Never "Build it, and they will come"

David Inches
58 minutes ago
3 min read

One of the most common and costly mistakes in tourism is starting with the idea, not the customer. The old saying goes, drinking your own Kool-Aid.

Over 20 years, I’ve seen projects struggle, not because the idea was weak, but because the market wasn’t clearly defined and engaged through original research, a process of feedback, and ultimately co-design.

On the other side, those who embrace the process of research and co-design have delivered some of Australia's most remarkable visitor experiences. Just ask tourism entrepreneur Simon Currant, whose first demand test of Pumphouse Point was the critical input that shaped the experience we see today https://www.simoncurrant.com.au

Sometimes, failed concepts were ahead of the market. Sometimes the pricing was wrong. Sometimes, demand was overestimated against the level of capital required.

A strong idea matters, but without clear evidence of who it is for, what they will pay, and whether the market is ready, the risk increases quickly.

To maximise success for evolved or new tourism projects, consumer research is not optional. It’s foundational. We must:

Identify and speak with our target audience
Share new ideas and capture feedback in a competitive context (your idea directly against your top 3 competitors)
Measure experience appeal, visitation intention, explore options and test price points
Forecast demand and revenue potential.

This is especially critical when raising capital.

Investors don’t fund ideas.

They fund demand.

In feasibility and business case work I’ve been involved in, projects that progressed had a clear, evidence-based demand story.

If you get the customer right at the beginning, everything becomes clearer.

If you don’t, you spend years correcting it.

3 actions you can take now

If you’re working on a Business Case to evolve, expand or develop a tourism experience, take these 3 steps:

1. Engage a 'Demand Forecast Agency'

Before you go too far down the path, bring in a specialist.

A demand forecast agency will help you answer the most important questions:

Is there real demand for this experience?
Who is the target market?
How often will they visit?
What will they pay?

I’ve worked with BDA Marketing Planning for over 25 years, and their work has consistently helped ground projects in reality. https://bdamarketing.com.au

This step is critical, not just for confidence, but for credibility.

If you’re raising capital, working with the government, or seeking approvals, independent demand analysis carries weight. It moves your concept from an idea to something that can be tested and trusted.

Skipping this step often leads to overestimating demand, underestimating risk, and building a business case on assumptions.

2. Clearly document your proposed experience

You don’t need a polished design package at this stage.

But you do need to articulate what you’re proposing clearly.

A simple document, even in Word, is enough if it includes:

Location, access and environment
A clear description of the experience
What visitors will see, do and feel
Supporting images
Options and pricing

In my experience, this step alone often strengthens the concept.

And importantly, it gives the demand agency something concrete to test.

3. Run the study, listen with an open mind and apply inights to refine your concept

This is where the real value comes in.

The demand forecast will give you:

Visitation and revenue forecasts
Market and customer profiles
Pricing insights
Seasonality patterns
Design inputs and more...

Use this insight to:

Refine your experience design
Adjust pricing
Right-size your capital investment
Strengthen your financial modelling
Underpin your Business Case.

In some cases, it may even lead you to scale back or rethink elements of the project.

That’s not a failure, that’s the process working.

Because it’s far better to adjust early than to correct after you’ve built.

It's also worth pursuing grant funding to support this exercise, as I have found many governments very supportive of such a process. If your investment is smaller, you can still use social media, past visitor databases and daily guest interactions to share and test your plans on a budget.