New appointments made to Tourism and Events Queensland board to help support tourism recovery

Four new appointments have been made to the Tourism and Events Queensland board to help support the recovery of the tourism industry from the COVID-19 pandemic. Joining the TEQ board are Brian Hennessy, Duane Fraser, and Kylie Blucher, along with Paul Martyn – Chief Executive Trade and Investment Queensland who joins the board as an ex-officio appointment. 

Queensland Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the appointments to the board were of a high calibre noting “the new members of the TEQ board join at a critical time in the recovery and rebuilding of Queensland’s tourism industry.

“They bring to the TEQ board an accomplished mix of industry leadership, regional knowledge, and media and marketing expertise.”

Existing members Chris Mills, Associate Professor Sarah Kelly, Brenda LaPorte, and Nancy Bamaga will return to the board for second consecutive terms.

Brian Hennessy is an accomplished, Cairns-based marketing professional with over 37 years of experience in the tourism, travel, and aviation industries.

Duane Fraser is a Wulgurukaba and Bidjara man, a Traditional Owner of the Great Barrier Reef and south-central Queensland, with extensive skill in advising government on Indigenous and environmental policy.

Kylie Blucher is the Managing Director of Nine Queensland, Northern New South Wales and Northern Territory and has vast radio and television media knowledge.

The addition of the CEO of TIQ will provide the board with greater whole-of-government coordination.

Minister Hinchliffe said the new panel members would build on the great work already underway and thanked all outgoing members of the TEQ board “for their outstanding contribution to Queensland’s tourism industry, particularly during the challenges of the global pandemic.”