chris Hartley, CEO of Global Hotel Alliance on Global Audiences, Artificial Intelligence & Millennial led Sustainable Tourism appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

This week Steven Wright, CEO of BIG4 Holiday Parks chats about his incredible career rubbing shoulders with some of Australia’s finest sportspeople. We discuss Steven’s experience in dealing with industry disruptions and his tendency towards taking educated risks, all while trying to be the most authentic version of himself. Each Monday, join Adrian Easdown as he has enlightening chats with ... Read More The post 60. Steven Wright, CEO of BIG4 Holiday Parks on Dealing with Industry Disruption, Risk Appetite & Being Your Authentic Self appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Turning a passion into a career is a dream for many people, one that may seem impossible when stuck in the daily grind of life. The caravan and camping industry however, is one industry that offers a multitude of opportunities and an incredible network of individuals and organisations, that not only support everyday people to make life changing career transitions, ... Read More The post 59. Transforming a transient client base into a thriving repeat community, industry awareness & catering to niche markets appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

The acquisition of Top Parks by Discovery Parks in 2018 resulted in the creation of Australia’s largest network of holiday parks. In this week’s episode we chat with Laura Cocking the Top Parks Business Development Manager (BDM) for WA, NT, QLD and Northern NSW. With Laura responsible for the business development for almost half the country, her understanding of the caravan and ... Read More The post 58. Laura Cocking on capitalising on mentorships, industry networking & emerging trends appeared first on Adrian Easdown.

Children of parents who operate holiday parks often learn the trade by default, never actually realising the opportunities the lifestyle presents until they spend time away from the industry. No one knows this better than Dan Fraser, owner operator of North South Holiday Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. Each Monday, join Adrian Easdown as he has enlightening chats with successful ... Read More The post 57. Dan Fraser on Holiday Park Life, the Importance of Travel & The Value of Virtual Assistants appeared first on Adrian Easdown.