The Board of Tourism Whitsundays
The role of a Tourism Whitsundays Board Member is to provide governance to Tourism Whitsundays, represent it to the community, and accept the ultimate legal authority for it. Knowledge and skills in one or more areas of Board governance, eg: policy, finance, programs and personnel are required qualifications. Board Members are elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting of Tourism Whitsundays and serve for a two year term. Board Members may be re-elected for two additional terms. Current Tourism Whitsundays Board Members Chris Jacobs, Cruise Whitsundays- Chair of Tourism Whitsundays. Chris has been involved in tourism for over 20 years now and has always been involved in regional tourism promotion. He is one of the owners of Cruise Whitsundays. They still have a business in Fiji as well which gives him a good ongoing comparison to what is happening here. He is also now a resident here having moved here with his partner and son in January and loving it.Chris strongly believes that this region is underperforming given all the things it has going for it and that it is pretty much our own fault. Too many businesses are working in isolation when what is needed is for ALL businesses to work together with Tourism Whitsundays, to tell firstly Australia and then the western international markets what a fantastic place this is and why they should all come here for their holidays! Bringing that level of co-operation and the success that will follow, is Chris’s primary goal of being on the TW Board. Adrian Bram, Whitsundays Sailing Adventures- Deputy Chair of Tourism Whitsundays. Adrian has been an active member of the Whitsunday Tourism Industry since 1996 and is dedicated the ongoing development of our magnificent region.While his recent focus has been Marine Tourism, he has many varied years of experience in Tourism Marketing and Regional Development having held various positions within the Western Australian Tourism Commission, both in Australia and abroad. In 1996 he moved to Airlie Beach to take on the role of International Sales Manager for Tourism Whitsunday and is now Managing Director of Whitsundays Sailing Adventures. Jeff Aquilina, Waters Edge Resort -Treasurer of Tourism Whitsundays. Jeff has been involved in various community organisations including the Whitsunday Chamber of Commerce as Treasurer and President, and the Whitsunday Reef Festival as Chairman. Jeff is passionate about the Whitsunday region and in particular what the region has to offer the varied and at times eclectic mix of people visiting the region. Jeff has gained substantial understanding of the challenges faced by the region, both as a tourism industry business manager (particularly as a tourism industry business manager situated on the mainland), and as a local resident. Jeff believes he can offer Tourism Whitsundays a unique skill set to enhance the organisation. Peter O'Reilly, Chief Executive Officer- Secretary of Tourism Whitsundays. Peter comes to Tourism Whitsundays from Tourism Queensland (TQ), where as Manager Market Development he was responsible for the planning, development and marketing of the ecotourism, marine, backpacking and adventure experiential sectors. In this role he has led implementation of the Queensland Ecotourism Plan, authored the Indigenous Tourism Strategy, and overseen the production of the Adventure Tourism Strategy - including its subordinate Dive Tourism Strategy. For five years Peter was President of Ecotourism Australia, the industry's peak membership organisation, and was responsible for the internationally recognised EcoCertification program. Peter has also fulfilled senior executive positions at both Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat. Nicole Graham, Sundowner Cruises- Nicole Graham has worked in the Tourism Industry for over 14 years in Public Relations, Marketing and Event Management over a variety of tourism applications including International cruise ships, Island resorts, Corporate Sydney and previously within Tourism Whitsundays. Currently the owner/operator of Sundowner Cruises operating out of Airlie Beach, she has also been heavily involved in various community organisations including Whitsunday Reef Festival and the Schoolies program. Nicole is passionate about the Whitsunday region and in particular Airlie Beach as a tourism destination. Nicole has gained substantial understanding of the challenges faced by the region and is committed to devoting time and energy to ensuring members are represented. Andrew Keating, Daydream Island Resort & Spa- Andrew has worked in the hospitality industry for 30 years, and brings a wealth of experience to the board on his election at the 2009 AGM. He has previously lived in the Whitsundays and is very familiar with the region and all that it has to offer. In previous roles he has been part of The Hunter Valley Tourism Committee, the Morpeth Jazz Festival Committee and has participated in many tourism body workshops. Holding the role of General Manager he regularly attends local functions and is involved daily with may operators across multiple businesses. He possesses a fair disposition, is customer orientated and he thoroughly enjoys all that the Whitsundays has to offer. Allen Grundy, Australian Tall Ship Cruises and Explore Whitsunday- Allen joined Explore Whitsundays in 1997, becoming a director in 1999. Today Allen’s main role is marketing domestically and internationally. Since 2000, he has travelled overseas each year and has a good understanding of the international distribution channels. He has also attended the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) for the last 3 years. Allen has also been a Board Member of Backpacking Queensland for the last 4 years, is a delegate on the State Tourism Ministers Working Parties, and is active in the Whitsunday Charter Boat Industry Association. Allen’s primary concern for the region is to continue to enhance partnerships with stakeholders, to achieve best results for all Whitsunday Businesses. David Stielow, Cruise Indigo- David first relocated to the Whitsundays in 1991 and spent the first six years based in Airlie Beach as Marketing Manager for Fantasea Cruises. In 1998 he purchased the sailing vessel Banjo Paterson and has grown the business over the last decade to include Denison Star. Cruise Indigo now employs 20 people, servicing approximately 20000 guests per year. David’s time in the region over the last 17 years has evolved around hospitality and tourism and he looks forward to continuing his contribution to the board of TW after election at the 2009 AGM. Kelli Medford, Boathaven Spa Resort- Kelli Medford has been passionately involved in the tourism industry in the Whitsunday region for the past 13 years working as a senior manager on the islands and a business owner on the mainland. Kelli is currently the Resident Manager/owner of Boathaven Spa Resort. Being heavily involved in a variety of local businesses, Kelli has an in-depth knowledge of what the regions tourisms needs are. As a parent of two school aged kids, Kelli understands the importance of tourism to the community and it’s role in bettering the community we live in for the future growth of the region.
John Nayler, ChannelWhitsunday.com- John Nayler is an Internet consultant and co-founder of ChannelWhitsunday.com. A former geek from Brisbane, John has been visiting the Whitsundays regularly for 14 years to serve his passion for sailing. Today, John is a resident of 3 years, having relocated his business and is retained by a selection of local tourism enterprises. John's passion for Whitsunday tourism development is easily evident at ChannelWhitsunday.com, where he and Charles have engaged online video and other leading edge internet technologies for focused promotion of the Whitsundays as a world leading tourist destination. He is Whitsunday focused, enthusiastic and Internet savvy. Jan Clifford, Whitsunday Regional Council- Jan has lived in the Whitsundays for the past 15 years, with a strong background in management, marketing and training. Her working life took her from retail & fashion, to hi-tech manufacturing as National Sales Manager with Laser Cutting & Robotic Welding. Jan’s first role in the region was Sales and Marketing Manager with South Molle Island/Jewel Hotels & Resorts. Two years later she started her own sales & marketing business and still travels extensively in an extended drive market area on behalf of the Whitsunday’s and the many businesses she represents. A founding member of the Save our Foreshore and Save the Airport Groups, Jan works with other resident action groups including Resident Traffic Action and Landcare and Mangrove Watch. She was the immediate past treasurer of the Whitsunday Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the 2015 Land Use & Infrastructure Advisory Committee. Now Councillor for Division One, Jan is the Whitsunday Regional Council’s representative on the Tourism Whitsundays Board.
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