Tourism Western Australia has moved to bolster its executive team with the appointment of three new directors.
Tourism Western Australia has moved to bolster its executive team with the appointment of three new directors.
Former head of retail marketing for BankWest, Stephanie Buckland, has been appointed executive director marketing, while Jennifer Duffecy returns to Tourism WA as executive director industry development.
Experienced tourism operator Rick Thomas will become executive director aviation development.
"Tourism WA launched its Strategic Plan 2008 to 2013: Building for the Future, which presents a clear course of action for the agency and the wider tourism industry," chief executive Richard Muirhead said today.
"The new plan outlines the strategies that must be pursued to ensure our state's tourism industry thrives, and I have appointed a new executive team to lead us into the future.
"Ms Buckland has significant experience in building relationships with trade partners and successful brand development and expansion, particularly with online marketing approaches, in the United States and Australia.
"Her role will be to grow visitor expenditure by working with influential travel trade and targeting consumers through innovative marketing initiatives."
Mr Muirhead said Jennifer Duffecy brought with her experience in regional and economic development, public policy and community development in Queensland and Western Australia.
"Ms Duffecy is returning to Tourism WA after having worked with our industry development branch for four years where she led strategic initiatives around visitor servicing and regional tourism," he said.
"Her role is to increase the quantity, quality and diversity of tourism product by addressing many of the capacity and supply issues facing the industry."
Mr Muirhead said a new position of executive director aviation development had been established to expand air services and overall air capacity for WA.
"Rick Thomas, who has more than 30 years experience in tourism, is now executive director aviation development and will work towards increasing frequency and capacity on existing routes, attracting new airlines and introducing new non-stop air linkages," he said.
"Mr Thomas will build on a number of important initiatives implemented by Tourism WA in recent years including the introduction of low-cost carriers, new routes from Europe and Asia, direct flights between Dubai and Perth and improved intrastate networks."
Ms Duffecy, Ms Buckland and Mr Thomas will commence their new roles in mid to late March.
