Longbottom takes reins of Tourism Board

KATINA CURTIS

Kiama Tourism board’s chairwoman, Perrie Croshaw, has handed over the reins to Brian Longbottom.

Mr Longbottom has been on the board for almost two years and said he was glad to step up to the chair position.

“Having had experience in managing committees and boards, I didn’t see it as a major problem in taking over a good working board,” he said.

Ms Croshaw, who was in her second term as chairwoman, stood aside due to business commitments.

Mr Longbottom has spent his first week in the job getting in touch with some board members and industry contacts.

“One of the things I’d like to see from a focus point of view is increasing communication with our members however we can do that; it’s just a matter of improving things,” he said.

His main aim locally was to get residents to recognise that Kiama Tourism was a not-for-profit organisation and that a substantial amount of the work at the visitors’ centre was done by volunteers.

He views tourism as the lifeblood of Kiama, saying the area has been a tourism and holiday destination for decades.

“Its accessibility to people from Sydney and other regions makes it what it is,” he said.