Granicus Destinations strengthens ANZ team with appointment of destination specialist Joanne Cohen
Senior ANZ hire reflects Granicus investment as destination organisations face growing pressure to prove visitor economy value and deliver sustainable tourism outcomes
Granicus Destinations, formerly Simpleview, announced the appointment of Joanne Cohen to its Australia and New Zealand destination sales team, reinforcing its continued investment in and long-term commitment to the ANZ visitor economy.
Joanne brings deep experience across travel, tourism, data, and software-as-a-service (SaaS), having most recently worked in senior sales roles with destination and hospitality organisations across the Pacific region, including STR and FCM Travel Solutions Australia. Her background includes partnering with senior stakeholders to translate complex data and insights into clear, actionable strategies that support smarter decision-making and long-term economic outcomes.
In her new role, Joanne will work closely with destination organisations across Australia and New Zealand to help them strengthen digital capabilities, use data more effectively, and better demonstrate the value of tourism to local communities, businesses, and government stakeholders.
“Joanne’s appointment strengthens our presence on the ground in Australia and New Zealand,” said Ian Roberts, managing director UK & ANZ at Granicus. “Her understanding of the destination sector, combined with her ability to build trusted, long-term partnerships will be invaluable as we continue working closely with DMOs and visitor economy stakeholders across the region.”
The appointment of Joanne reflects Granicus’ continued focus on supporting destination organisations with integrated solutions that connect websites, CRM, data, digital marketing, and stakeholder engagement into a single, joined-up ecosystem. By combining global expertise with strong regional understanding, the company is supporting ANZ destinations as they respond to changing visitor behaviour, increasing accountability, and new expectations around transparency and value.
The ANZ destination sector is experiencing growing pressure to:
- Prove the impact of the visitor economy
- Use data to inform investment and policy decisions
- Engage residents, partners and government stakeholders more effectively
- Embrace AI and digital tools responsibly and practically
Granicus Destinations, backed by global public sector expertise, is increasingly supporting destinations in addressing these challenges — helping teams move beyond fragmented systems toward integrated, insight-led visitor economy management. This appointment is part of a broader and accelerating investment by Granicus in the ANZ market, with further developments planned for the destination sector in the coming months.
“Australia and New Zealand’s destination sector is evolving quickly,” said Cohen. “Many organisations are being asked to do more with less, using data, digital, and storytelling to drive sustainable growth while also clearly demonstrating economic and community impact. I’m excited to be working alongside destination teams across the region, helping them navigate change and adopt practical solutions that deliver real value.”
Granicus Destinations works with destinations globally, supporting organisations to increase visitation, improve stakeholder engagement, and clearly communicate the value of tourism — from local communities through to central government.