Supporting cultural partners is at the heart of every destination marketing organisation (DMO). Whether you’re working with independent organisers, established venues, or local businesses, your role is to help them reach audiences, grow sustainability, and strengthen the identity of your place. 

But in practice, this isn’t always straightforward. Cultural partners often face challenges with visibility, limited booking tools, or fragmented promotion. At the same time, DMOs are tasked with showing the bigger picture. 

Making sure that visitors and locals alike can easily see what’s happening, trust that the information is accurate, and take part with ease.

That’s exactly what CultureHosts was built to solve. And for many years, it’s been working well. But we don’t rest on our laurels. 

One platform, many benefits

We’ve been working hard to refine CultureHosts to give destinations a practical toolkit for connecting people with place. At its core, it offers three major benefits. 

First, website integrations allow live cultural listings to be embedded directly into your own site or partner platforms. Instead of static event pages or out-of-date listings, you can showcase a real-time feed of experiences that people can browse and book. 

Second, CultureHosts provides a marketplace where DMOs can showcase and sell the experiences offered in their area. Rather than sending visitors to multiple websites with different booking processes, everything sits in one trusted hub, making it easy to discover, book, and pay in a single place. Independent organisers, tour operators, and venues retain full control over their listings, while the DMO gains a powerful way to present a cultural offer that’s easy to browse and book.

Third, cross-promotion becomes easier across networks. Events added by local organisers can appear on your site and across a wider ecosystem of partner platforms. That means more visibility for cultural partners and a richer, more consistent picture of what’s on in your destination. 

Why this matters

For DMOs, having a joined-up system is essential. Accurate, bookable listings increase visitor confidence, reduce friction, and ultimately drive participation. For cultural partners, being part of a bigger network helps them reach new audiences and generate sustainable revenue. And for places, it strengthens the overall cultural offer, showing both visitors and residents that there’s always something worth experiencing. 

Discover more

The cultural sector is full of brilliant events, experiences, and stories. CultureHosts is here to make sure they’re visible, bookable, and connected. DMOs up and down the UK are joining CultureHosts and benefitting from our refreshed offer. Contact us to find out more info@ctconsults.com 

We’re thrilled to share that Humber’s Place Brand has been shortlisted for Place Brand of the Year at the international City Nation Place Awards — a celebration of the world’s most innovative and strategic approaches to place branding, marketing, and leadership.

This global awards programme recognises long-term thinking and creativity in telling a place’s story — and we couldn’t be prouder to see Humber standing out on the world stage.

Back in September, we were delighted to see our former clients, Diana Taylor and Leahann Barnes, representing Humber at the UK City Nation Place 2025 conference in Glasgow. The event brought together some of the UK’s leading voices in place-making, tourism, and economic development to explore how we can break down silos and create joined-up, place-led strategies that boost reputation, civic pride, and attract talent, visitors, and investment.

Our team was right in the mix too — with Wayne Hemingway delivering a powerful keynote urging us all to say “No More Place Blanding!”, and our very own Anh connecting with colleagues on bookable experience development, and Amy and Andrew leading a roundtable on how community voices can shape and strengthen place branding efforts.

The winners will be announced on 6 November in London — but no matter the outcome, we’re already celebrating how far Humber’s story has come. Being recognised on a global platform like this is something special, and we’re proud to be part of the journey.

We’re thrilled to announce that Anh Nguyen is joining CTConsults as Partnerships Director. We’ve been lucky enough to work with Anh since 2020, where she has supported key projects as a Lead Consultant. In her new role she will be focusing on business development and strategic partnerships.

Anh has advised scores of Irish businesses on booking systems, connected distribution, and developing bookable experiences, as part of Faílte Ireland’s ‘Digital That Delivers’ programme. She also supported South Lanarkshire Council on their digital transformation programme (read more about that here). 

Aside from her work with CTConsults, Anh has heaps of experience in the tourism industry, with previous roles at Marketing Manchester, Virgin Trains, and Manchester City Football Club and clients including Scottish Enterprise, MIDAS and Underbelly. She’s also a proud Teessider, a keen crossfitter- but most importantly a brilliant colleague. 

Welcome Anh, we’re so pleased to have you on the team. 

