Many destinations encounter problems when attempting to adopt a strategic approach to planning. If destinations misread target markets and fail to provide the experiences desired by tourists, they face the danger of falling revenue, adverse impacts on their image and a disenchanted travel trade sector that may make recommendations to its clients to travel elsewhere. This article examines how destinations are able to use a tourism-specific version of the strategic window of opportunity model to identify opportunities for participating in new, rapidly growing markets. The utility of the model is demonstrated by examining how the steps suggested in the model were used in Cairns, Australia, to develop its Chinese market sector. This article contributes to a gap in the literature regarding strategies that may be used by destinations searching for new markets.