New Tourism Australia Chief Gets Industry Support

Andrew McEvoy has been appointed Managing Director of Tourism Australia.

Making the annoucement, Executive Chairman Rick Allert stated, âAndrew returns to Tourism Australia at a time of great challenge and opportunity for the industry.

"Andrew's drive, creativity and enthusiasm will be integral to ensuring Tourism Australia continues to excel in its role in marketing our country as a travel destination around the world."

McEvoy, currently Chief Executive of the South Australian Tourism Commission, and a former Tourism Australia Executive, will take up his role at Tourism Australia in January 2010.

His appointment has been welcomed by peak industry body the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF), with TTF Managing Director Christopher Brown saying that the appointment has widespread industry support.

Brown stated "the tourism industry is looking forward to the prospect of Andrew heading up Tourism Australia, to provide the leadership it needs to take the organisation forward and boost tourism.

"The appointment of Tourism Australiaâs new Managing Director has been a long time coming and occurs at a crucial time as the tourism industry battles the impacts of the global financial crisis, contends with widespread job losses and awaits the release of the Federal Governmentâs National Long-term Tourism Strategy.

"A fully functioning, capable and responsive Tourism Australia (TA) will have a major role to play in the National Long-term Tourism Strategy and, with Andrew at the helm, the industry can be assured the organisation is in the right hands.

"The most obvious issue at present is that tourism desperately needs leadership at the Federal level. Andrew is a strong leader who will help Tourism Australia regain its confidence, its authority and its momentum.

"Importantly, his track record in South Australia shows that he understands that great marketing is not enough to ensure tourism success and that an agency must impose itself on the supply-side issues of investment, transport access and skills.

"Andrew McEvoy also understands the strategic importance of partnerships with the state agencies and with industry.

"TTF calls on Minister Martin Ferguson to back Andrew's appointment with a well-funded and far-reaching National Long-term Tourism Strategy, which is currently awaiting Cabinet consideration and state sign-off."