Meet the Destination Queenstown Board
Destination Queenstown (DQ) is an Incorporated Society governed by a sector representative Board of Directors. Elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting, the board ensures the organisation’s objectives and strategic goals are being achieved by its executive staff. As well as adherence to the rules of the incorporated society.
Richard Thomas
Large activity seat (chair)
Richard Thomas was appointed to the Skyline Enterprises Board in May 2007 having spent three years as an Associate Director. He is Chair of the Skyline Health, Safety, Security and Environment Committee, Chair of Skyline’s operating offshore subsidiaries and sits on the Skyline International Luge Board. Richard is the current Chair of Destination Queenstown and The Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust, Director of Efficient Market Services trading as USX, Director of Bookme Limited and Director and Owner of his own business consultancy Redwulff Limited. Richard is a past Board Member and Chair of the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce, and the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track. He also served on the board of Snow Sports New Zealand, is a past President of the New Zealand Community Newspapers Association and is the former Publisher and General Manager of Queenstown’s Mountain Scene newspaper.
Matthew Day
General seat
Matthew is an active member of the Queenstown business community and was elected to the Destination Queenstown Board in September 2018. He has a diverse commercial background across aviation, tourism, property and consumer businesses, including commercial roles at Christchurch International Airport and Queenstown Airport Corporation, and seven years at RealNZ, most recently as General Manager Corporate Affairs and Development. Matthew has held directorships of several tourism companies including Milford Sound Tourism Ltd, International Antarctic Centre and Black Cat Group. He is currently Chief Operating Officer at Remarkables Park Ltd and a trustee of Wakatipu High School Foundation.
Trish May
Retail/service seat
Trish is founder of the New Zealand Travel Collective. Based in Queenstown for 14 years, she represents several local tourism businesses to the international travel trade.
With more than 30 years’ experience in the sector, including roles with the New Zealand Ski Tourism Marketing Network, Shotover Jet, and two other RTOs, Trish brings extensive industry knowledge.
She is the incumbent in the retail/service/professional seat on the DQ board and chairs the QCB Advisory Group.
Jo Finnigan
Large Accommodation seat
Jo Finnigan has called Queenstown home since 2000. After beginning her career in commercial property, she joined Hotel St Moritz Queenstown – an Accor MGallery property, where she has spent 25 years across sales, marketing and general management, including the past decade as GM. Jo is active in the local business community as Vice Chair of the Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce and an advisory board member for Queenstown Resort College and the Queenstown Convention Bureau. She is also involved in the MahiQL workforce planning initiative and serves on a global General Manager Advisory Board within Accor.
Brett Duncan
Small-medium accommodation seat
Brett Duncan is Managing Director Adventure Hostels New Zealand.
After opening the first Adventure Hostel in Queenstown in 2011, it has since expanded to become the third largest hostel operator in the country.
Passionate about the value of youth tourism, Brett is an advocate for the Working Holiday Visa scheme as a vital part of the Queenstown tourism and hospitality industry.
Brett is on the Board of Backpacker Youth Adventure Travel Association (BYATA) and co-authored BYATA’s study into the Lifetime Value of Youth Tourism.
Andrew Bell
Small to medium activity seat
Andrew is General Manager of Queenstown Golf Club. Originally from Christchurch, Andrew spent much of his career in banking before moving into golf club management.
Since December 2021, he has led Queenstown Golf Club, balancing the needs of local members with visitors drawn to the region’s golfing reputation.
With more than 25 years’ connection to Queenstown, Andrew understands both the opportunities and pressures tourism brings.
Erik Barnes
General seat
Erik founded Auxilium Ltd. in 2014 to help organisations become more successful in dealing with the complexities of our fast-changing world. Erik has extensive experience in operations & infrastructure management/development, strategy & business case development, asset/activity management, facilitation, and learning & development.
He has worked in senior management & governance roles across a range of public & private businesses enabling him to understand the challenges from many different perspectives.
