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Grow Tourism is equipping a workforce with the skills, insights and knowledge to build New Zealand’s high value tourism future.

Our Team

The Grow Tourism team combines a powerful mix of pragmatic tourism business know-how with a background in learning, education, SaaS and tourism technology.

Alex Dykman

Founder
+64 21 08173522

alex.dykman@growtourism.com


Kin Cheung

Delivery Lead
+64 27 229 1511

kin.cheung@growtourism.com

Bruce Hurd

Bruce Hurd

Technical Lead
+64 21 167 1431

bruce.hurd@growtourism.com


Amanda Linklater

Partnerships Lead
+64 27 699 2266

amanda.linklater@growtourism.com


Tim Olson

Operations Specialist
+64 21 387 880
tim.olson@growtourism.com

Meet the 2024 Grow Tourism Advisory Board

Our advisory board is made up of a talented cross-section of tourism and hospitality experts, mixing private and public sector know-how. Deeply passionate about nurturing a workforce who will power the future of the visitor economy, our board members are vital in enabling us to maximise the relevancy and impact of Grow Tourism.

Shayne Forrest

Shayne Forrest

General Manager Tourism Hobbiton™ Movie Set

Shayne is General Manager Tourism at Hobbiton Movie Set and has a myriad of experience in developing and leading people and delivering award-winning customer experiences at scale.

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Zac Watson

General Manager Maverick Digital

Zac is an accomplished tourism leader with experience spanning both private and public sector roles. Named as the Tourism Export Council’s Emerging Leader in 2022, Zac’s involvement in Grow Tourism stems from a desire to match premium tourism experiences with premium service standards.

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Lee Brown

Lee Brown

Project Manager, Hospitality New Zealand

Lee Brown is a seasoned executive leader with over 25 years of diverse industry experience including large multinationals across Australia and New Zealand, family-owned enterprises, FMCG, manufacturing, and the vibrant world of hospitality.

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Tori Burns

Tori Burns

Owner/Director, Russell Orongo Bay Holiday Park

Tori Burns is Owner/Director at Russell Orongo Bay Holiday Park and has been recognised for her innovative approach and strong focus on sustainability, which lead to the operator being recognised as a finalist across a number of NZ Tourism awards in 2022.

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Rick Crannitch

Cluster General Manager, Naumi Hotels Wellington

Rick is an experienced Hotelier who ended up being one of Melbourne’s youngest Hotel General Managers at the age of 29. Now the Cluster GM for Naumi Hotels Wellington, Rick leads a young, passionate team who are challenging the status quo with their take on modern luxury.

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Eve Lawrence

Eve Lawrence

Country General Manager, Intrepid DMC New Zealand

Eve Lawrence is Country General Manager at Intrepid DMC New Zealand and is both passionate about responsible travel and a fierce industry advocate.

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The story of Grow Tourism

Our skills, passion and partnership were founded at the intersection of digital transformation and tourism. We’re deeply pragmatic about what it takes to build and sustain high value tourism businesses while moving actively into a bright future.

With deep roots in tourism – from clipping people into harnesses, guiding and hospitality through to working in and with Government agencies and Regional Tourism Organisations – we’ve been there.

In founding Grow Tourism, we have developed the High Value Tourism Growth Cycle based on our deep experience, broad consultation and insights from the heart of industry. We’ve identified the essential pillars that high value tourism businesses must embrace to deliver excellent Customer Experiences while building depth and momentum across People & Networks, Cultural Awareness, Sustainability and Future Legacy.

We’re focused, strategic, and motivated to drive the transformation needed to deliver powerful outcomes for industry.