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16th February 2010

Campaigning charity Tourism Concern has announced the appointment of four new members of its council, strengthening the expertise within the organisation.

Nicola Green, a chartered accountant with fifteen years business experience, has been appointed as the charity’s treasurer. Nicola will work with staff and council members to help Tourism Concern design new strategies to raise support for important campaigns and projects, fighting exploitation and helping communities to benefit sustainably from tourism

Michelle Ramsey, owner of Ventura Training, Ventura Recruitment and Le Rêve Destination & Event Management, will bring sales, marketing and business management skills to the organisation. Michelle has worked in the travel and hospitality industry for more than twenty years. This includes various roles in the travel agency, hotel, tour operator and event management sectors, from sales and operations to hotel inspector and tour guide.

Ioannis Pantelidis is a Senior Lecturer at London Metropolitan Business School and is an expert in hospitality management. He was born on the Greek island of Leros and comes from a family of hoteliers and restaurateurs. His industry experience ranges from 5-star hotels to private clubs and restaurants. He is an active researcher and industry consultant who is passionate about best practise in the tourism industry.

Ioannis said: "The work of Tourism Concern has been hugely beneficial over past two decades, not only to industry leaders and students but also to locals in developing countries where support for sustainable and ethical tourism is badly needed. It is a pleasure and an honour that I am able to contribute my expertise to this beacon of hope for our industry".

Sarah Harrington is a charity fundraising specialist with more than ten years experience of raising funds for medical research, housing and homelessness and international development. For the last four years she has been working as fundraising and communications manager for a London based international charity that promotes human rights through the use of law.

Sarah said: “I hope to contribute to the development of a sustainable future for Tourism Concern by developing a fundraising strategy which ensures that relationships with a broad range of donors are maximised. I also want to help Tourism Concern to articulate its successes and the life-changing impact of its work in order to increase support for its campaigns.”

At the end of 2009 Tourism Concern launched its 100 Appeal to help it to fight for financial stability. The highly respected charity, now in its twenty-first year, encountered funding difficulties in the financial crisis and appealed for 100 companies to donate £1,000 each to help it continue its pioneering work. The appeal is part of a longer-term strategy to develop a broader funding base and the new council members will be instrumental in progressing these efforts.

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Any person or company who wants to help Tourism Concern should contact Tricia Barnett at Tourism Concern.

- Tel: +44 (0) 20 7133 3800
- Mobile: +44 (0)7896 337 690
- Email: tricia@tourismconcern.org.uk
- www.tourismconcern.org.uk

Tourism Concern was founded twenty years ago and its many successes include:

• The Sun, Sand, Sea and Sweatshops campaign that resulted in the UK’s leading tour operators adopting policies on labour conditions for hotels.

• The campaign, Trekking Wrongs: Porter’s Rights, improved the lives of hundreds of porters and their families. The majority of UK trekking operators have adopted Tourism Concern’s code of conduct.

• After lobbying by Tourism Concern the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office established a permanent multi-stakeholder panel to protect destinations from unnecessarily prolonged or geographically far-reaching travel advisories.

• Three out of four secondary schools in the UK requested Tourism Concern’s educational pack, Beyond the Brochure, raising the awareness of thousands of children around key tourism issues.

• Tourism Concern’s library holds the most comprehensive book stock and educational resources on tourism in the UK and is widely used by students and academics.