This summer, we set ourselves a goal of introducing more video into Creative Tourist’s social media strategy and saw a paid internship as an ideal way to make it happen. We wanted to give a student meaningful, hands-on experience while also testing and growing this new-to-us format. Maya Chamma joined us for six weeks as Social Media Coordinator, and in this blog, she reflects on what she learned, achieved and contributed during her time with us. 

My Internship Experience at Creative Tourist

By Maya, Advertising & Brands Student

For the past six weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to complete an internship as a Social Media Coordinator with Creative Tourist.

How I Found the Internship

This opportunity came through my university tutor, who regularly shares marketing-related internships and work experience placements tailored to students like me. When I saw the listing for Creative Tourist, I was immediately drawn to it. I’ve always enjoyed creating content centered around arts, culture, and niche interests, which is something I already do as a side hobby on Instagram, so this felt like the perfect fit.

What I Learned

Throughout these six weeks, I’ve gained valuable insights both professionally and personally. From adapting to a real work environment and learning how to handle constructive feedback, to picking up new creative techniques and improving my workflow, the experience has been sufficient in growth and developing my skills for future projects/works.

What I Achieved

• Introduced Instagram Reels into Creative Tourist’s content strategy, consistently producing 2–3 per week.

• Diversified the content mix, adding video to a feed that previously focused on images and carousels.

• Drove significant growth, increasing total views by +52% and reach by +65%.

• Improved engagement, with Reels contributing 37% of all interactions, despite making up only 16% of posts.

• Boosted profile activity by +52%, including website clicks—directly supporting business objectives.

• Built the business case for video, influencing Creative Tourist’s future content strategy.

Strengths I Developed

One of my biggest improvements has been my timing and efficiency. I learnt how to edit videos much faster while still maintaining quality. By pushing myself to meet regular deadlines, I became more confident in trusting my instincts and creative decisions.

A Challenge I Faced

One weakness I had to confront was my tendency to obsess over perfection. I often found myself spending too much time trying to fix every small flaw. While attention to detail is important, I learnt that this habit can sometimes slow down progress and negatively affect productivity.

 Key Takeaway

I’ve come to understand how crucial it is to seek constructive feedback. Fresh perspectives not only speed up the creative process but also help break the cycle of self-criticism. Sometimes, stepping back and allowing room for imperfection is necessary, what feels flawed to you might be seen as powerful or complete in someone else’s eyes. This approach not only improves the content but also makes the entire process more enjoyable.

Overall, this internship has been an invaluable step in my journey towards a career in social media and digital marketing. As a Social Media Coordinator at Creative Tourist, I gained hands-on experience in strategy, content creation, and performance analysis, all whilst working in a fast-paced, creative and wholesome environment. The skills I’ve developed, from producing engaging video content to interpreting analytics, have equipped me with the confidence and knowledge to take on future roles in the industry. More importantly, I’ve learned how to balance creativity with efficiency and the value of collaboration and feedback: lessons I’ll carry with me throughout my career.

I’m truly blessed to have gained my summer experience with such a loving team, thank you for making me feel welcomed and part of the team.

The origins of CTConsults go back almost 20 years. As I write, we are as big, busy and diverse as we have ever been. We work across culture, digital, tourism, heritage, place… What started with a smattering of freelance jobs in Manchester has become an agency working across the UK and internationally. At the heart of all of this – in fact the heart of all of this – has been Alex Saint. A co-founder, and up until last week our modestly brilliant Managing Director.

But everything changes, and for personal reasons it’s the right time for Alex to step back and start her next chapter. Exciting, even a little scary perhaps. And that’s just for CTConsults! But hold on. We have great clients, ever-evolving services and products, and a fabulous team delivering on Alex’s legacy.

As Alex herself graciously put it: “It is testament to the quality and commitment of my fellow directors and the whole team that I feel I can go now. Future plans are also very exciting and the right team is in place to deliver them.” So, Alex is leaving us in really good shape, at an exciting time for an agency bursting with energy and talent.

Even though Alex will of course be regularly in touch – she’s our BFF after all – she will be hugely missed as we go about the day-to-day business of continuing to achieve great things through the agency Alex was instrumental in building. Thanks Alex.

Andrew, Dan, Mat and the CTConsults team

‘Immersive’, ‘digital’, ‘art’, and ‘experience’ are some of our favourite words here at CTConsults. And with two new exhibitions opening recently at MediaCityUK, we had to take a team trip to check them out.

