Experienced tourism professional Steven Pickering, of Auckland, has been appointed the Ngai Tahu Tourism Southern Region marketing manager.
Mr Pickering, who has more than 14 years' experience, will take up the role late next month, moving to Queenstown from Auckland, where he has spent the past 10 years in senior marketing roles at Tourism Holdings Ltd (THL).
Ngai Tahu Tourism Southern Region manager David Kennedy said the role was integral to the protection and further development of Ngai Tahu's southern region brands, which included Shotover Jet Queenstown, Dart River Jet Safaris and Hollyford Track Guided Walks.
"Steven's role is really that of an export marketer, where the brands are developed and promoted internationally.
"This needs to be balanced with maintaining the values and reflecting the aspirations of the Ngai Tahu parent company," Mr Kennedy said.
Mr Pickering has a bachelor of business degree in marketing and tourism from the Auckland University of Technology. Before working at THL he held marketing positions at Nike, Australia and Adventure Rental Vehicles in New Zealand and the United States.
Mr Pickering, a regular visitor to Queenstown, said he was very happy to have secured the position.
"Ngai Tahu Tourism is a premier tourism operation ... I will relish the scope and opportunity this position offers."
