About Sharon
Sharon Hannaford
Managing Director & Founder, Limetree Consulting
Two Decades of Tourism Expertise
Sharon Hannaford founded Limetree Consulting in 2003 with a clear purpose: to bring specialist, on-the-ground expertise to tourism marketing across Australia, New Zealand and the Asia–Pacific.
With a background spanning destination representation, trade development, PR and digital strategy, Sharon has spent more than twenty years helping tourism boards, hotels and hospitality brands build real market presence — not just visibility, but genuine consumer and trade engagement that drives results.
She is known for her direct, practical approach, her deep network within the travel industry, and her ability to translate complex marketing challenges into focused, actionable plans.
Career & Experience
Destination Representation
Sharon has served as the Australian and New Zealand representative for a range of international tourism authorities, including the PNG Tourism Authority, Nepal Tourism Board, Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau, and the Philippines Department of Tourism. In each role she built and maintained relationships with travel trade partners, media and consumers.
Hotels & Hospitality
She has worked alongside leading hotel groups including Peninsula Hotels and Archipelago Hotels & Resorts, supporting sales strategy, trade account management and PR across the Pacific.
Trade & Consumer Campaigns
Sharon has planned and executed joint marketing campaigns with major Australian travel wholesalers, managed familiarisation trips for trade and media, and created training programs that improved front-line knowledge and sales conversion across partner networks.
Strategic Consulting
Beyond representation, Sharon advises clients on broader marketing strategy, market-entry planning, and digital transformation. She has guided organisations through changes in the digital marketing landscape, helping them adopt SEO, social media and content strategies that reflect their brand positioning.
Events & Activations
She has coordinated product launches, consumer expos, trade roadshows and press events throughout Australia and New Zealand, consistently delivering on-brand, on-budget results.
Industry Networks
Sharon maintains active relationships with Australia’s leading travel trade bodies, media outlets and industry associations, which she draws upon on behalf of every client she represents.
“My goal has always been to give clients the same level of commitment and expertise you would expect from an in-house team — with the flexibility and perspective of an independent specialist.”
— Sharon Hannaford, Managing Director
Connect with Sharon
Let’s talk about your market.
Sharon is available for an initial conversation about your tourism marketing objectives and how Limetree can help.