Immersive digital art experiences continue to pop up across the UK (e.g. Van Gogh Alive, David Hockey: Bigger & Closer) and while they promise impact and innovation, they can often leave audiences feeling… a bit whelmed. Visually dazzling and very Instagrammable, these shows don’t always deliver much depth – so we approached both with curiosity and a dose of healthy skepticism.

 First up was Lowry 360, the UK’s first permanent immersive digital art experience, commissioned as part of Lowry’s 25th anniversary. This free experience lasts about six minutes and explores Lowry’s most famous work, Going To The Match. By gathering visitors into a small, fully projected space, the audience becomes part of the crowd heading to Bolton Wanderers’ stadium on match day; a deep dive into the characters and context of the painting.

 We were impressed. Team members new to Lowry’s work left with a clear sense of his style and subject matter, brought to life through effective use of animation and sound. Narration by BAFTA-winning Bolton native Sophie Willan – whose career began at Lowry theatre – added warmth and authenticity to the experience. A few of us did wonder what Lowry himself would have made of his characters waddling across the walls, but overall, it was a thoughtful and accessible introduction to the original artwork on display just outside the space. 

Next, we visited Unframed: Stories Brought to Life – a touring immersive experience from the National Portrait Gallery, produced by FRAMELESS. Drawing on 12 portraits from the collection, the show weaves together each sitter’s story in a continuous 45-minute loop, with audiences free to move around the space and come and go as they please. With ticket prices set at £15 in advance (or £23 on the day), it promised a more substantial experience – and came with higher expectations to match.

 While the storytelling was often strong – particularly when living subjects like Grayson Perry narrated their own vignettes – the overall experience felt more limited than promised. Visually, it lacked the expansive, boundary-blurring quality that “immersive” suggests. Unlike Lowry 360, the ceilings and floors were left blank, and the large, open layout further diluted the sense of immersion. More importantly, the portraits felt distant, both literally and conceptually. While we knew the exhibition focused on the sitters’ stories, we also expected some insight into the portraits themselves, or the artists, or the practice of portraiture. And with no original artworks on display in Salford, it raised questions about context and purpose.

 In the end, our visit sparked exactly the kinds of conversations we hoped for. As a team, we’re still questioning whether immersive art experiences are truly deepening cultural engagement, or simply delivering spectacle. Lowry 360 won us over with its tight focus and clever pairing of digital and physical – a promising model, especially as a free experience designed to complement an existing collection. But Unframed, while ambitious in scope, lacked cohesion and felt disconnected from the art, struggling to justify its price or presence in Greater Manchester. 

 Are immersive experiences part of the future of engaging new audiences with art? Possibly – but only when they’re built on more than just visual wow-factor. It’s a new medium that curators will master over time. The good ones remind us that immersion works best when it leads us somewhere meaningful.

Call it a Spring treat, but I was let out of the office twice in a week to allow me to look at the role of culture in regeneration in some actual ‘places’.

First I popped over to Leeds to attend one of Place North’s regular ‘Emerging Development Hotspots’ events, this time all about ‘God’s Own Country’, aka Yorkshire. A packed room heard from the public and private sectors as the ongoing regeneration of York, Sheffield, Hull, Leeds and Bradford was set out. Lots of big and ambitious plans, and some that felt like they were ‘of that place’, e.g. you couldn’t mix up ‘samey’ plans as they clearly serve their local communities, commerce, heritage and landscapes. Despite being in very uncertain economic and political times, our northern cities – now driven forward by ever strengthening devolution – know that short-termism, reactive masterplanning and ‘good enough’ is no longer good enough.

I’ve lived and/or worked and/or studied in all of the cities mentioned, across culture, heritage, place brand, tourism and creative industries. But it’s all place-making, or maybe destination-making if you are all about the visitor economy. So what works for your citizens, businesses, visitors, students, investors? What will shift perceptions, confidence and affect the social and economic impacts you’re after?

Hull is busy transforming its city centre, but also knows that working within the wider Humber region – a genuine economic powerhouse – is the way to thrive as the engine room for the economy. It’s one of the most naturally international cities we have – ports often are of course. The region’s new place brand is embracing their successes and potential as the Northern Powerhouse’s sleeping giant. They’re facing outward across the water much more, embracing their potential as a maritime city. Some cities would kill for such waterfronts. Which brings me to my second excursion – Bradford.

