After more than seven years as chief executive of Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Chris Roberts will be stepping down effective from 31 January 2022.
TIA chair Gráinne Troute said Roberts advised that at the start of 2020 he was contemplating his next career move, but decided to remain with TIA to support the industry through the impact of the pandemic.
After an intense 18 months, Roberts now wants to recharge his batteries and seek a fresh challenge.
Roberts has a long list of achievements from his time at TIA. This includes the Tourism Sustainability Commitment, the Tourism 2025 and Beyond framework, and the Go With Tourism programme.
TIA-managed events including TRENZ, Tourism Summit Aotearoa and the reintroduced New Zealand Tourism Awards have been lifted to a new standard. Roberts has also been a personal advocate for greater recognition of Tikanga, Te Ao Māori and the incorporation of Māori values in tourism.
TIA has secured dozens of advocacy wins for the industry over the years and Roberts has built a talented and dedicated team that strives every day to make a difference for Aotearoa. This team has re-focused its support for individual members facing the challenges of COVID, and appreciation for this effort is clearly evident in the recently completed membership survey.
The Board thanked Roberts for his contribution and wished him all the best for his future endeavours.
Roberts's service to TIA will be formally recognised closer to his intended end date. In the meantime, he will continue to lead the TIA team and the Board will commence its process for recruiting a new CEO.
