Benton steps aside after successful tourism transition

2 September 2019

The tourism marketing functions of Tourism West Coast (TWC) migrated into Development West Coast (DWC) on 1 April 2019, with TWC winding up. The former board members of TWC have subsequently been appointed as the initial members of DWC’s new Tourism Strategy Group.

The Tourism Strategy Group acts in an advisory role to DWC’s chief executive, providing advice and insight on the West Coast tourism sector through the West Coast Tourism Strategy. The Group met recently for the first time and elected Dame Julie Christie as the interim chair.

Chair of the former Tourism West Coast Board, Richard Benton, has also announced his resignation from the new Strategy Group, noting it was now timely to stand down with the winding up of TWC and the transition to the strategy group now complete.

Mr Benton said, “On reflection as a Board member and Chair of Tourism West Coast over the last six years, I am particularly proud of the significant growth achieved in tourism numbers and GDP over my period of time, and the leadership shown in initiating and developing an award winning brand and strategy that should now hold the West Coast in really good stead for many years to come.”

DWC chief executive Chris Mackenzie wished to thank Richard for his contribution to tourism on the West Coast and the TWC Board over the past six years, and particularly for his commitment to the organisation and seeing through the significant and difficult changes to wind down TWC and merge its functions into DWC.

The membership and Terms of Reference for the new Tourism Strategy Group will be reviewed at the end of the year.

The Tourism Strategy Group consists of Dame Julie Christie (Chair), Margaret Montgomery, Stephen Roberts and Alexander Tschampel, with a replacement to be appointed in place of Richard Benton.

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