Bradford – actually named after the beck / ford that the settlement was built on – can’t find its river. Who stole it? You guessed it – the Industrial Revolution. The city grew incredibly quickly, and the river was culverted (they’re planning to bring some of it back to the surface, which will be wonderful to see – Rochdale’s just done the same thing to great effect). The trade-off was all about, well, trade. The Wool Exchange (regularly rated as one of the world’s best bookshops) was surrounded by bustling banks and evidence of mercantile wealth. Bradford could claim to be the nation’s (and therefore the world’s) richest city at one point in our Victorian pomp. Textile trade was genuinely global. If you think China is a new trading partner of scale, check the history books. Bradford was there 150 years ago.

Anyway, as the industrial north became post-industrial decline, few fell further than Bradford. Much of the built environment remained, but few looked up above struggling high street shopfronts to see it. I lived in Bradford in the 1980s and 1990s, and have never strayed too far away. What is happening there now feels like 40 years of hurt (apologies to Skinner & Baddiel) is being addressed with passion, clarity, brutal(ist) realism, and not a little bit of culture. For of course, Bradford is our UK City of Culture this year. Following Derry/Londonderry, Hull and Coventry it is Bradford’s turn to try to amplify the power of culture for regeneration.

The signs are good. In a group tour organised by Place Collective UK with Bradford Council, we explored the significant changes happening and in the pipeline. Bradford can never be Leeds, nor does it want to be. Anyway, Leeds is already doing Leeds pretty well. Bradford can be the youthful, messy, exciting, culturally-rich city I know and love, but in a C21st iteration that whilst not quite hitting the economic heights of the C19th, can operate with a renewed sense of self and optimism. Town planning mistakes of the past are finally being bravely rectified, local voices are being heard, technological innovation and creative partnerships are everywhere – driving environmental policy, city centre living, transport infrastructure, and of course culture. Over 1,000 events in 2025 will leave their mark, but what then? ‘Legacy’ is a much overused word, but what happens next after this year-long technicolour showcase of the ‘city’? Bradford is two-thirds rural and includes notable towns like Keighley, Bingley and Ilkley – all of which are now undertaking major investment programmes of their own. 

Perhaps the biggest change for the city post-2025 will be how it works, and its confidence. The default starting point is partnership, and it’s this collaborative mindset that is starting to enable locals and investors to deliver the real change that the city is now seeing. Bradford is not awash with cash, but it is doing it anyway, because investing in a culturally-energised city with real quality and a long-term view is the only way. Hard lessons have been learned, but working with West Yorkshire Combined Authority in particular is bringing out the unique and infectious personality of a city ready to take the next step. I got the Bradford bug in 1987, and if you haven’t been, get over there for a look, and a curry.

In talking with planners and artists, developers and academics, councillors and urban designers, the message is increasingly the same. Work together, be yourself, and be genuinely long-term in your approach. The UK has a patchy record with place positioning, but with all the players that make up and drive a place forward perhaps, just perhaps, starting to converge in their thinking, our towns, villages and regions might yet become more than short-term hotspots, but long-term, authentic, distinctive successes.

Anyone who has worked with us will know we are a bit phobic of launch events for our strategies. We prefer to celebrate what you achieve with the strategy, not simply the publishing of it. That said, if you’re going to the effort of bringing stakeholders together to make this milestone, then do something creative that starts you on that road together; a stepping stone, not a milestone. 

So what happens when a client has commissioned a ‘launch’ event? Last week, Alex & Amy did not launch the Cultural Masterplan we have been developing in North Northamptonshire – at the launch event. It’s not even finished yet. Instead we hosted a Summit, attended by over 70 stakeholders. Why, and what did we do that made it worthwhile?

