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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Clare Britton
Position: Chair
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…
Chris Frost
Position: Vice-Chair
Chris Frost is the owner of Manorhaus Llangollen & Ruthin, two five-star rated Restaurants-with-Rooms, both properties are featured in the Welsh Rarebits consortia which promotes quality hotels across Wales. Chris in conjunction with his partner set-up the Manorhaus in Ruthin some eleven years ago and they opened their second property in Llangollen in 2012. Chris is a Board member of the North Wales International Music Festival, Chair of Slow Food Llangollen and former Chair of Ruthin Festival. He is also very involved in the community in Ruthin and is committed in taking tourism forward in the North East of Wales.…
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…
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 both North Wales Tourism and the British Hospitality Association; current Chairman of Llandudno Hospitality Association which involves dealing with a range of local issues on behalf of the industry. I also represent the British Hospitality Association on the executive committee of the Wales Tourism Alliance and am a member of the BHA Wales Committee I am concerned about the increased level of legislation and regulation that has been introduced which has become a burden on small businesses.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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,…