North Wales Tourism consists of 12 non-executive directors who operate or manage tourism businesses. The sectors represented include hotels, farm guesthouses, hostels, self catering, touring caravan parks and visitor attractions. Board meetings are held 4 times per annum February, June, September and November.
NWT Directors
Jim Jones
Position: Managing Director
Ex-Welsh Guardsman Jim Jones is on a new mission to sell North Wales to the world. After leaving the forces he worked in local government - eventually heading up the tourism and communities department at Conwy Council.
Now he has taken the role as Managing Director of North Wales Tourism, the largest destination management organisation in Wales with a growing membership of more than 1,000. He is passionate about working in partnership to promote the region's spectacular landscape, heritage, culture, food and drink, accommodation along with the adventure and family attractions.
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Chris Frost
Position: Chair
Chris Frost is the owner of Manorhaus Ruthin, a Restaurant-with-Rooms, and Manorhaus Llangollen, a B&B. Chris and his partner set-up the Manorhaus in Ruthin some sixteen years ago and they opened their second property in Llangollen in 2012. He has been a Board member of the North Wales International Music Festival, is a former-Chair of Slow Food Llangollen and Ruthin Festival and is currently a North Wales Ambassador for Arts & Business Cymru. He is also very involved in the community in Ruthin and is committed in taking tourism forward in the North East of Wales. Manorhaus Ruthin was a National Tourism Award Commended Finalist in 2010 and 2018 and Manorhaus Llangollen in 2018.
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Clare Britton
Position: Director
Clare Britton, Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways – Having worked on the Ffestiniog Railway initially as a volunteer in her school and University days Clare became a permanent member of staff in 1991. She was appointed as Commercial Manager for both the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways in 2001 responsible for customer facing interests on both railways, including shops, ticket offices, special events and marketing.
She is a member of the Conwy Valley Rail Initiative, the Cambrian Railways Partnership and Great Little Trains of Wales consortia. Locally she is involved with the Porthmadog Chamber of Trade & is Chair of the Blaenau Ffestiniog Chamber of Commerce & Tourism.
Clare believes that working together in partnership with other local businesses is the way forward and strengthens what the area has to offer its customers. The Ffestiniog ‘family’ is very pro-active in marketing, not only of the railways but also the area and its tourism products at Travel Trade Exhibitions and Consumer Shows all over the country.
Clare has worked closely with North Wales Tourism for many years, being part of a NWT lead consortia to promote North Wales to the group travel market, participating in familiarisation visits and shows. She believes that her experience in working at the railway, the needs of the customer and her extensive involvement with other tourism business groups enables her to make an important contribution to the Board of NWT. Clare says that ‘We must continue to fly the flag for North Wales as a great place to visit and make sure people know where it is and what we have here’.
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David Williams
Position: Director
David Williams is a director of the family owned Ambassador Hotel in Llandudno. I am involved in the following organisations: Past chairman of North Wales Tourism, the British Hospitality Association and Llandudno Hospitality Association which involves dealing with a range of local issues on behalf of the industry.
I am concerned about the increased level of legislation and regulation that has been introduced which has become a burden on small businesses. We must continue to fight this trend and to make sure that tourism is firmly on the political agenda – where it should be. Through NWT, WTA and BHA I am actively involved in pursuing all issues relating to the serviced sector and the industry in general. With my involvement both locally and nationally I am in a good position to pursue the interests of tourism in North Wales.
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Andrew Oughton
Position: Director
Andrew Oughton, Snowdonia National Park Centre, Plas Tan y Bwlch, Maentwrog – currently the Head of Business, Andrew has worked at the centre for over 30 years. Passionate about the countryside, the environment and culture and how best these can be managed for the enjoyment of residents and visitors. Andrew regularly attends trade fairs and consumer shows as a partner with NWT as he feels it is the only way to meet new clients and gain an understanding of their requirements.
During his time as the centre manager at Plas Tan y Bwlch Andrew has won a Visit Wales National Tourism Award, been awarded the Customer Service Excellence hallmark by the Cabinet Office and taken the centre through EcoCentre accreditation. Andrew was the lead officer on the development of a hydro electricity power scheme for the centre which now provides over half of the electricity requirements.
Andrew is the former chairman of the board of trustees of Theatr Harlech and led the battle to keep this small independent theatre’s doors open in challenging times.
“I believe our biggest asset, as a membership organisation, is each other – we should share our own experiences, learn from each other and work together for the benefit of tourism throughout the whole region.”