• We presented the draft Masterplan, so stakeholders had another opportunity to see where their inputs have been applied, and invited fresh feedback (both on the day and in writing afterwards). Through our collaborative engagement process, we can state that c.200 stakeholders have co-created the Masterplan. It’s the best way to create genuine ownership, and is a powerful message when the finished document eventually goes before local politicians for approval. 
• We always look to use cultural spaces rather than civic or commercial. We hosted the event at Kettering Arts Centre, which helped to build their profile – and our venue hire budget went to support a local community arts centre.
• We again used our budget to pay back into the local economy by funding the Creative People & Places organisation Made With Many to facilitate conversations and capture ideas and actions. 
• We asked attendees to start drafting the action plan, including making commitments of their own organisations. Co-design needs co-delivery. This shared responsibility builds sustainability into the approach and ensures this is a place-based Masterplan, not just a local authority plan. 
• In inviting attendees to critique an outline governance model, we made sure stakeholders had a say in not only what they need to do, but how it will be managed. This helps build a mandate for cultural leaders to make and implement decisions on behalf of the sector. 
• We shared a statement supplied by Arts Council England in support of the draft Masterplan, and which invited conversations to explore funding opportunities. 
• The Northamptonshire Community Foundation presented ideas for how it could support new approaches to grant-making for the cultural sector, including some case studies. 
• Policy and key agenda alignment is hugely important. Culture needs to show how it can contribute across all facets of society. A panel of local leaders from across the county – working in environment, community, young people, visitor economy, heritage and education – discussed how they would like to collaborate with the cultural sector in delivering the Masterplan. 
• We asked all attendees to table the final Masterplan and action plan at their own boards – or whatever formal process they use – to further hardwire it into the sector. This further embeds the message that the Masterplan is for everyone to support and deliver collaboratively. 

So, not a launch, but rather another step to build endorsement, active input and support.

None of this is earth-shatteringly original. But it all reinforces the integrity of the process and resulting Masterplan. It confirms that, once we as consultants step away, there is an actionable route-map with shared understanding and motivation to deliver it. Capacity has been identified, future funding opportunities cultivated, and next steps agreed. 

We take an awful lot of pride in, and put an awful lot of effort into, building relationships within a place – to ensure that our work is relatable, actionable, realistic, appropriate and hopefully transformational. Producing a good strategy is important, but what happens next is really what it is all about. The transition from consultants helping to develop a strategic plan to local stakeholders delivering it is a critical period. Governance, leadership, communications, monitoring… That’s why we don’t just sail off into the sunset, even if a launch event is delightful! 

We’re really excited to see how the sector in Northamptonshire moves forward with this over the next few months. They’re ready for it, and have skilled people who can make good things happen. And of course, we be keeping in touch to help when we are needed. After all, we’re a stakeholder now too.

Last week, our team of intrepid consultants ventured all the way to…Manchester…to explore the latest trends and insights in booking systems and customer journeys. Read on for their reflections on how technological and data innovations are influencing the sector: 

A key theme of this year’s Ticketing Professionals Conference was the urgent need to embrace the ongoing technological revolution. Over the past 25 years, rapid advancements in home computing, smartphones, and social media have often left the ticketing industry playing catch-up to deliver the best customer experiences. Smaller venues, institutions, and destinations, in particular, risk falling behind or relying on outdated processes.

Now, with AI poised to transform every aspect of our work, it’s crucial that we at CTConsults not only adopt these changes but also lay the groundwork and provide support for our clients—ensuring that organisations, institutions, and destinations do not get left behind. (Andrew Adshead)

I was impressed by how much innovation is happening in ticketing right now. There’s a lot of new tech being developed, like allowing audiences to bid on seat upgrades, borrowing from the airline model in a way that makes sense for live events. AI is playing a growing role, especially in making dynamic pricing models more responsive. I was also interested in how venues are tapping into social media, with user-generated content doing much of the selling for them. It’s clear the industry is shifting in a big way. (Rachel Sipes)

Being a first timer to the conference one thing that struck me was the range of organisations at the Ticketing Professionals Conference. Alongside national providers were independent venues, local collectives, tech developers and regional cultural partnerships. It highlighted just how connected and collaborative the sector is. What stood out to me and something I will remember is that: ticketing should be accessible and adaptable, regardless of the size or structure of your organisation. (Ryan Nevin)

A key takeaway from the conference is the realisation that data alone isn’t the answer. It’s meaningless unless transformed into actionable insights, as insights are what drive change. Data and insights are discoveries, and discovery is inherently creative. It’s okay to try, learn, and experiment with limited risk. Insights mean nothing without influence, particularly when it comes to influencing stakeholders. Change can’t happen without that influence. Starting small to test changes, and learning from failures to understand why something didn’t work, offers valuable lessons and drives continuous improvement. (Jady Ng)