Podcast

Welcome to the Visitor Elves podcast, where we take you behind the scenes of tourism, hospitality, culture, and events in and around the West of England and Wales.

Each episode dives into the stories, insights, challenges, and victories of inspiring people and businesses shaping the industry.

Conversations with Kelly

Ep.57 St Pauls Carnival with LaToyah McAllister Jones

Carnival, Creativity, and Citizen-Led Change: An Inspiring Conversation with LaToyah McAllister-Jones, CEO of St Pauls Carnival and Trustee of Bristol Old Vic. In this episode, Kelly Ballard chats...

Ep.56 Digital destination marketing

The Digital Marketing Secrets Behind Visit West’s Success with Shonette Laffy and Laura ValentineIn this podcast episode, I’m joined by Shonette Laffy and Laura Valentine, and we're talking all...

Ep.55 Bristol BID Director Vicky Lee

Bristol BID, going behind the scenes of the management of Bristol’s city centre, and the inside track on the Bristol Light Festival 2025. Vicky Lee has been the Director of Bristol City Centre BID...

Ep.54 Ten steps to create a Marketing Strategy

10 steps to successfully create a Marketing Strategy for visitor attractions, experiences and hospitality businesses in 2025. Are you a marketer or business owner of a tourism, leisure or...

Ep.53 Clare Reddington CEO at Watershed Bristol

Clare Reddington on skipping school, creativity and financial resilience at Bristol's Watershed. On today’s podcast, I spoke to Clare Reddington, CEO of the Watershed in Bristol. The Watershed: A...

Ep.52 Online ski travel company Heidi with co-founder Marcus Blunt

Unpacking Ski Travel: How Online Ski Company Heidi is Redefining Getting to the Slopes, with CEO Marcus Blunt. In this episode, Kelly had the pleasure of chatting with Marcus Blunt, co-founder and...

Ep.51 Gloucester Food Dock with owner Sarah Mansfield

From Forgotten to Fabulous: The Gloucester Food Dock Story with Sarah Mansfield. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in urban regeneration, food tourism, or the transformative power...

Ep.50 Increase Corporate Business with Helen Applin

Increase your corporate business in 2025 with Visit West. Corporate business, MICE otherwise known as Events, meetings, conferences, and team-building activities are excellent opportunities for...

Ep.49 The Parkgate Hotel, AA Hotel of the Year (Wales) with Damien Martin

Behind the Scenes of Wales' AA Hotel of the Year 2024: Success Strategies from Parkgate Hotel’s Damien Martin. In the latest episode of the Visitor Elves podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with...

Ep.48 The Secrets of Content Marketing with The Content Emporium

Unlocking the Secrets of Effective Content Marketing with Charlotte Laing, The Content Emporium. In this episode, I chatted with the lovely Charlotte Laing, founder of The Content Emporium, a...

Ep.47 Visit West Food and Drink Forum

Visit West Food and Drink Forum Speakers Sept 2024. I’m thrilled to launch this season with a special collaboration episode featuring Visit West—the Destination Management Organisation for Bristol,...

Ep.46 Royal Crescent Hotel Bath with Lorraine Jarvie

Royal Crescent Hotel: managing this luxury hotel in the heart of Bath with General Manager Lorraine Jarvie. In this episode, I made a rare trip to meet face-to-face with the super stylish Lorraine...