A new Chair is set to bring a wealth of national tourism industry experience to the board of Visit Isle of Wight, the Island’s destination management/marketing organisation (DMO). Directors recently unanimously voted to appoint David Curtis-Brignell MBE as the new Chair of the organisation. It follows the resignation earlier this year of Ian Griffiths, who was the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Visit Isle of Wight since 2019 and helped to guide the company through the pandemic and then onto success in achieving Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) status with VisitEngland. David Curtis-Brignell comes to Visit Isle of Wight with a vast wealth of experience in travel, tourism, destination management organisations and the hotel sector at a local, regional and national level. He explains:
“My career has been all about tourism, starting in local government, then working in – and later alongside – the national Tourist Board, gaining commercial experience in international hotel companies and tour operators – but perhaps the most rewarding times have been when working in Destination Management Organisations (DMOs). These are at the very heart of the visitor economy. They shape the destinations they serve and work in partnership with stakeholders to create a thriving visitor economy. “Visit Isle of Wight is among the most highly regarded DMOs in England and it will be a genuine pleasure to work with and support Will Myles and his team to further develop our relationships, opportunities for businesses and meet the challenges and targets ahead, which I’m sure we’re going to face”.
David is currently on the non-executive board of Visit Isle of Man, has been Chair of the Tourism Society twice (the only person to have done so), was deputy CEO of Visit Kent/Visit Herts, Steering Group Chair of English Tourism Week as well as previous roles with travel trade for the English Tourist Board, and marketing and sales in the tourism sector. David says he is particularly pleased to be working to help the visitor economy on the Island:
“The other attraction to me personally, is of course that the Isle of Wight is an amazing place to promote. You’ve got the range of attractions, both natural and built, the history and the heritage, your events programme and not forgetting the wide range of accommodation and food and drink. So, all of this, combined with a genuine sense of welcoming, is something that everyone should be proud to be part of”.
Will Myles, Managing Director at Visit Isle of Wight, says:
“I am very glad to be working with David as the Chair of the Board of Directors at Visit Isle of Wight, the wealth of knowledge and experience he brings is second to none, which will ultimately benefit the Island’s businesses in the visitor economy. “I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the former chair Ian Griffiths, whose leadership and good counsel proved invaluable in helping steer Visit Isle of Wight through the turbulent waters of the pandemic, see the renewal of the Wight BID for a second term and to achieve LVEP status for the Island”.
