A wide range of experienced industry representatives have been appointed to the new Tourism Management Board.
Hannah Beacom (pictured) was appointed as Chair of the board in January and has now completed the recruitment of board members. The board’s membership importantly represents a cross-section of the whole tourism industry, including air and sea links, accommodation, venues and transport.
It will also include Keith Beecham, who carried out a review last year about the future direction for Visit Guernsey, who will sit on the board as a non-voting member to support its work.
The Tourism Management Board, created by the Committee for Economic Development, is designed to work in partnership with the industry and represents an opportunity for board members and the sectors they represent to have true strategic input into the development of tourism in Guernsey. This will include the development of a new Tourism Strategy.
Board membership is as follows:
- Hannah Beacom – Chair
- Greg Yeoman – Condor
- Nico Bezuidenhout – Aurigny
- Clare Crowson – Premier Holidays
- Charlie Walker – Little Big Group
- Ian Vaudin – Guernsey Taxi Drivers’ Association
- Jon Bisson – St James
- Simon Vermeulen – Committee for Economic Development tourism lead
- Mary Putra – States of Guernsey Director of Marketing and Communications
Ms Beacom said: “I am delighted with the strength of the board. Each member brings a wealth of experience in their sector, and it is this diversity of membership that is so important to ensure the board reflects the whole industry and can therefore best represent its interests.
“Additionally, with his background and prior involvement it’s great that Mr Beecham has accepted our offer to sit on the board as a non-voting member. His support of the board’s work, the knowledge and experience he brings, and the advice he will be able to offer will be incredibly valuable.
“As I have said previously, our industry is much stronger when we work together collaboratively and the new board presents a fantastic opportunity for a range of stakeholders to contribute to the development of tourism at a strategic level.
“The board will meet for the first time in March. We are re-visiting both the Guernsey Tourism Strategic Plan and 10 Point Plan both of which are due to conclude in 2025. We will be looking at whether the strategic aims of both plans stand up in a post Covid environment and consulting with the industry about how we develop these and take a Tourism Strategy beyond 2025.
“This will give us a blueprint for the whole of the industry for the coming years, as we collectively decide on what a good future for tourism looks like and how we can work together to achieve those aims working with the States of Guernsey on policy decisions that will make that possible.”
Deputy Simon Vermeulen, tourism lead for the Committee for Economic Development added: “The membership of the Tourism Management Board makes for positive reading, as it contains high-calibre people with vast experience in their respective areas and reflects the wide-ranging industry as a whole.
“This board – made up of industry stakeholders with an independent Chair – gives the industry a route to provide true strategic input into the sector’s development while also providing an economical solution for the Guernsey taxpayer. The Committee for Economic Development is fully supportive and I look forward to working alongside my fellow board members, with Hannah Beacom as Chair, as we set the direction of travel for the future development of tourism in the island.”
