Director of ENCOREbt, Ms Paulette Crowder, this week announced the relaunch of the Australia and New Zealand SITE (Society of Incentive and Travel Executives) chapter, and the launch of a range of new initiatives designed to make SITE a major industry contender in this region.

The new Board comprises: 

• Paulette Crowder – Encore Business Tourism – President
• Peter Dunn – G.E.T. Travel – Vice President & Finance
• Colleen O’Neill McFeeter – Membership Australia
• Eugene de Villiers – The Extra Mile Company NZ – Membership NZ
• Simon Hilton – 212F Melbourne, Anna Case – Encore Business Tourism Queensland & Kerrieann Gourley – Hilton Sydney – Special Projects Team

 “For SITE to be successful in this region, it needs to find a niche within the industry”, to find out how best to go about delivering successful outcomes without crossing over into already existing organization activities , said Ms Crowder.

“The first meeting of the new Chapter invited industry colleagues to a general meeting at Sydney’s Shangri-La Hotel, for a discussion on SITE’s overall position in the incentive industry from an international perspective, and to seek interest in re establishing the association chapter in a way that would benefit the industry in the South Pacific. 

“This initial meeting was very successful and did indeed identify areas in the industry where SITE can take a leadership role, particularly in providing much needed research data on the value of the incentive industry both inbound and outbound to the economy -  an area long overlooked in business tourism figures”, said Ms Crowder.

The SITE Board will be looking to increase membership from all facets of the incentive industry to establish an association that is equal in supplier/buyer membership to encourage and develop the industry and to provide a South Pacific voice to the SITE organization internationally.

The SITE Chapter’s first industry forum will be held in conjunction with Tourism Australia during Dreamtime in Sydney.