British Tourist Authority and VisitEngland appoint new chairs
Steve Ridgway has been appointed chair of the British Tourist Authority and Denis Wormwell as chair of the VisitEngland Advisory Board by culture secretary, Karen Bradley.
The new appointments will become effective on 1 April when Ridgway will replace Christopher Rodrigues and Wormwell will take over from Lady Penny Cobham, for a three-year term.
Ridgway previously worked for Virgin Atlantic for 23 years, including as marketing director, customer services director and, for the past 14 years, as chief executive. He co-owns the St Moritz hotel in Trebetherick, Cornwall, with his brother.
Wormwell has been a VisitEngland board member since 2009. He was chief executive of UK tour operating and hotel business Shearings Leisure Group, until stepping down after 10 years last month.
The British Tourist Authority position comes with an annual salary of £40,000, while the VisitEngland role is paid £345 per day, or up to £16,320 per annum.
Bradley said: "Steve Ridgway and Denis Wormwell bring with them a wealth of experience and will be dedicated champions of British and English tourism at a very exciting time for the industry.
"I would like to thank Christopher Rodrigues and Lady Penny Cobham wholeheartedly for the invaluable contribution they have made to the tourism sector over the past decade and beyond."
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