Speaking at IQ Digital, Constanta 2025
Tourism Strategy & Growth

Turning destinations into brands the world wants to visit

25 years of leadership at TripAdvisor, Amadeus, and lastminute.com, now focused on growing tourism brands, destinations, and travel businesses across Europe and beyond.

EU Director
TripAdvisor
Led European market expansion and advertiser partnerships
Global Director
Amadeus / travel audience
Shaped global programmatic strategy for travel brands
Media Director
lastminute.com
Built and scaled European advertising revenue streams
VP Growth
PerfectStay
Drove growth strategy for curated travel marketplace
Trusted by leading brands in travel
25+
Years in Travel
40+
Clients & Projects
15+
Source Markets Served
100%
Satisfaction Rate
At WTM London 2025
Keynote @ IQ Digital 2025
Rubik Hub, Piatra Neamț, Romania
About the Founder

Thomas Bangert

Founder & Principal Consultant

Bridging Global Expertise & Local Authenticity

The tourism landscape has reached a critical turning point. At The Bangert Consultancy, we bridge the gap between world-class industry standards and the untapped potential of emerging destinations. With over 25 years shaping the digital strategies of the world's leading travel platforms, Thomas brings a rare combination of global brand experience and hands-on market knowledge to every engagement.

We empower destinations to transition from mass tourism models to high-value, authentic, and sustainable ecosystems. Our mission is to transform local authenticity into global opportunity by closing the 'Digital Gap,' fostering cross-border synergies, and ensuring travel becomes a primary driver of local prosperity.

We don’t just consult; we architect the future of 'The New Travel', where travellers don’t just visit, they belong!

EU Director
TripAdvisor
Global Director
Amadeus / travel audience
Media Director
lastminute.com
VP Growth
PerfectStay
What We Do

Strategic Services for Tourism Growth

Concise, high-impact engagements. Clear deliverables, real outcomes. No retainer treadmills.

Business Growth Strategy & Travel Marketing

Market expansion, go-to-market plans, B2B and B2C sales enablement, performance branding, channel partner development, and investor decks.

Market EntryGTM PlansSales EnablementInvestor Decks

Destination Marketing Strategy

Strategic positioning, brand development, cross-market campaign planning, feeder market segmentation, influencer relations, and FAM trip curation.

Brand StrategyFeeder MarketsDMO ConsultingFAM Trips

Performance Digital Campaigns

Programmatic display, retargeting, geo-targeted video ads, social channel strategy, creative direction, and full campaign reporting.

ProgrammaticVideo AdsSocial MediaReporting

Reputation & Review Optimisation

TripAdvisor and OTA management, review response strategy, profile optimisation, score improvement. Built on direct experience leading these platforms.

TripAdvisorOTA ProfilesReview StrategyHotels & Wineries
Knowledge Transfer

Workshops, Masterclasses & Keynotes

Interactive sessions for tourism professionals who need practical, actionable insights.

Workshop Topics (examples)

How to Run a DMO Campaign Across Multiple Feeder Markets

Real frameworks from Mamaia-Constanta, Moldova wine regions, and international destinations.

Half-Day or Full-Day

Lessons from TripAdvisor: Credibility & Conversion

Insider knowledge from leading the platform. How review scores directly impact bookings.

Half-Day Workshop

Wine Tourism: A Premium Niche with Long-Term ROI

Proven strategies from the Moldova Wine Tourism Growth Plan.

Half-Day or Keynote

From Zero to DMO: Building a Destination Management Organisation

Governance, stakeholder management, campaign planning, and KPIs for new DMOs.

2-Day Intensive
Also Available (examples)

Personalised Video Campaigns vs Static Ads

What drives travel bookings? Data from real campaigns across European destinations.

Keynote or Workshop

Sustainable Tourism That Actually Works

Measurable sustainability frameworks and eco-certification pathways beyond the buzzwords.

Keynote or Panel

Turning Festivals into Tourism Products

Converting festival attendees into multi-day tourists. From Untold to village traditions.

Half-Day Workshop

AI in Tourism Marketing

Content creation, personalisation, chatbots, and predictive analytics for travel.

Keynote or Masterclass
Proven Results

Selected Client Work

Measurable impact across destinations, travel brands, and travel technology companies.

DMO Campaign

Mamaia-Constanta, Romania

Personalised video ad campaign targeting Germany and UK markets on Instagram.

50%
Click-Through Rate
Market Strategy

Sojern: DACH Market Study

Hotels vertical strategy and market readiness for Germany, Austria, Switzerland.

DACH
Led to Market-Specific Hiring
Wine Tourism

Moldova Wine Tourism Growth Plan

Review optimisation and strategy for Moldova's top wineries under ONVV.

ONVV
National Wine Authority Partnership
Client Voices

What They Say

Sojern assigned 2 projects to Thomas. Within 3 months, Thomas delivered great results. The DACH study resulted in hiring a manager for the German market and an active pursuit of DACH opportunities.

Matthieu Betton
General Manager, Europe at Sojern

Thomas' professional and calm approach, his in-depth knowledge and expertise, as well as his vast network of connections have so far proven invaluable for me and Kuende!

Pavel Antohe
Founder & CEO of Kuende

Thomas' connections within the travel industry are astonishing. His personal relations opened so many valuable doors for Pearlshare and, even after the acquisition by Smartvel, they continued to open!

Prashant Raizada
Interim CEO, Pearlshare (acq. by Smartvel)
Thought Leadership

Available for Speaking Engagements

Thomas speaks at international travel conferences on destination marketing, slow travel, digital transformation, and the future of tourism.

  • IQ Digital 2025Romania
  • Discover North-East ConferenceRomania
  • Souss Massa DaysMorocco
  • TravolutionUnited Kingdom
  • VIR InnovationstageGermany
Discuss Speaking →
Industry Intelligence

Tourism & Travel News

The latest developments across the global travel industry, curated by The Bangert Consultancy.

Romania
Romania Tourism

Bucharest Introduces Tourist Tax for 2026

The Romanian capital approved a RON 10 per night levy expected to generate millions annually for tourism promotion.

January 2026
Read more →
European Tourism
European Travel Commission

EU Backs Regional DMO Networks Across Member States

New funding supports destination management organisations with operational budgets and cross-border marketing initiatives.

January 2026
Read more →
Global Travel
Skift

Travel Tech Investment Hits Record Levels in 2025

AI-powered personalisation and programmatic advertising lead funding rounds across the global travel technology sector.

January 2026
Read more →
Romania
Romania Insider

Romania to Establish 8 Regional DMOs with EU Funding

Backed by over EUR 100 million, Romania is building destination management organisations to professionalise tourism promotion.

January 2026
Read more →
European Tourism
Euronews Travel

Mediterranean Destinations Rethink Summer Capacity Limits

Barcelona, Dubrovnik, and Santorini lead a wave of European cities implementing visitor management strategies.

January 2026
Read more →
Global Travel
PhocusWire

Sustainable Tourism Certifications See Growing Demand

Travellers increasingly seek verified sustainability credentials when choosing destinations and accommodation.

January 2026
Read more →

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Ready to grow your tourism brand?

Whether you need a destination marketing strategy, a keynote speaker, a review optimisation workshop, or a trusted advisor, let's talk.

30-minute call. No obligation. Let's see if there's a fit.

Get in Touch

Let's Build Something Together

Whether you represent a destination, a hotel group, a travel tech company, or a government tourism office, we'd love to hear about your challenges.

+44 (0) 7766 407 744