New Travel Marketing & PR Agency Helm Launches

Senior tourism marketing and communications specialists Andrew Cavallaro and Rachel Jones have joined forces to launch Helm, a new purpose-driven marketing and communications agency supporting like-minded brands.

With a presence in both Sydney and Brisbane, the independent agency provides full-service strategic marketing and communications solutions for the travel and hospitality industries, offering expertise in PR, marketing, brand strategy, market representation, content and digital.

With 30 years’ combined experience in the tourism industry, Jones and Cavallaro have established Helm to focus their specialist skills on values-driven work. Their mission is to drive a more conscious way of travelling and to promote the positive work of travel and hospitality brands.

Prior to launching Helm, the founders worked together in senior positions in travel and lifestyle marketing and communications agencies including GTI Tourism and Example.

Jones has also held in-house roles with Marriott International and BridgeClimb Sydney, whilst Cavallaro has executed memorable marketing campaigns for brands such as Tourism & Events Queensland, Eurail, PromPeru and Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority.

Cavallaro said: “Rachel and I have always been passionate about working for travel and hospitality brands that have a positive impact on the destinations and communities they touch, whether that’s environmentally, socially or economically.

“Now more than ever the industry needs our support. We want to focus our efforts on helping it get back on its feet, as well as helping build a more sustainable future.

“We provide like-minded clients with big agency thinking and strategic approaches but through a more accessible model, offering cost-effective services of the highest quality at a time when they need it the most.”

Jones said: “After working in the industry for many years and experiencing the impact of Covid, we knew there was a more meaningful way we could contribute and put our expertise to good work.

“Covid has forced the travel industry to reset and to consider its role in not only sustaining, but regenerating, our planet. Travelling responsibly and with purpose has the power to positively impact people and places, and the industry has the potential to be a force for good.”

Helm’s foundation clients include brands that are leaders in the responsible travel space such as Ecotourism Australia and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.

Helm helped Ecotourism Australia, the peak membership organisation for ecotourism operators in Australia, develop its 30th-anniversary brand and communications strategy.

Ecotourism Australia’s chief executive, Rod Hillman, said: “We have been fortunate to work with Andrew and Rachel both on Ecotourism Australia’s new brand strategy and on our PR and media relations/

“Andrew impressed us with his ability to zoom out and understand who we are as an organisation, and then zoom in again to put together the pieces of the puzzle in new ways. Rachel’s extensive media network and long-term relationships have also been priceless to us.

“Most of all, both Andrew and Rachel have been incredibly supportive, patient and full of practical suggestions for our marketing and communications team.”

United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is also engaged Helm to deliver a creative content series, providing insight into how Covid has shaped the lives of those in the Pacific’s tourism industry and highlighting the value of tourism in advancing sustainable development.

The agency was also engaged by Akita Prefecture Tourism this month to provide market representation services and to promote the little-known Japanese destination to Australian travellers in the lead-up to borders reopening.

Helm is committed to operating with purpose and with minimal impact on the planet. The agency is also a proud partner of ReForest Now to support the regeneration of the Australian rainforest.

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Andrew Cavallaro Ecotourism Helm Rachel Jones Rod Hillman United Nations World Tourism Organisation