Please welcome Gemma Watson to the CDM Consultancy Network - Travel & Tourism Event Marketing Specialist

There’s nothing quite like adding a brilliant new mind to the mix, and we’re so happy to be welcoming Gemma Watson to the CDM Consultancy Network, joining us on a part-time basis.

Gemma is a marketing and brand strategist working across travel, tourism and events — the kind of person you bring in when you need clear thinking, sharp positioning, and ideas that don’t just look good on paper… they actually move (smoothly) from strategy into delivery.

If your organisation is evolving, scaling, refreshing its brand, or trying to build campaigns and experiences that genuinely cut through, you’ll be very glad she’s in your corner.

Meet Gemma: strategic brain, practical hands

Gemma is comfortable at both the strategic and hands-on level, and that’s exactly why she’s often brought in as an extension of in-house teams, particularly during periods of growth or change.

With 15 years’ experience, including senior roles as Marketing Director at Connections Luxury and as part of the global leadership team at Quintessentially Travel, Gemma brings that rare blend of big-picture brand thinking and real-world marketing delivery.

Her work spans:

• Brand evolution (the “who are we now?” moments… handled with clarity and confidence)

• Event-led portfolio development (building experiences and propositions that actually sell)

• Campaign planning (smart, strategic, and executable)

• Partnerships (the right ones, for the right reasons)

• CRM programmes (thoughtful journeys that respect the audience and drive results)
  

In other words: if you need a plan and someone who knows how to make it happen — Gemma’s your person.

What Gemma brings to CDM clients

We build our consultancy network with intention, bringing together specialists who are not only excellent at what they do, but who also bring fresh perspective, strong values, and a calm, confident way of working.

Gemma is especially brilliant for organisations that want:

Stronger positioning (without the fluff). She helps teams define what makes them different, why it matters, and how to communicate it clearly.

Strategy that translates into delivery. No “pretty decks that sit in a folder.” Gemma builds strategy that your team can actually use.

A steady hand during change. Rebrands, new launches, portfolio shifts, growth phases — she’s used to stepping in and getting momentum moving in the right direction.

Travel/tourism/events expertise with a modern lens. She understands the nuances of these sectors — and the expectations audiences now bring to them.

Breeze: climate action for destinations (and a smarter way forward)

Alongside her consultancy work, Gemma is Co-Founder of Breeze — a contribution-based climate action platform for destinations.

This reflects a long-standing interest in how travel and events create value responsibly, and how organisations can build brands and experiences that audiences feel good about engaging with — not just today, but long-term.

It’s a perspective we love at CDM: commercial thinking, creative thinking, and responsible thinking all in the same room.

A quick-fire intro (because we like to keep things human)

If Gemma were a travel essential? A great map and a calm plan. (With space for a little adventure — but never chaos.)

Her sweet spot in a project? The moment strategy clicks into a clear direction — and you can feel the whole team exhale.

The thing she’s most likely to bring to a brainstorm? A sharp insight, a better question, and an idea you can actually execute.

Want to work with Gemma, our travel & tourism event marketing expert?

Gemma is available through the CDM Consultancy Network on a part-time basis, supporting organisations across travel, tourism and events who need:

• Brand and marketing strategy

• Positioning and messaging refinement

• Campaign planning and delivery support

• Partnership and portfolio development thinking

• CRM and audience journey strategy
  

If you’d like to explore working with Gemma (or find the right fit across our network), you can get in touch via CDM and we’ll match you with the right expertise for where you’re heading.

Welcome to the network, Gemma — we’re so glad you’re here. 💛