The new South Australian Tourism Commission chair David Koch said he is looking at ways to offer grassroots support to the state’s small business tourism operators.

“When I talk to small business groups, it’s access to finance, it’s access to capital that are really important [to them],” Koch said.

“One of the objectives I’ve set myself in taking on the role [of chair] is to help small business tourist operators have better access to capital to develop their products and invest in them.”

While these businesses have an alternative to the big banks in non-bank lenders and fintechs like Judo Bank, Koch wants local tourism players to have “an always on access” to capital.

“Not just grants, but access to funding, and maybe using the state’s balance sheet to make sure [the businesses] get competitive rates,” he said.

“I’m going to have to negotiate with the treasurer. I’ve got a rough idea what I want to do now, I’ve just got to put details behind the plan.”

Helping tourism businesses grow, includes addressing the shortage of visitor accommodation across the state.

Koch supports Airbnb and said the properties and hosts play “a real role” in providing accommodation and experiences to ensure trial and repeat visitation.

“The Barossa Valley is crying out for tourist accommodation – yes, there’s bed and breakfasts, yes, there’s the Novotel,” he said.

“But there are very few offers in that 10 to 25-person guest accommodation that can take small conferences or larger groups,” he said.

This provided an opportunity, he said, for boutique hotels to establish themselves in tourist hotspots.

Koch has a reputation as a kind of everyman, standing with the small business operator and consumer, urging them to vote with their feet.

Last year, he joined online comparison site Compare The Market as its economic director.

Asked whether the two major supermarkets and the big banks are fuelling the cost-of-living crisis, Koch said “it’s a natural thing to think that they are”.

“When you look at their declared margin in their accounts, they’re pretty skinny [but]they can get real efficiencies of scale [in these margins] and the introduction of technology has really helped their profits,” he said.

Pushing back is a collective effort, he said.

“We as consumers, when we see increases in prices that are above inflation [have] every right to ask and question why,” he said.

He named Telstra as a “classic” example, having raised their mobile and data prices for two years running.

The nation’s two major insurers, Insurance Australia Group (IAG) and Suncorp also came under fire for their “extortionate” premium increases while their share prices reached five-year highs.

Koch cautioned big business not to take advantage of consumers’ inflation expectations.

“Every price rise has got to be put under scrutiny,” he said.

“We can criticise [the insurers] and point this out, but consumers have got to be a lot smarter [and ensure] they are getting the right deal each and every year.”

With the biggest companies vacuuming up both disposable and discretionary income, Koch said small businesses need to differentiate themselves and ensure their digital marketing is “up to speed”.

“Their point of difference is loyalty, it’s personal service, it’s knowing the customer,” he said.

“Small business has the advantage of having a real human being associated with them and a personality behind it.

“All of the research shows that one of the most powerful marketing tools of any business is to have a personality, and small business owners have really got to make the most of that.”

David Koch will be the keynote speaker at the South Australian Business Index lunch and networking event on Friday, 20 September at the Adelaide Convention Centre. Purchase your individual ticket or table of 10 now.