The travel industry is paying tribute to an agent who is credited with ‘opening up the world of travel and adventure’ to the Upper Hutt community.

Haka Tourism Group has appointed Eve Lawrence as its new general manager to head up Haka Tours and ANZ Nature Tours.

Erin Miller is the latest travel advisor to move to Fuzion Travel.

Zac Watson, Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development (ATEED), is the new chair of the Young Tourism Export Council (Young TEC) and Lilly Douglas, Tourism New Zealand is vice chair.

Queenstown-based brokers xtravel, of Travel Managers Group, held its first mini-conference recently, celebrating its growing team.

Gau Kurman is the new marketing executive with Viva Expeditions in Auckland, dealing with public relations and marketing to the travel trade.

Travel Brokers Mark and Renee Frampton are the latest new additions to Travel Managers Group.

Scenic Matavai Resort Niue has appointed Jodi van de Wydeven as business development manager for meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE).

Jet Park Hotels has appointed a new group HR manager, Tanya Myers.

Ezi Car Rental, one of New Zealand’s largest 100% Kiwi owned and operated rental car operators, has appointed Nikki Milward as a business development manager.

Adventure World Travel has a new Asia expert in the team: Darren Case started with the company early this year after spending half of last year travelling through Asia.

David Redmond has recently joined the team at Williment Travel and GO Sports & Events as strategic partnership manager.

Jo Rees has joined Croatia Times Travel as a wholesale travel specialist.

Queenstown-based xtravel, approved broker of Travel Managers Group, has expanded into the North Island with the addition of a new broker.

Helen Urban has joined Viva as sales support. She will be keeping travel agents updated with new sales, tour updates and support Flavio Stadnik in his BDM role.

Tom Svensen is the new partnership manager, New Zealand, with Tourism Fiji.

The ability to specialise and offer flexibility, as well as operating a general retail travel agency, has kept House of Travel Ellerslie in good stead since it opened in December 2004.

Fergus Brown, CEO of Holiday Parks New Zealand will represent the hospitality sector on Service IQ.

Auckland based personal travel manager Nancy Crooks has joined Travel Managers Group (TMG) this month.

Captain Cook Cruises Fiji has appointed Bob Speed as general manager, based at its head office at Port Denarau Fiji.

Lisa Mudgway is the new BDM at Fiji Airways and will primarily be looking after Flight Centre and STA, but will also call on all brands.

Benjamin Dale is Abercrombie & Kent’s New Zealand account manager, based at the new Auckland office on Hobson Street.

Erin Daly has joined World Journeys’ team of expert travel designers this week.

Lynn Meechan has joined Exotic Holidays as groups manager.

Gray Gibson, former owner of Mondo Travel Takapuna and past member of the New Zealand Olympic Yachting team has joined Active Asia to take the group role to a new level.

Terri Hayley is new with NZ Travel Brokers in Lower Hutt.

Heritage Hotel Management has promoted Jass Sidhu from central reservations team leader to revenue and yield manager for the Heritage and City Life Auckland Hotels.

Gilpin Travel has a number of new faces in its team.

Mark Wood of Lateral Travel has joined Travel Managers Group as a broker.

Sara MacLeod has been named director global sales New Zealand with Marriott International.

Fiona Teama has been appointed marketing manager of Tourism Solomons.

Julie King and Associates (JKA) has appointed Dylan Joffe as country manager - New Zealand.

Samantha Pearson is now Tourism Fiji’s public relations manager, New Zealand, based in Auckland.

Sonya Ridley is now general manager marketing with South Sea Cruises, focusing on brand growth, the launch of new products and other general marketing roles.

Richard Leonard will lead Rail Europe’s Asia Pacific teams in the newly created role of general manager business Asia Pacific.

Ruzanne Keresoma has been appointed to the new role of global sales coordinator with South Sea Cruises.

TMS Talent’s Auckland office has promoted Alisa Wilson to recruitment team manager and welcomes the arrival of new recruit Jo Walton.

Livio Goetz is the new director for Switzerland Tourism Australia New Zealand.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has boosted its Australasian team with two new appointments to support its travel agent membership and corporate partners.

Max Downing-Webb is the new marketing lead at APX Travel Management.

Meetesh Patel is the newest recruit to Fuzion Travel’s expanding broker/ affiliate network.

Viva Expeditions has a new destination specialist – Kerren Knighton joined the sales team late April and has settled in selling tours across Latin America and Antarctica.

Wayne Deed has joined Travel Managers Group as a broker.

Chris Schoffer will join Travel Managers Group in the newly created role of business development manager.

After 11 years at STA Travel, New Zealand country manager Sarah Bedford has resigned to take up a global marketing role for Les Mills International.

Air Tahiti Nui has appointed well known aviation professional Grant Sinclair as sales and marketing manager.

Inspiring Vacations has appointed Alka Thapar as national business development manager. Inspiring Vacations is 100% Australian owned and has operated since 2017.

Steve Woods has started a new role at Jet Park Hotels as director of marketing, distribution and sales.

South Sea Cruises has appointed Chris Bain as business development executive to its Australian-based team.

Scenic Hotel Group has appointed Michelle Geale, nee Weir, to the Auckland based role of business development manager.