About

The Rural Tourist provides independent strategic advice to estates, landowners and destinations exploring tourism opportunities within rural landscapes.

Much of this work takes place within sensitive rural environments, including designated landscapes and working estates where tourism must sit carefully alongside land management, heritage and environmental priorities.

David Collier

Tourism and visitor economy advisor specialising in rural landscapes

The consultancy draws on nearly 20 years of experience across the tourism, leisure and rural development sectors, working with both public and private organisations.

Working across feasibility, strategy and project development, I work with clients to explore opportunities, shape ideas and move rural tourism projects forward with confidence.

Previous roles have included senior regional positions within outdoor recreation and visitor experience with Forestry England, alongside work within the rural property sector with Savills, supporting estates and landowners in exploring tourism and leisure opportunities as part of wider land management and diversification strategies.

This combination of experience across public landscapes, rural estates and visitor economies provides a broad understanding of the many factors that shape successful rural tourism projects, from visitor expectations and commercial realities, to landscape sensitivity, heritage and public access.

Projects have included work relating to:

  • Estate diversifications

  • Visitor experience development

  • Feasibility and opportunity development

  • Outdoor recreation and public access

  • Landscape recovery and environmental programmes

  • Heritage conservation and activation

  • Social value and community benefit

Exploring an idea…

Rural tourism projects rarely begin with a fully defined plan. More often they start with an idea, an opportunity and a question about what might be possible.

The Rural Tourist exists to support those early stages, bringing experience, perspective and practical advice to projects as they begin to take shape.

If you are exploring a rural tourism opportunity, considering diversification or simply want to discuss an emerging idea, I would always be happy to have an initial conversation.

  • Working across feasibility, strategy and early project development, I help clients explore ideas, test opportunities and shape tourism ventures that are both commercially viable and rooted in the character of place.

    Many projects begin simply with a conversation — discussing possibilities, understanding the landscape and identifying practical next steps.

  • Rural tourism offers significant opportunities for landowners, estates and rural communities. When carefully developed, it can strengthen local economies, support landscape stewardship and create meaningful visitor experiences.

    However, successful projects rarely begin with a fully formed plan. They begin with questions.

    What opportunities genuinely suit a place?
    How might tourism complement existing land uses?
    And how can new ideas be developed thoughtfully within sensitive landscapes?

    My work focuses on helping clients navigate these early stages — bringing clarity, perspective and practical advice to projects that are often complex and evolving.

  • Clients typically include:

    • estates and landowners exploring tourism diversification

    • destination organisations and local authorities

    • landscape partnerships and environmental initiatives

    • leisure operators and rural enterprises

    Each project is different, but they often share a common starting point: a need to explore possibilities and move forward with greater clarity.

  • Many of the projects I become involved in begin long before a formal brief exists.

    Conversations often start around questions such as:

    • We’re exploring whether tourism could work for our estate, but we’re not sure where to begin.

    • We have an idea for a visitor experience but need an independent view on whether it’s viable.

    • We want to diversify our rural business but need to understand the opportunities and risks.

    • We’re developing a landscape or destination project and want to consider how tourism could play a role.

    • We need an experienced external perspective as a project evolves.

    Often the most useful first step is simply to talk through the context, the landscape and the possibilities.

  • The Rural Tourist was created to offer independent, thoughtful advice without the constraints of larger consultancy structures.

    This allows me to work flexibly with clients at different stages of development — whether testing an early idea, shaping a strategic direction or providing a trusted external perspective as projects evolve.

    The approach is intentionally straightforward, collaborative and grounded in practical experience.

Discuss your project