Ms Stokes, who has been in the job for the past two years, will finish at the end of this year.
She told Mountain Scene much had been achieved by the chamber during her term - overshadowed, largely, by a global pandemic - but it was time for a new challenge.
"For two really hard years for everybody, including [the chamber], I think we’ve put ourselves in a really, really good place.
"But for me, personally, the strengths that I brought and the connections I have, nationally, there are lots of opportunities at the moment, and I think it’s time for someone else with the local passion and drive to take the Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce on its next journey, as we come out the other side.
"I’ve been around a long time ... and when good people you know ask you for help, and you think you can help and make a difference, you have to say yes."
Ms Stokes said she was most proud of the national visibility the chamber managed to get for Queenstown over the past couple of years, which led to ensuring an equitable outcome for all.
One example was the resurgence payment the chamber lobbied the Government to extend across the country.
"Originally, they were just looking at it applying to Auckland, but we were a major contributor to that continuing to be made available nationally."
She was also proud of the chamber’s continued growth, despite the turbulent times, the heart it was in, and the community it served.
"If Covid had a silver lining, I think that collaboration, that willingness to work together and support each other, there’s been a step-change in that [compared to] where we were as a community, pre-Covid."
She had encouraged the board to consider "taking a breath" before potentially recruiting a new chief executive.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council’s former senior economic development adviser, Sharon Fifield, will start with the chamber this month, leading business growth and capability and joining membership and development manager Fiona Reeve and events and marketing manager Rachel Clifford.
"We’ve got a really strong team there, and I have encouraged the board to consider just taking a breath and let that team come together."