If elected to continue as a director of North Wales Tourism Andrew commits to bringing his enthusiasm, knowledge and experience to the organisation.
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Tanya Keith
Position: Director
Tanya has been working at Bangor University over the past 6 years since returning from employment in London, New York and Hampshire. Tanya has a background of facility and property management and customer service delivery roles over the past 23 years working for such organisations in central London as Cluttons, Savilles and Chesterton Lalonde where she developed The Executive Rental Service which offered a “soft landings” programme for overseas executives into the UK to assist with all aspects of relocation. New York then followed with a Realtor Licence to rent/sell lofts in the Metropolitan New York area of the United States.
Tanya returned to North Wales with her family where for the past 3 years she was appointed Business Services Manager at Technium CAST, Bangor a high tech 60,000 sq ft facility which incubates early stage IT focussed starts ups and is part of an economic regeneration WEFO funded project. Other responsibility was the development of the set up and delivery of a conference and event management programme at CAST – thus drawing business tourism into the region. This particular facility had a footfall of visitors in the region of 1500 per month, many from all over the country and many of whom brought with them revenue opportunities for the local hotels in the area.
Tanya since joined the team at the Bangor Business School, Management Centre as Director of Events and Venue in June 2008 to develop and promote the facility as venue for training, workshops, conferences and events with the added benefit of onsite overnight guest accommodation. The facility has since achieved 4* grading for its accommodation and attained Gold Business Class standard as a business centre. Working very closely with WAG and the various local Councils, The Centre has gained reputation as a business hub in the area supporting not only local business networks but also attracting visitors both nationally and internationally into Bangor and surrounding area.
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Ruth Higgin
Position: Director
Ruth Higgin, Ty Mawr Tearooms B&B, Llanddeiniolen – I have been in the hospitality industry for many years. For the last 8 years I have run a B & B Tearooms/Restaurant with my husband on the edge of Snowdonia.
Having lived in North Wales for 37 years, I realise the importance of tourism and how important growth and development is paramount to the community and us as business owners.
In previous years I ran a food oriented Pub and a Catering Company, with a customers like MBNA, M & SFS, Rolls Royce and BMW, then in Sales and Marketing for an International FMCG Company.
In my leisure time (winter time) I enjoy watercolour painting and walking our Labradors in the mountains and by the sea.
If given the pleasure of being elected as a director of North Wales Tourism, I look forward to assisting my peers in driving forward the message of bring more people to one of the most beautiful parts of the world.
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Mike Dean
Position: Director
Mike, along with his wife, runs Adcote House a 4 star guest house in Llandudno, with an award winning reputation for sustainability. Prior to this he has had almost 40 years experience in the travel and tourism industry, with senior management and directorship roles at organisations including Hoseasons, Rank Organisation, Holiday Cottages Group and Wyndham Worldwide. Mike also runs his own consultancy business, has supported many small businesses especially in the tourism and rural sectors, and was Director of Tourism for the Government of St Helena for three years, drawing up the island’s tourism strategy. Mike is a Fellow of the Tourism Society, a member of the Executive Committee of the Llandudno Hospitality Association, and has previously served on the Institute of Travel and Tourism, the East Anglia Tourist Board, Pendle Tourism Development as well as several community organisations.
“I believe that tourism is one of the great success stories of the local economy, and we need to ensure that we continue to offer and deliver what our visitors and guests want. We can achieve this by working together, and in partnership with others so that we are telling our tourism stories and providing an outstanding Welsh welcome. I feel my long and wide experience in tourism, across different sectors, and as a business owner, means I understand how the industry works at all levels and how we can maximise every opportunity for the benefit of every member of NWT.”
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Sarah Ferguson
Position: Director
Sarah Ferguson: Bryn Llewelyn Guest House, Betws Y Coed - I originally graduated from Plymouth University with a degree in Ecology and Geography, however after four years of working and travelling abroad I decided that I wanted to work with children and re-trained as a paediatric nurse at the University of Southampton. I have spent ten years working in the NHS mainly as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Paediatric Oncology and managed to gain an MSc in Paediatric Palliative Care.
Now, how did I get to where I am now from this.....
A few years ago my partner was made redundant and we made the big decision to leave the UK and take up a new challenge as chalet hosts in Lech, Austria: from this experience this lead us to making the decision that we wanted to run our own B and B business and and decided that being keen walkers and runners with a love of Snowdonia, Betws Y Coed was the place for us.
