The lead tourism body for South East Wales, Capital Region Tourism (CRT), has made two strategic appointments as a jobshare to cover maternity absence.
Local tourism consultant, Bogda Smreczak, is joined by researcher and destination development specialist, Davina Stanford as project managers covering the diverse portfolio of Destination Development Project Manager, Alice Brown, while she takes time out with her new baby boy.
Speaking about the appointments, Peter Cole, regional strategy director for CRT, said: “Our work is heavily focussed on establishing and developing partnerships with the aim of building quality and capacity in the tourism sector across south eastern Wales. Alice’s maternity leave comes just as her work helping tourism and hospitality operators make the most of the Ryder Cup comes to an end, providing an idea opportunity to explore how best to deliver her work during her absence.
“A key project is the development of destination management plans for the ten local authorities that exist within the capital region. That is a specialist task, and one to which Davina Stanford is no stranger. With a doctorate in tourism management, Davina has particular skills at using research and consultation to develop innovative and successful tourism strategies, including work for the 2012 London Cultural Olympiad, One North East in developing area tourism management plans and visitor transport planning for the Lake District.
“Staff skills and product development was a core part of Alice’s role, and we are delighted that a leading consultant such as Bogda Smreczak has agreed to work with us. Bogda is well known across southern Wales having been an attraction operator in the Vale of Glamorgan and then tourism officer for Torfaen council before becoming a freelance consultant.
“These are important appointments because CRT maintains a small, but highly experienced team. We needed professionals capable of advancing these project areas and delivering strong results in a short space of time, and we have been lucky to tap into the skills and experience of Davina and Bogda to that end.”
Bogda Smreczak, who lives in Barry, said: “I have worked with the team at CRT for many years and I am delighted to join them three days a week as we seek to drive the skills and product development project forward.”
Cardiff born, Davina Stanford, now resident in Lancaster, commented: “The premise behind destination marketing and management is that tourists don’t respect local authority boundaries, making it essential that strategies exist to support visitors by packaging and marketing destinations in a way that meets their needs. There is a huge amount of work already being undertaken in the capital region and I am looking forward to working with the tourism and development officers to make the most of the destination marketing opportunities that exist across the region.”
