Refreshed B&B Association Board To Lead Recovery

Bed & Breakfast Association New Zealand is entering the post-pandemic era with a refreshed board line-up and a new president.

Board member Ann-Marie Johnson was named as the incoming President at the association’s recent AGM. Ms Johnson was formerly Communications Manager with Tourism Industry Aotearoa and joined the BBANZ Board in 2021 to provide a wider tourism industry perspective to the Board’s discussions.

“The hosted bed and breakfast sector plays an important role in Aotearoa New Zealand. It offers our international visitors the opportunity to meet genuine, friendly Kiwis, and to experience our lifestyle in New Zealand’s most beautiful locations,” Ms Johnson says.

“Hosted bed and breakfast properties appeal to the high value visitors that New Zealand wants to attract. I am proud to lead the association into its next stage.”

Incoming board members are Louise Compton of Aston Road Villa in Waikanae, Garth London of Whakaipo Lodge in Taupō and Mark Alderson of Ah House Nelson City B&B. They join incumbent board members Scott McPherson of Omaka Lodge, Taumarunui and Jan Roberts of Breakers Boutique Accommodation, Greymouth.

Ms Johnson thanked outgoing President Donna Brooke and Vice-President Glenn Gairdner for their contributions to the association throughout the turbulent Covid years and wished them well.

Ms Brooke joined the Board in 2016, served as Vice-President and became President in 2020. She led the association through the most challenging period it has ever faced, including the pandemic and weather events, all of which impacted her business, Sunlover Retreat in Tairua. But this did not prevent her making a huge contribution to the bed and breakfast sector, and providing strong leadership, Ms Johnson says.

In her report to the Association’s AGM, Ms Brooke said that association membership had increased slightly in 2022-23. This was pleasing after some membership losses in the previous two years, mainly due to the impacts of the pandemic.

It was also the result of a highly successful national roadshow sponsored by Tomahawk last year, which took in 10 regions and attracted 120 participants. The information shared in the roadshow was highly relevant to helping B&B operators improve their businesses. It also showed the value of the Association and attracted a number of new members.

The Association also released its updated Guide to Running Successful Hosted Accommodation in 2022, which will help keep the sector’s standards high.

Although weather events in several North Island regions disrupted expectations of “a guest-packed summer” for some, it was a very positive season for many hosts around the motu, Ms Brooke said.

The Association awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award and a Life Membership to Liz Webster of Wanaka in recognition of her significant contributions to the Association and the B&B sector.

Mrs Webster, from Websters on Wanaka, was Regional Convenor of her local regional group for approximately 10 years and served on the Bed & Breakfast Association Board for six years, including two years as Vice President.

She co-ordinated the Kinnect Wanaka project which developed branding concepts and design materials to:

• raise the profile of hosted accommodation in the domestic market
• assist advocacy efforts both regionally and nationally, and
• create a brand kit promoting association membership.

© Scoop Media