Elements of Byron (2016 - 2024)
Launching this resort to become an internationally sort-after destination. Then sustaining its growth as one of Australia’s leading luxury resorts.
Project Brief
Elements of Byron opened in February 2016 as a beachfront luxury resort on the Byron Bay coastline.
Over the next eight years it grew from 94 villas to 193, following a $40m Stage 2 expansion in 2017, and it competed in an increasingly crowded global luxury market.
My team and I partnered with the resort from opening day. The brief was to build brand relevance, open up new audience segments and drive direct bookings, bringing brand, content and performance marketing together into one integrated program.
What We Did
We led the strategic evolution of the brand across audience, content and channel strategy. That meant reaching new markets while deepening the relationship with guests who already knew and loved the resort.
- Developing and activating new audience segments, including wellness and family markets
- Leading a full brand refresh, including custom illustration and visual collateral
- Concepting, designing and producing Elemental, a premium 100-page brand magazine
- Integrated social media campaigns, content and competitions to build engagement and reach
- EDM strategy to support conversion and repeat stays
- Website strategy, UX and SEO-led content to grow visibility and organic traffic
The Result
The integrated program grew the resort’s audience and visibility year on year:
- Instagram grew from around 15,000 followers to more than 93,000 (2018 to 2023)
- Website traffic increased by 170% (2016 to 2023) – 286 non-branded keywords ranked in Google’s top three, with a further 451 on page one
- Email open rates averaged 38%, rising to 77% for pre-stay communications
- Wellness, couples and family markets grew to 71% of all resort guests
That audience work contributed to strong commercial performance. In FY2017/18, the resort’s average daily rate was above its competitor set and its revenue per available room was higher. Direct bookings were high, reducing reliance on third-party channels. Elemental became a brand asset in its own right, reaching many readers and online visitors per issue.
Recognition followed.
- The submissions we wrote won Gold in both Luxury Accommodation and Business Event Venues at the 2018 NSW Tourism Awards.
- The resort also won two Qantas Business Travel Awards (2017 and 2018) and Best Pool at the 2018 Gourmet Traveller Australian Hotel Awards.
- The wellness positioning we established continues to define the resort.
- Elements of Byron was named Best Hotel or Resort Focused on Wellness at the 2025 Spa & Wellness Awards and Oceania’s Leading Villa Resort at the 2026 World Travel Awards.
