24 June 2009
NWDA appoints new Director of Tourism
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is pleased to
announce the appointment of Nick Brooks-Sykes as its new Director
of Tourism.
Nick will lead the NWDA’s work to position the Northwest as the
best tourism destination in Britain, leading the strategic
development of one of the region’s biggest growth sectors.
He will guide the Agency’s tourism policy in areas such as
skills development, infrastructure and business tourism and will
oversee major NWDA investments into tourism programmes including
the renaissance of Lake District, Hadrian’s Wall and Blackpool’s
revival.
Working with the region’s five tourist boards and national
tourism bodies he will be responsible for ensuring that the
region’s tourism industry offers quality, distinctiveness and value
for money and that the visitor economy continues to grow and
develop.
Nick is currently Head of Tourism Marketing at the NWDA, a
position which he has held since the NWDA became the strategic lead
for tourism in the Northwest in 2004. He has over twenty years of
experience in the Northwest tourism sector having previously held
senior management roles at the North West Tourist Board.
Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA, said:
“I am delighted that Nick has been appointed to this position.
He has already proved to be a great asset for the Agency and has
built strong and successful relationships with our tourism partners
across the region and the UK. Tourism is a very important growth
industry in the Northwest and I am confident that Nick is the right
person to lead the region’s visitor economy.”
Nick Brooks-Sykes said:
“I am absolutely thrilled to be taking on this role at the NWDA.
Our visitor economy in the Northwest is a huge success story,
currently worth £13 billion to the region, but there is always more
to be done. In particular I’m keen to continue to work with
the region’s tourist boards to develop the quality and
distinctiveness of the region’s tourism experiences; we have to
ensure that the industry is well equipped to deal with the current
economic climate and is well placed to take advantage of the upturn
when it comes.”
Nick, who lives in Bolton, will take up his new role on 29th
June. He replaces James Berresford who leaves the NWDA to become
Chief Executive of VisitEngland.
-ends-
For further information please contact Helen Batte, Tourism
Press Officer on 01925 400235 or 07764 239856 or Helen.Batte@nwda.co.uk
For urgent out of hours press enquiries please call 01925
400259.
For further information and to view all press releases visit us
at www.nwda.co.uk/press
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) leads the
economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest and is
responsible for:
• Supporting business growth and encouraging
investment
• Matching skills provision to employer needs
• Creating the conditions for economic growth
• Connecting the region through effective transport and
communication infrastructure
• Promoting the region’s outstanding quality of life