David Allen has an excellent track record in wide range of leisure and tourism masterplan and design projects in the UK and overseas. A chartered landscape architect and urban designer he works closely with other professionals to focus on action-led strategies to realise the potential of a place. Some of his notable leading roles include the green tourism masterplan for Reculver Country Park, which he worked on with Acorn and won the Landscape Institute Award 2009, the World Bank led tourism infrastructure project for Palestine and the revitalisation of Staines Town Centre, winner of the RTPI Awards 2005.

Oliver Bennett is a tourism industry specialist with over 35 years experience covering more than 75 countries worldwide. His expertise covers tourism development strategies, tourism marketing, economic and environmental impact analyses, institutional capacity building and tourism research and statistics. Previously Director of Tourism Services at Deloitte, his experience embraces both the public and private sectors. A Cambridge graduate in geography, he also has Masters degrees in economics and in urban/regional planning. He was British Expertise 'Individual of the Year' 2009, is a Fellow of the Tourism Society, a Fellow of the Institute of Travel and Tourism and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

Tariq Khwaja’s expertise is in communications and marketing, having formerly run the UK’s 15th largest communications consultancy. He’s adept in developing marketing messages and communications strategies to address business objectives. Tariq is also a specialist in consultation exercises to analyse community and stakeholder views, media relations, copywriting and crisis communications. He worked with Acorn on the Pebsham Countryside Park Public Consultation that was a winner in the CIPR awards for Best Public Sector Consultation 2006. Much of his recent work is in the field of sustainable development.

Sarah Loftus specialises in the development of Responsible Tourism. She has a practical understanding of the principles of responsible tourism and real experience gained through working at grass root level with local communities as well as with regional and national bodies. Building on experience in developing tourism in a protected landscape, Sarah also draws on 17 years in the hotel industry, primarily in international sales, and over three years specialising in hotel procurement for the corporate travel sector.

Krishna Nair has extensive leisure and hospitality experience based on many years of senior positions in the private and public sector, including Assistant Director of Development at the English Tourist Board (now VisitEngland). During twelve years of leisure consultancy with KPMG and Ernst & Young he advised all sectors of the hospitality and leisure industry. His particular strengths are strategic and operational development advice, financial and funding appraisals and market positioning for commercial and public leisure sector interests. Krish’s particular sector expertise includes visitor attractions, mixed developments and event venues.

Dr Simon Woodward has worked in collaboration with Acorn on many projects over the past 10 years. Simon is a tourism and heritage industry consultant and educator with some 20 years' experience of advising public, private and voluntary sector clients on a wide range of issues associated with the development and management of responsible tourism practices. In 2008 Simon joined the International Centre for Responsible Tourism at Leeds Metropolitan University as Senior Research Fellow, with responsibility for developing the MSc course in Responsible Tourism Management as well as contributing to the centre’s research and consultancy programmes.