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2026 Penrith Visitor Journey Training and Experience Development Program

June – September 2026

Get practical guidance to improve your customer experience and grow your tourism business with confidence.

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Program Overview

Penrith City Council has partnered with Tourism Tribe to deliver this fully funded Visitor Economy Business Training & Mentoring Program, designed to help local tourism operators strengthen their customer experience and develop bookable products that attract the right visitors.

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This practical, hands-on program supports tourism, hospitality and experience-based businesses across the Penrith LGA to move beyond “just offering a service” and into delivering compelling, market-ready visitor experiences.

Through a combination of in-person workshops business audits and targeted mentoring, participants will gain the skills, confidence and clear direction needed to improve their visitor journey, stand out in a competitive market, and convert more enquiries into bookings.

Program highlights

In-person workshops

Two practical, face-to-face workshops will be delivered across two locations:

Penrith CBD: Wednesday, 10 June – 5:30pm

  • 5:15pm arrival for a 5:30pm start
  • sandwich provided
  • 7:30am workshop concludes

7:30pm workshop concludes

St Marys: Wednesday, 10 June – 9:30am

  • 9:15am arrival for a 9:30am start
  • morning tea provided
  • 11:30am workshop concludes

(venues to be confirmed)

These workshops are open to all local tourism and visitor economy businesses and will cover:

  • Mapping your visitor journey from discovery through to post-visit
  • Identifying gaps and missed opportunities in your customer experience
  • Turning your existing offer into a stronger, more compelling experience
  • Understanding what today’s visitors are looking for and how to meet those expectations
  • Practical actions you can implement immediately in your business

You’ll walk away with a clear action plan to improve your customer experience and marketing.

Expression of interest for mentoring

Following the workshops, five businesses will be selected to participate in an intensive mentoring program.

This is for operators who are ready to take the next step and develop or refine bookable experiences.

One-on-one mentoring (selected participants)

The five selected businesses will receive personalised support including:

  • Five hours of one-on-one mentoring tailored to your business
  • The initial session will occur on-site to understand your business and opportunities
  • A Digital Engagement Health Check™ to benchmark your online presence
  • Clear, practical guidance to develop new or improved bookable experiences
  • An experience development plan to guide your next steps

This is hands-on support designed to help you actually get it done, not just learn about it.

Mentee showcase

The program will conclude with a showcase event where mentoring participants present their newly developed experiences to key stakeholders and industry.

Who should apply

This program is ideal for tourism, hospitality and experience-based businesses in the Penrith region who want to:

  • Improve their customer experience
  • Attract higher-value visitors
  • Create or refine bookable products
  • Build a more sustainable and competitive business

Privacy notice

Any information collected by Tourism Tribe on behalf of Penrith City Council about you and your business will be used solely for this program. Your details will be shared between Penrith City Council and Digital Coaching International Pty Ltd trading as Tourism Tribe.

Program Dates

  • Penrith CBD Workshop: Penrith CBD: Wednesday, 10 June – 5:30pm
  • St Marys Workshop: Wednesday, 10 June – 9:30am
  • Before COB 16 Jun: Interested participants apply for full mentoring program
  • 18 Jul: participants notified of successful application into program
  • 19 Jun-26 Jun: Pre-engagement online session
  • 30 June-1 July: Initial in-person mentoring session
  • 2 Jul – 21 Aug 26: 4 follow up online mentoring sessions
  • Late August – Sept: Mentee Showcase (exact date TBA)

What's included


  • 5 one on one coaching sessions

  • 1 workshop

Liz Ward

Liz is the co-founder of Tourism Tribe and a recognised expert in business strategy and digital transformation, with over 25 years' experience across large and small businesses. Today, she is focused on helping tourism operators understand how AI is reshaping marketing, from automating repetitive tasks to using AI-driven insights to find the right customers at the right time.

As a coach, Liz brings big-picture thinking to every conversation. She helps operators map their objectives, identify their ideal customers, and spot opportunities where AI and smart digital strategy can give them an edge. She is highly sought after as a presenter, mentor and workshop trainer.

Tourism Tribe launched in 2015 and now supports over 1,600 tourism operators across Australia and the world. It was recognised in the Queensland Tourism Industry Innovation Awards (2016) and the UNWTO Innovation Awards (2015).

Liz is also Managing Director of Digital Coaching International, a network of specialists who guide businesses through digital and AI transformation of their marketing and operations.

Liz is a Fellow of both the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Australian Institute of Management. She has served on several boards, including Tourism and Events Queensland and Women Chiefs of Enterprise, Australia.

Can I access the training at my own pace?

Absolutely. All our self-paced courses are available online anytime, so you can learn when it suits you – even during your quiet season or in between guests. You can ask a question at any time at the bottom of each lesson and we’ll get back to you super quick!

Are there live sessions or just recorded content?

We offer both! Join our live webinars and group tourism tech coaching sessions, or check out the recorded content at your convenience.