Strategies & Reports

Destination Advisory Board

• Chris Roberts

  

  Chris began his working life as a radio journalist, before moving to Parliament where he worked for the Minister of Tourism.

  After a decade in the energy sector he returned to tourism when he joined Tourism NZ as General Manager Corporate Affairs in 2012.

  In 2014 he was appointed Chief Executive of the national tourism industry association, which changed its name to Tourism Industry Aotearoa in 2016.

  Chris left TIA in early 2022 and is now a tourism consultant and advisor, based in Wellington, working with local and international clients.

• Dani McDonald (Kāti Taoka, Kāti Huirapa)

  

  Dani is a representative of mana whenua from Te Rūnanga o Moeraki, Kāti Huirapa ki Puketeraki and Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou.

  Dani comes from a background in journalism and communications and is currently Kaiwhakahaere Whakapā / communications manager at mana whenua owned organisation Aukaha.

  Previously, she worked with the Māori tourism sector at New Zealand Māori Tourism. Dani is committed to achieving mana whenua aspirations for the takiwā, ensuring Kāi Tahu values and practices are upheld and Kāi Tahu stories told appropriately.

• Kate Hines (Youth Rep)

  

  Kate has been nominated and selected to represent the more youthful voice of the region.

  Her love for tourism started after moving to Queenstown when she was 21 and ended up working at AJ Hackett Bungy for almost five years helping to supervise the Photo & Video department.

  After making the permanent move to Alexandra, Kate got a role helping to set up and oversee the Alexandra Information Centre, where she met incredible people who are passionate about the past, present and future of Central Otago.

  Her current role is in Digital Marketing based in Cromwell, but still has strong ties to Central Otago tourism when helping out at Bike it Now!   

• Mark Button (Local Operator Rep)

   

  Mark has been nominated and selected by our local operators as their tourism business representative.

• Mark Frood (Chair)

  

  Mark has been part of the Central Otago Tourism Advisory Board since its inception in December 2018, and Chair for the last two years.

  He is an independent business consultant, acting General Manager Tourism and Events at Great South and is also a Board member of Eat New Zealand.

  He has had an extensive international career with success in the aviation, tourism travel and trade sectors.

• Shayne Forrest

  

  Shayne has been on the Central Otago Tourism Advisory Board for two years and has family connections to Alexandra having grown up there.

  He is the General Manager of Tourism at Hobbiton™ Movie Set and has a track record of developing and implementing innovative business strategies.

  He is a previous winner of the Young Tourism Export Council Excellence Award and the New Zealand Tourism Award for Emerging Tourism Leader.

   

• Tamah Alley (CODC Councillor Rep)

  

  Tamah is a second term Councillor at CODC.

  Together with her husband and three children, she believes that Central Otago requires a voice for growing families to ensure Central Otago remains progressive, innovative and affordable.

  Formally a police constable, she is passionate about enabling positive outcomes for communities, both urban and rural.

  Environmental sustainability coupled with economic viability and development are those things that she believes are important to successfully grow a region in a way that retains the values of why people live there.