We have been running Bryn Llewelyn in Betws Y Coed for 18 months now and are loving it.
I have become very involved in the village community: becoming committee members of the Tourism Association in the village and in November I took over as Chair of the Betws Y Coed and District Tourism Association. I am very passionate about doing what is best for my members and promoting this amazing areas as the fabulous tourist destination that it is. In 2015 so far we have launched our new website: www.visitbetwsycoed.co.uk and we have managed to re-print the Betws Y Coed brochure which was developed by the association last year. Betws Y Coed is a key area within North Wales and I am really keen to get to know and work with other people in this amazing area to promote North Wales and all it has to offer.
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Michael Bewick
Position: Director
Michael Bewick was educated at Caius, Cambridge. His career began as Marketing Officer and then Head of Marketing for Kent Opera before moving to the Development Team at the National Portrait Gallery and then commercial theatre marketing. After a move to the country Michael became Director of The Corn Exchange Newbury overseeing its transfer from the local authority to a charitable trust – including negotiating a £1.4million three year funding deal. In 2002 Michael and his partner Nick Golding moved to Wales where they restored Plas Tan-yr-allt a listed building once home to William Madocks and later Percy Bysshe Shelley. Creating a hotel which two years later won a coveted Cesar Award from the Good Hotel Guide. In 2011 Michael took responsibility for the management and development of the Llechwedd Slate Caverns before becoming Group Managing Director of J W Greaves & Sons the historic company which owns the land at Llechwedd. In his time with the business he has restructured the both the tourism and quarrying businesses transforming the Group’s prospects for the future – visitor numbers have gone from 48,000 to over 200,000 due to collaborative working with Antur Stiniog and Zip World amongst others. The Group returned to profitability in 2015 after a period of losses and employment on the site has increased from under 50 to well over 120.
Michael sees his role as encouraging working across the tourism sector and keeping a focus on the unique heritage and culture which makes North Wales a unique and appealing destination. As a Director of Attractions of Snowdonia and member of the Ten Top Attractions he looks to ensure that they work closely with North Wales Tourism to produce a coherent strategy.
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Lyn Leech
Position: Director
Lyn Leech, Imperial Hotel, Llandudno - I am passionate about North Wales and its continued success as a major United Kingdom tourist destination.
Working as a committed team member I believe that I can successfully contribute to the activities of the NWT Board in an enthusiastic and professional manner.
For the past 27 years I have been Marketing Manager at the Imperial Hotel, Llandudno where I have been entirely responsible for the successful marketing and promotion of the hotel.
Primary responsibilities include maximum product exposure and continued increase in sales through the mediums of marketing and sales strategies, advertising, PR, social media and promotion of the hotel, to local, national and international markets. The promotion of North Wales as an exciting and attractive tourist area is an intrinsic and major element in this exercise. Prior to returning to my home in North Wales I was for 8 years Publicity Manager for International Rectifier, Surrey where I was directly responsible for the company's PR/Advertising activity for the UK and European offices. I would relish the opportunity of helping take the region forward.
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Lucy Miller
Position: Director
Having spent every summer of her childhood in Trearddur Bay and then every summer of her children’s childhoods in Church Bay, it seemed only right that a permanent move to Anglesey should be made. Lucy and John Miller moved to Anglesey in April 2013 with a view to starting a tourism business after completing lengthy research in this field and noting a significant gap in the market.
She and her husband chose to play their part in filling this gap by creating a glamping business, providing high specification pods with their own bathrooms. This has been so successful that in their first year of trading (2015) they were recognised as being one of the top 10 glamping sites in Wales by Welsh Coastal Life and in their second, top 15 self-catering in Wales by the same company – there is an accreditation for this year but it is not yet published yet. Lucy believes it is important to integrate within the country in which you live and has been learning Welsh since September 2016.
Before moving to Anglesey, Lucy worked successfully in enterprise education; educating, encouraging and supporting young entrepreneurs with Young Enterprise as Director of Programmes and Sales and the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy. She feels very strongly that these skills should be shared and the benefit of her experience be used to aid start-ups in tourism, which is one of North Wales’ biggest income streams. As an ex Market Researcher for major PLCs including Dixons and Cape Industries, Lucy is skilled at interpreting numbers and believes these skills would be of significant help to North Wales Tourism in helping identify where improvements could be made in raising the profile and encouraging new start-ups in this area if elected as a Director.
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Jan Harrop
Position: Director