Tourism Fiji has today announced the appointment of experienced tourism marketing senior executive Brent Hill as chief executive officer.
Hill was most recently the executive director of marketing for the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC).
Hill brings more than 16 years of experience in tourism and digital marketing, advertising, branding, communications, campaign and executive strategy to Fiji’s national tourism office.
He replaces former CEO Matt Stoeckel who finished in December 2020.
“We’re delighted to welcome someone of Brent’s calibre to this critically important role not just for Fijian tourism, but for the Fijian economy," Tourism Fiji chairman Andre Viljoen says.
"Brent shone through in the extremely rigorous recruitment process initiated and conducted by the Board with PwC’s assistance, for a CEO to lead Tourism Fiji in these unprecedented times, where international tourism activity has been zero for over a year now. His proven expertise, experience and ideas for the industry’s revival are a perfect fit for Fiji’s current requirements.
“When border restrictions ease and travel resumes, Fiji will need dynamism and creativity in marketing itself as an attractive, aspirational and safe destination.
"We are in the same situation as every other leisure tourism destination in the world. All of us are going for the same markets, which are now smaller with lower discretionary spending ability.
"Brent is highly regarded in the industry given his many accomplishments, and we will need his wide range of existing relationships and management skills with key global trade partners to market our destination, and his excellent communications skills to rally our industry and stakeholders to a common purpose.
"His immediate focus will be to work with the board and Fiji’s extremely competent health authorities to restore tourism activity.”
Fijian tourism minister Faiyaz Koya also welcomed Hill’s appointment.
“Restoring tourism activity will not only restore jobs for hundreds of thousands of Fijians, it will also significantly contribute to the revival of the economy through the industry’s multiplier effect," Koya says.
"We are turning the corner now with the rollout of our national vaccination programme in anticipation of market re-entry beyond our traditional markets.
"This sets the scene for Mr. Hill and Tourism Fiji to position Fiji as the ideal destination for not only our Aussie and Kiwi friends, but to those that are ready to travel.
"We will also look to him to pair our globally renowned values of true Fijian hospitality, friendliness and authenticity to the demands and expectations of the modern day traveller. With Mr Hill at the helm of Tourism Fiji, we are a step closer to strategically positioning Fiji in the global market again.”
During his time at SATC, Hill was credited for growing total tourism expenditure in the region to $8.1 billion from $5.3 billion over four years.
He also led South Australian tourism’s recovery following the devastating bushfires in the state by developing successful campaigns to re-generate industry business.
He was also responsible for an $30 million annual marketing budget and 55 staff across the world to market South Australia.
Hill has a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Marketing and Accounting from the University of Adelaide, is a Certified Practising Marketer (FAMI) and a patron of the Australian Marketing Institute.
He is also a patron of the South Australian Marketing Institute, a Board Member of the Adelaide Thunderbirds netball organisation, Australian Tourism Data Warehouse, Goldilocks smartsuits, and Ripple Effect.
Hill's departure from SATC was announced recently with former San Remo chief marketing officer Erik de Roos named as his replacement.
De Roos was subsequently replaced by James Askham-Levy who was promoted from brand manager to CMO for the Adelaide-based pasta brand.
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