About High-Yield Tourism
Diverse global tourism industry experience
Our high-level travel industry expertise and data-based insights unlock the full value of high-yield tourism markets.
High-Yield Tourism specialises in strategy planning, consumer insights and campaign development for tourism destinations and travel organisations.
We help you to reposition your visitor economy to attract high-yield tourists – and build profitable bridges between the mass and luxury tourism segments. Our tailored strategies deliver diverse, resilient and equitable development.
Our team has managed tourism boards at the executive level.
We work with tourism ministers and board members to deliver strategic goals, and are a member if the UN Tourism Affiliate Members Board.
Our founders have held leading positions in tourism and hospitality branding, marketing, data analytics and strategy planning in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, North America, Europe and the Caribbean.
The High-Yield Tourism team is in demand
Our detailed analysis and strategic advice is appreciated by destinations, market research firms, strategic insights agencies, investment banks, travel suppliers and consumer brands.
You will regularly see our experts speaking at international tourism conferences, and being interviewed on the latest travel developments by global media.
Contact us to find out how High-Yield Tourism can support you to attract high-yield tourists and unlock the full potential of your visitor economy.
What High-Yield Tourism Means to Us
Tourism isn’t just about attracting visitors—it’s about what happens when they arrive. Do they stay longer? Do they spend more? Do they support local businesses? High Yield Tourism is about making every visitor count, not just counting visitors.
I’ve spent my career proving that sustainable, high-value tourism isn’t just an idea—it works. With a doctorate in tourism management from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and an MBA from Cornell University, and hands-on leadership across North America, Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, I’ve helped destinations and businesses turn strategy into real economic impact—from working with Kempinski Hotels & Resorts, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Destination Canada, Mekong Tourism, Barbados Tourism, and Saudi Tourism Authority to serving as an expert consultant for organizations incuding the Asian Development Bank and German Development Organization (GIZ).
As Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office and founder of Destination Mekong, I developed various integrated initiatives, including the pioneering Experience Mekong Collection, one of the first clusters of responsible tourism businesses, supporting local entrepreneurs and the world’s first regional tourism board startup accelerators, empowering tourism innovation. The collaborative Mekong Moments and Mekong Mini Movie campaigns reshaped how destinations engage tourism businesses to incentivize travelers to share experiences via user-generated content, while the Mekong Tourism Forum became one of Asia’s first single-use plastic-free conferences, introducing a decentralized model for stakeholder inclusion. As CEO of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., I championed sustainable tourism initiatives that earned the Green Destination Award for Climate Change.
With a deep understanding of China’s travel market, I served as Chair of PATA China, and co-founded Dragon Trail, an award-winning digital marketing agency specializing in Chinese tourism trends and digital engagement, and served as Editor & Publisher of China Travel Trends, bridging insights between China and global travel brands.
Serving two consecutive terms as 2nd Vice Chair of the UN Tourism Affiliate Members Board, and as past Board Member of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), I’ve worked globally to shape the future of high-impact, high-value tourism.
"If you’re ready to shift from measuring arrivals to maximizing impact, let’s talk."
In an era where destinations compete for visitors, the true competitive advantage lies not in volume but in value creation. High-Yield Tourism isn’t just a concept—it’s a proven economic driver that transforms how destinations measure success: from counting visitors to making visitors count.
TRANSFORMING TOURISM ECONOMIES ACROSS FIVE CONTINENTS
With executive leadership across North America, Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, I’ve guided destinations and tourism enterprises through strategic transformations that deliver measurable economic impact:
- As Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, I developed the award-winning Experience Mekong Collection, creating Southeast Asia’s first ecosystem of responsible tourism businesses that increased visitor spending while supporting local entrepreneurs.
- Leading Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. as CEO, I implemented high-yield strategies that earned the island the prestigious Green Destination Award for Climate Change while increasing tourism receipts coming out of the COVID pandemic.
- Serving Saudi Tourism Authority, I helped establish authentic experience strategy models to position the Kingdom’s emergence as a high-value destination.
- At Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Kempinski Hotels & Resorts, I pioneered revenue and digital strategies that increased per-guest yield by reimagining the luxury experience.
- As an expert consultant for the Asian Development Bank and German Development Organization (GIZ), I’ve created sustainable tourism economic models that maximize local economic benefit while preserving cultural and environmental resources.
BRIDGING INNOVATION AND IMPLEMENTATION
My approach combines rigorous academic understanding with practical execution:
- Doctorate in Tourism Management from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- MBA/MMH from Cornell University
- Creator of the world’s first regional tourism board startup accelerator, driving innovation in experience development
- Co-founder of Dragon Trail, an award-winning agency specializing in Chinese tourism and Editor & Publisher of China Travel Trends, bridging insights between China and global travel brands
- Designer of the collaborative Mekong Moments and Mekong Mini Movie campaigns that revolutionized how destinations leverage user-generated content and engage stakeholders
GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN SUSTAINABLE HIGH-VALUE TOURISM
My leadership roles in shaping tourism’s future include:
- Two consecutive terms as 2nd Vice Chair of the UN Tourism Affiliate Members Board
- Chair of PATA China, developing deeper understanding of the world’s largest outbound tourism market
- Board Member of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
- Board Member of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)
- Board Member of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI)
A PROVEN APPROACH
My methodology doesn’t just increase visitor numbers—it transforms tourism economies:
- Strategic visitor targeting that attracts higher-spending, longer-staying visitors
- Experience development that commands premium pricing
- Stakeholder alignment that creates cohesive destination experiences
- Measurement frameworks that track what truly matters: economic impact, sustainability, and resident quality of life
THE FUTURE OF TOURISM IS HIGH-YIELD
Today’s most successful destinations understand that volume without value is unsustainable. The future belongs to destinations that can:
- Attract visitors who contribute more economically, culturally, and environmentally
- Create experiences worth paying for that showcase authentic local culture
- Measure success beyond arrivals to capture true economic and social impact
- Balance tourism growth with resident quality of life and environmental sustainability
READY TO TRANSFORM YOUR TOURISM ECONOMY?
