Hotel Council Elects New Nelson/Marlborough Regional Chair

Thursday 13 January 2011

Brett Inkster, General Manager of Heartland Hotel Marlborough, has been elected NZHC Chair for the Nelson/Marlborough region. He replaces Stefan Kracke, GM Mercure Picton Marlborough Sounds who has been in the role since the NZHC region was established 12 months ago. NZHC members in each region elect their own Chair, generally for a two-year period.

Mr Inkster has a long and varied career in hotels and has been employed with Scenic Hotel Group for 11 years as a General Manager. Through this period Mr Inkster has been located at various properties within the group and transferred from Scenic Te Pania Hotel in Napier to take up the varied role at Heartland Hotel Marlborough, which also involves the full management of the Marlborough Convention Centre under Scenic Group Convention Services, a subsidiary of Scenic Hotel Group.

NZHC’s Independent Chair, Jennie Langley, said the Board welcomed Mr Inkster to the position and was delighted he had agreed to take on the role. “Brett brings to the role an excellent knowledge of the region and a close working relationship with the regional tourism organization, Destination Marlborough. The region has a growing reputation as a conference destination particularly since the Marlborough Convention Centre opened in November 2007. In the last 12 months, since NZHC started collecting hotel data for the region, it has been heartening to see the increase in occupancy, average daily rate and RevPar which is likely a result of the convention and incentive business that is now coming to the region.”

NZHC has seven members in the Nelson/Marlborough region, ranging from chain hotels, through to independently owned and boutique properties. NZHC Nelson/Marlborough members currently operate 302 hotel rooms, control capital assets valued at $52 million, generate annual revenue of $12 million and provide employment for over 230 people.

ENDS

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