About Visitor Elves
Background
Visitor Elves is a marketing consultancy based in Bristol, supporting visitor attractions, destinations, visitor experiences, restaurants and many others in between.
Founder Kelly Ballard, has over 25 years of experience of marketing and management of visitor attractions, hospitality, experience and destinations.
Throughout her visitor economy career, she’s helped put towns back on the map, driven footfall to lesser-known places, launched new experiences and initiatives, and developed effective marketing strategies for a wide range of clients—from local authorities, and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), to hospitality groups and corporates.
Her clients have ranged from Bristol Zoo to Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, Marketing Cheltenham, Destination Bristol (now Visit West), Forest Live concerts, Sunshine Hospitality, Bristol Cathedral, Mendip Activity Centre and many others in between.
See our portfolio for experiences and testimonials from some clients we have worked with. Checkout Kelly’s LinkedIn for more testimonials.
Becoming Visitor Elves
In 2022, coming out of the pandemic, Kelly launched a podcast ‘Elves of the Visitor Economy’ featuring conversations with people doing interesting and inspiring things in the visitor economy of the West of England. These chats gave others connection and insight in that disconnected, post-pandemic world and thousands of people listened in across the globe.
In 2023, after 8 years working as a consultant and marketing freelancer, she brought together the podcast and consultancy business under one brand, ‘Visitor Elves’.
In 2024 Kelly’s husband Mark joined the business after 23 years working as one of the senior management team for the Forestry Commission at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, one of the largest pay to enter visitor attractions in the South West. As Curator, Mark was responsible for management of the internationally important tree collection and historic landscape. Mark also brought with him a wealth of knowledge and business acumen gained during 14 years within the financial services sector.
Visitor Elves work in collaboration with a network of talented specialists, to support multiple/larger projects.
About Kelly
I’m always learning and absolutely love tech and digital marketing. I’m often found reading and listening to podcasts about marketing, psychology and human behaviour, which helps both my work and my personal life. Despite a degree and various Chartered Marketing studies, my style is very instinctive.
In 2020, I earned a Distinction in Squared Online Google Digital Strategy and I stay current with the ever-evolving digital landscape through regular CPD training with organisations such as TechPixies, an incredible community for women in social media.
I live in Bristol, where, for better or worse, I married a Bristol Rovers fan. We have two teenagers and two cats.
When I’m not working, I love the outdoors and keeping fit, especially pilates, playing tennis and cycling. I’ve recently taken up mountain biking for the buzz – yep, the last one is definitely a mid-life crisis.
“Kelly is a great strategic marketing thinker and has an in-depth knowledge of the Visitor Economy. I enjoyed greatly working with her in my role as a Board Director for Visit Dean Wye (DMO for the Forest of Dean & Wye Valley).
She helped the marketing team clarify the strategic direction and key target audiences for the brand and worked with us to develop a solid and refreshed proposition.”
Sarah Orchard ~ former Board Director, ‘Visit Dean Wye’
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