If you’re prepared to shift from counting visitors to making every visitor count, let’s discuss how High-Yield Tourism strategies can deliver sustainable economic growth for your destination.
Gary Bowerman is an Asia-based travel economist and consumer trends consultant, and a regular conference speaker and media commentator. As Director of Check-in Asia, a travel consulting and research firm focused on China and Asia Pacific, Gary works with travel organisations, consumer brands, investment banks, management consulting and trends forecasting firms across Asia Pacific and worldwide.
The Asia Travel Analyst for Phocuswright, Gary covers inbound, outbound and domestic travel markets in China, Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia. He is co-host of The South East Asia Travel Show, and founder of the Asia Travel Re:Set newsletter, which is read by travel professionals worldwide.
Described by Travel Weekly Asia as “a leading expert on Chinese tourism,” Gary is author of The New Chinese Traveler: Business Opportunities from the Chinese Travel Revolution (Palgrave, 2014). His new co-written book, The Return of Chinese Outbound Tourism: Changes & Experiences in the Post-Pandemic Era, will be published by Routledge in 2025.
Gary is invited to speak at travel and tourism conferences worldwide. Recent engagements include the UNWTO, Global Tourism Economy Forum, World Islamic Tourism Forum, Worldline, Indonesia Ministry of Tourism and ASEAN Tourism Forum in locations ranging from Shanghai, Singapore and Bangkok to Barcelona, Madrid and London. He is also regularly engaged by global media, including BBC, CNA, CNN, Bloomberg, Reuters, Al Jazeera, Time, SCMP and China Daily, to discuss Asian travel trends and developments.
High-Yield Tourism is the key to addressing the challenges communities face in tourism today.
Throughout my career—from my time at the Singapore Tourism Board to working with national tourism and hospitality organizations across Asia, and attending UN Tourism meetings — I’ve observed a persistent disconnect between major players, such as international brands and government agencies, and smaller stakeholders, including SMEs and local residents. Large brands shape the global perception of destinations and define success based on their chosen metrics, while smaller players are expected to align with these goals, often without a say in the process.
This approach frequently results in standardized, volume-driven models prioritizing arrivals and luxury tourism, creating a gap between visitors and the communities serving them.
"Tourism should ultimately enhance a destination for its residents and future generations."
This is why we need a shift toward tourism that prioritizes economic and social benefits for communities in a destination. Instead of focusing solely on arrival numbers, High-Yield Tourism emphasizes tourism dispersion, economic contributions, and positive community impact. By applying practical, collaborative models that engage all stakeholders—especially smaller players—we can build stronger communities from the ground up, ultimately benefiting the entire tourism ecosystem and making tourism a real force for good.
- More than 20 years of experience in branding, marketing, and customer relationship management in the services and hospitality industry.
- Bachelor’s in International Management, Marketing, and Tourism at the International University in Germany and the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore,
- Started his career at the Singapore Tourism Board. Working with the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) division, he engaged local and international organizations to attract global events to Singapore.
- Experienced in marketing, CRM, and business development, in various roles amongst them with the Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre, and as the Deputy Director of the German Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Representative office in Southeast Asia.
- Founder of Studio DMB in Singapore and Germany to support the tourism and hospitality sector in branding, marketing, and customer engagement.
- Former head of Branding and Loyalty Marketing for Dusit Hotels & Resorts
- Led various other projects in the hospitality industry in Canada, Cambodia, China, Germany, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Our Partners
Chameleon Strategies
Chameleon Strategies is an award-winning partner to the hospitality, travel, and services industries. We leverage leading technology and build strategies to provide our clients with sustainable and inclusive solutions to grow, engage their stakeholders, and inspire consumers. Our interdisciplinary teams and partners are located in Asia, Europe, and North America. Since 2008, we are an Affiliate Member of the UN Tourism (UNWTO). Since 2019 we are members of the board of Affiliate Members of UN Tourism. Read more...
The South East Asia Travel Show
Launched in January 2020, The South East Asia Travel Show is a weekly podcast co-hosted by Gary Bowerman and Hannah Pearson. Each week, it discusses the hottest travel and tourism topics in South East Asia and Asia Pacific. Regular interviews with influential figures from across the region examine trending travel issues from unique perspectives. In 2023, the show was downloaded in 95 countries worldwide.
Every episode of the show is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all international podcast apps.
Read more...
Asia Travel Re:Set
Launched in September 2020, Asia Travel Re:Set is a weekly newsletter covering the latest developments in travel and tourism throughout Asia Pacific. Each edition examines how travel and tourism are responding to shifting regional and global economic, political and societal influences. Coverage spans from Australia to China, Singapore to Japan, the Philippines to Maldives – and everywhere in between. Asia Travel Re:Set is read by travel industry professionals, government officials, academics, consultants, media, researchers and travellers across the globe. The full back catalogue is available to read...
Balanced Tourism
Balanced Tourism focuses on achieving an equilibrium between the economic, social, and environmental aspects of tourism while balancing growth and preservation. It seeks to optimize benefits for the destination while minimizing negative impacts, as well as reducing the leakage factor to drive inclusive economic growth. While both Balanced Tourism and Sustainable Tourism aim for responsible tourism, Balanced Tourism specifically targets an equilibrium among various aspects of tourism to balance growth and preservation, whereas Sustainable Tourism is more focused on long-term conservation and responsible management of resources.
