What if tourism's biggest opportunities are the ones we're not looking at?

Tourism is an optimistic industry.

We celebrate visitor numbers, economic contribution, new experiences and the stories that inspire people to travel. We talk about growth, resilience, regeneration and creating places people want to visit.

And we should. Optimism is one of tourism's greatest strengths.

But every now and then, a conversation reminds us that optimism should never come at the expense of curiosity.

Recently, I met with academics from Western Sydney University to explore opportunities for collaboration between industry and academia. We spoke about student placements, commercialisation, research partnerships and how universities and businesses can work together to solve real-world challenges.

Those conversations were exactly what I expected. What I didn't expect was to leave thinking differently about tourism itself.

One researcher shared several years of work exploring the experiences of working holiday makers in Australia. And, not the glossy tourism campaign version. The lived experience. Their research examined racism, exploitation, sexual harassment, domestic violence, visa settings and the unintended ways policy can create vulnerability.

As I listened, I caught myself thinking, here was a perspective that rarely finds its way into the conversations we have around boardroom tables or conference stages.

That conversation reminded me that tourism is much more than visitor numbers and economic impact.

It's employers and employees. It's residents and volunteers. It's seasonal workers and backpackers. It's small business owners, community organisations and families. It's people.

And some of the most valuable insights come from understanding their experiences, particularly the ones we don't always see.

The conversation continued.

We explored accessibility and inclusion, climate change, regenerative tourism, child safety, coastal communities and the future role of universities in industry.

Although every topic was different, they all pointed towards the same idea. The best research doesn't simply confirm what we already believe. It encourages us to ask better questions.

At Sparrowly Group, we're fortunate to work across government, industry, education and communities. That means we regularly see different perspectives on the same challenge.

Researchers bring evidence. Industry brings lived experience and innovation. Government shapes policy. Communities provide the reality that sits behind every strategy.

Each perspective tells only part of the story. Real progress happens when they're brought together. And, that thinking has shaped many of our own projects.

Take AccessA, for example. What began through years of conversations about accessible and inclusive tourism evolved into a practical platform that helps businesses, councils and destinations understand where they are today and where they can improve tomorrow.

It isn't simply a technology platform. It's an example of what can happen when research, evidence, industry insight and implementation come together with a shared purpose.

Throughout the meeting, we also spoke openly about commercialisation. Not because research should become commercial for the sake of it, but because great ideas deserve the opportunity to make a difference beyond academia.

Australia invests significantly in research every year.

Some of it informs policy. Some of it changes industries. Some of it quietly waits for someone to ask, what happens next? 

Perhaps that's where partnerships matter most.

Not because universities need industry. Not because industry needs universities.

But because both see the world differently.

Researchers have the time to explore questions many of us don't stop to ask. Industry understands the realities, pressures and opportunities that exist every day. Government helps shape the environment in which those decisions are made.

Consultants often have the privilege of working across all three, translating ideas into practical outcomes while continually learning from each perspective.

None of those viewpoints is more important than another.

Together, they're far more powerful than they are apart.

Walking away from that meeting, I realised I hadn't simply learnt more about university research. I'd been reminded why curiosity matters. 

Tourism is an industry built on possibility. We should absolutely celebrate its successes. But we should also make space for the conversations that challenge us, broaden our perspective and encourage us to see tourism through someone else's eyes.

Because perhaps tourism's biggest opportunities aren't always the ones we're talking about. Perhaps they're the questions we're not asking. Maybe the future of tourism isn't about finding better answers.

Maybe it's about asking better questions. And maybe the strongest partnerships aren't those where everyone thinks the same way, but where different perspectives come together with a shared ambition to create better places, better visitor experiences and stronger communities. And that is my absolute happy place - if I am walking out of a meeting and learning something new, it has been a successful one. 

If we can do that, we'll not only build a stronger visitor economy, we'll build an industry that's curious enough to keep learning, courageous enough to keep questioning and collaborative enough to keep improving.