Rachel Smith

Rachel Smith is an accomplished commercial leader with extensive experience in driving business success through strategic planning and marketing, high-performing team management, and stakeholder engagement. She has specialised in commercially focused roles, demonstrating strong leadership in managing teams across sales, marketing, and revenue functions.

Rachel has a proven track record in complex contract negotiations and execution, ensuring profitable and sustainable business outcomes. She has been instrumental in brand development, deployment, and awareness strategies, enhancing customer experience and driving long-term sustainable growth.

With a passion for learning and development, Rachel is dedicated to mentoring sales, marketing, and revenue professionals, fostering talent to build dynamic and results-driven teams. She has played a key role in managing hotel and resort owner relationships and investment strategies, ensuring alignment with long-term business objectives.

She excels in strategic planning, managing both short- and long-term projects. Her experience includes creating and overseeing budgets for hotels and convention centres, handling major refurbishments, and leading the development of new facilities. She has planned and delivered events that boosted economic benefits for Cairns, Sunshine Coast, and Gympie regions.

Rachel has been instrumental in securing major events, including the Australian and Queensland Tourism Awards, large scale leisure and business events and managing and hosting the NRL and AFL COVID sporting hubs, NZ All Blacks training camps, State of Origin Rugby League, and other professional sporting events. She effectively delivers high-profile events, boosting visitation, visitor spending, destination awareness, and authentic regional experiences.

Beyond her professional achievements, Rachel is deeply committed to industry development. She actively participates in volunteer committees delivering major events and has served as a judge for the Queensland Tourism Awards. Her experience extends to successful tourism award submissions and grant writing for government funding, further strengthening the economic development and tourism sectors.

With recent experience in local government economic development and tourism, Rachel continues to drive initiatives that enhance regional Queensland growth and development. Her collaborative work with Queensland Government, Regional Tourism Organisations, Queensland Tourism Industry Council, and Tourism and Events Queensland has been instrumental in delivering mutually beneficial relationships that deliver positive economic and industry impacts.

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