MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands will be present at World Travel Market next November in London

Managing Director of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board (FITB), Tony Mason

The newly appointed Managing Director of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board (FITB), Tony Mason is in the Islands. Tony will work to continue to raise the profile of the Falkland Islands as an international tourism destination. Among his priorities are having the Falklands present, for the first time, at the leading global tourism trade event in London, World Travel Market.

Prior to his arrival, Tony was in the UK representing the Tourist Board at Birdfair 2012, alongside local birding expert Alan Henry as well as Wedell Island lodge owners, Martin and Jane Beaton.

This will be the fourth year the Falkland Islands has exhibited at the show. The largest show of its kind, Birdfair took place in Rutland, Leicestershire between the 17th and 19th August. The show received over 25,000 visitors over the three-day period. Now in its 24th year, Birdfair encompasses the whole spectrum of the bird-watching industry whilst at the same time supporting global bird conservation.

Under Tony’s supervision, this year was the first time the Falkland Islands had a lecture slot at the show, providing a significant platform for promoting the Falkland Islands as a world-class birding destination. Martin Beaton’s talk on ‘Birds of the Falklands Where What and How’ was well received and inspired visitors to come to the stand and find out more about what the Islands have to offer Birding enthusiasts.

Tony also enlisted help on the stand to collect stand visitors’ details with a total of 300 entries gathered. Tony intends to use this database as the basis for a regular communications programme.

FITB also participated in a silent auction, donating a bronze plated penguin, which helped generate further awareness about the destination.

Another initiative Tony has been instrumental in securing prior to his departure from the UK is a presence for the Falkland Islands at World Travel Market, the leading global industry business-to-business trade event. World Travel Market will be taking place in London (http://www.wtmlondon.com/)   between  the 5th and 8th November and this will be the first time the Falkland Islands will be represented. Tony will be attending and taking the opportunity to meet with key industry players.

Commenting on his appointment, Tony Mason says: “I am very excited about my new role as Managing Director of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board and am looking forward to getting stuck in. My first priority will be to go and see as much of the destination as possible and meet as many people as I can to ensure I’m in the best position to promote and sell the Falkland Islands. I can’t wait.”

Tony joins the Falkland Islands Tourist Board from a London-based travel services group, Lycafly, where he worked at Managing Director. He brings with him a wealth of experience in travel marketing, and sales at director level.  (Penguin News).-