Recruiting the Deputy Director-General, Tourism to Lead Destination 2045

The Challenge

Queensland is one of Australia’s most iconic tourism destinations, with a global reputation for natural wonders, major events, and world-class experiences. Recognising both the opportunities and challenges ahead, the Queensland Government developed Destination 2045 — a bold 20-year strategy to double visitor spending to $84 billion and position the state as a global tourism leader.

Delivering this vision required exceptional leadership. The Government sought a Deputy Director-General (Tourism) with international credibility, deep sector knowledge, and the ability to unite industry, government, and community around a shared vision. The appointment would be pivotal in driving cultural change, policy alignment, and commercial growth across one of Queensland’s most important industries.

 

Our Approach

Luminary was engaged to conduct a global executive search, designed to identify not only the best talent in Australia but also leaders shaping tourism globally. Our approach included:

  • Targeted international outreach across major tourism markets in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and North America.

  • Assessment of leadership capability in managing complex policy, industry, and government stakeholder environments.

  • Alignment with Destination 2045 priorities, ensuring candidates brought expertise in ecotourism, events, connectivity, experiences, brand, and industry development.

  • Stakeholder engagement with senior government leaders to refine the capability profile and ensure cultural fit with the Queensland public sector.

 

The Outcome

Following a rigorous international process, Luminary successfully appointed a globally recognised tourism leader from Saudi Arabia, who had previously led their national tourism sector through a period of unprecedented transformation and growth.

The candidate brought with them:

  • Global tourism leadership experience, with a track record of building national tourism brands and driving visitor economy growth.

  • Strategic vision, aligned with the ambition of Destination 2045 to double visitor spending and elevate Queensland on the global stage.

  • Cross-cultural insight, enabling Queensland to learn from global best practice while promoting its unique identity.

 

Impact

Since the appointment, the Deputy Director-General (Tourism) has played a critical role in the rollout of Destination 2045, released in June 2025. Early impacts include:

  • Government alignment: Strong leadership in coordinating policy, investment, and inter-agency collaboration.

  • Industry engagement: Building momentum and trust with tourism operators, regional bodies, and industry associations.

  • Global positioning: Leveraging international networks to promote Queensland as a destination for ecotourism, events, and world-class experiences.

  • Strategic delivery: Clear progress on the six Destination 2045 priorities — ecotourism, events, connectivity, experiences, brand, and industry.

 

This appointment demonstrates Luminary’s ability to deliver truly global executive search outcomes for Queensland. By securing an international leader of the highest calibre, the Queensland Government is now equipped with the leadership required to deliver Destination 2045 and position the state as one of the world’s most exciting and sustainable tourism destinations.

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