TIA Board of Directors

Fergus worked for the New Zealand Tourism Department from 1975 and Tourism New Zealand from its inception in 1991. He spent two years as Private Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and has represented New Zealand in postings to Australia and Asia.

Based in Hong Kong he established TNZ’s Asian operation, opening offices in Taiwan and South Korea before returning to New Zealand to take up an executive position in TNZ’s head office.

He owned a motor lodge incorporating a conference facility and licensed restaurant for five years. During this time Fergus was Deputy Chairman of Go Wairarapa, the region's economic development and regional tourism organisation.

Fergus is Chief Executive of Holiday Parks New Zealand, which is a full member of TIA. He has been a Board member of Tourism Industry Aotearoa between 2007 & 2013 and from 2014 representing Motels, Other Accommodation and Hospitality. Fergus is a trustee of the Tourism Industry New Zealand Trust, the PATA NZ Trust and is a Director of ServiceIQ representing the Hospitality sector.

Fergus won the Marsh Tourism Industry Champion Award in the New Zealand Tourism Awards in 2019.

“I am committed to the implementation of the Sustainable Growth framework and ensuring that small-to-medium sized tourism businesses are well represented on the TIA Board."

Nicole has over 10 years’ experience in the tourism sector. She has volunteered her time on the BYATA Board, as a co-opted TEC Board Member, as part of the Tourism Futures Taskforce Advisory Group, and held the position of chair of YoungTEC for two years. She was a 2021 Emerging Leader finalist at the New Zealand Tourism Awards. 

Nicole believes clever digital solutions can help shape a more sustainable future for our industry and its people.

Geoff is currently CEO of the Skyline Enterprises Group which has a range of business interests across tourism, outdoor attractions, and adventure activities in New Zealand and a range of offshore locations including, Canada, Korea, and Singapore and a member of the NZ Institute of Company Directors and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Directors. He has held board and subcommittee chair roles with both the NZ and Australian Medicines industry sector.

Callum was appointed Chief Operating Officer New Zealand of SkyCity in February 2021 and has operating responsibility for SkyCity’s New Zealand businesses, including the day-to-day operations of SkyCity Auckland.

Callum has significant gaming and hospitality experience having held a number of senior roles at SkyCity since joining in 2009, including as General Manager of SkyCity Darwin, General Manager SkyCity Auckland Hotels, Convention Centre and Sky Tower, and Executive General Manager of Hospitality for SkyCity Auckland.

Prior to joining SkyCity, Callum held numerous senior leadership roles across the hospitality, retail and financial investment sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Victoria University of Wellington, and has completed studies with Cornell University, The London Business School and the University of Nevada.

James Doolan is strategic director of Hotel Council Aotearoa, an industry body that advocates on behalf of New Zealand hotels and hoteliers.  James returned home to New Zealand with his family in December 2018, following 13 years in Hong Kong where his final role was Regional Vice President of Hotel Development for Marriott International.   

James was lead executive responsible for securing new hotel franchise and management contracts in Thailand, New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific for all Marriott International group brands including Bulgari, Ritz-Carlton, W Hotels & Resorts, Marriott, Sheraton, Westin and Courtyard.   He also worked on hotel development projects in other Asian locations, including Vietnam, Hong Kong, Korean, Macau and Japan. 

Prior to becoming a hospitality industry executive, James practiced as a corporate/commercial lawyer with Norton Rose (Hong Kong) and Bell Gully (Auckland), focusing on off-market mergers & acquisitions and complex contract negotiations.   

James holds BCom/LLB degrees from the University of Auckland.  He is a member of the Institute of Directors and is actively involved in Auckland’s Ice Angels group, which invests in New Zealand start-ups.  James provides strategic advice on hotel development projects through his own consultancy, Fantail Advisory. 

Ngati Raukawa, Te Ati Awa and Ngati Toarangatira

John Barrett is the managing director and founder of Kapiti Island Nature Tours and Nature Lodge, a family operated, multi award-winning tourism business located on one of New Zealand’s premier nature reserves, Kapiti Island. The business is strongly focused on developing whanau (family) hapu and Iwi (tribal group) members into tourism work that is meaningful financially, culturally, environmentally and socially.  

He has 40+ years of management and governance experience in a range of private and public organisations and enterprises.  

Not surprisingly, John’s interests (when time away from whānau and the whānau business permits) are: nature based tourism, Māori and international indigenous tourism development, local/regional economic development, indigenous higher education and conservation practice and education. 

Until July 2021, Kristin was Chief Executive of a regional Destination Management & Marketing Organisation and has first-hand experience in leading, transforming and marketing a destination. She is an experienced tourism practitioner with strengths in destination strategy, regeneration, community engagement, indigenous partnerships, crisis management and insight-led destination marketing.

Kristin is a certified company director. She is a strategic and critical thinker, thought leader, robust decision maker, and influential communicator with strong sector relationships across Aotearoa and internationally.

With 20 years of cruise experience, Debbie Summers works closely with the vast majority of the world’s cruise companies, and she has a wealth of critically important industry connections at the very highest levels.

Debbie is Executive Director of ID New Zealand (the largest NZ cruise ground handler) heading up their Cruise Division and has been the New Zealand Cruise Association Chair since 2016.