The British Association of Conference Destinations (BACD) has announced the appointment of Sue Crawley as the new Chair of BACD.  She took up office as Chair at the Association’s Annual General Meeting, held on the 8^th June 2005 at The Marine Hotel in Troon, Scotland.

Sue is the business tourism manager for the Tees Valley Tourism Bureau, based in Middlesbrough.  She takes over from the outgoing Chair, George Brookes, and will hold the position for two years.  The AGM also confirmed the appointment of Frankie McGhee, tourism business manager for Cambridge City Council, as Association Treasurer, another two-year appointment.

Having previously worked as the manager of Hartlepool Historic Quay and as a tourism officer for Middlesbrough Council, Sue Crawley has worked for Tees Valley since 2001.  During this time she has established the Tees Valley Conference Bureau and is currently working in a role responsible for broader destination management, including domestic and overseas leisure tourism, and destination branding.

Sue Crawley said: “This is a period of immense change in the industry both in the nature of trips undertaken by visitors and in the way our tourism services are delivered. BACD provides strong and vibrant support to the conference sector and I look forward to working with all BACD members and partners to strengthen this position over the next 24 months.”

BACD chief executive, Tony Rogers, commented on her appointment: “Sue is well known and respected across the BACD membership.  She has chaired BACD’s North East Region and served on the BACD Board for the past couple of years.  She was fully involved in the drafting of the Association’s new 5-year strategy and takes on the leadership of the Association at a time of exciting challenge and opportunity.”