Jackie Hicks has 10 years experience working across the health, tourism and community development sectors. She is passionate about creating opportunities that drive positive change for communities and destinations.

Jackie has contributed her exceptional attention to detail and thorough research to many of Sparrowly Group’s projects and is the lead researcher and co-author of Sparrowly Group’s white paper on accessible tourism: Creating real inclusion: a call to arms to the tourism industry.

Jackie has led the research on a number of Sparrowly Group tourism related projects including: Destination NSW Drives, Hawkesbury Destination Management Plan, Alexandrina Council Marketing Strategy, Ingenia Holiday Business & Funding Plan, Regional Strategic Alliance Experience Trails Development, Bundaberg Regional Events Strategy and Penrith Destination Management Plan Review. 

She has an ability to quickly acquaint herself with clients and their offering to understand the business needs from the inside out. In her mentoring, Jackie provides practical guidance and support around experience development, distribution, creating and delivering tourism experiences, and guiding mentees through the overwhelm. Jackie actively supports tourism operators, training them on Australian Tourism Data Warehouse and digital marketing. She actively reviews operators to identify areas for learning in particular around visitor experience. 

She has been instrumental in the delivery of several other successful projects for clients in the travel and tourism industry, including the delivery of the Infrastructure and Investment Opportunity review for Ingenia Communities, as well as a city marketing project for Greater Shepparton City Council. And, in the health and disabilities sector, a strategic plan for IMPACT Community Services.