Ukinbound, the trade association representing the interests of the UK’s inbound tourism sector, has announced chief executive Mary Rance is to leave the organisation at the end of the year to head up the charity Contact the Elderly.

Originally trained as a lawyer, Rance has a background of working with trade associations, including a period as director at the CBI, although immediately before joining UKinbound she worked as chief executive of the charity Toc H. 

She has been at UKinbound since September 2008 and is credited with transforming and repositioning the Association into one of the leading trade bodies in tourism and the only trade body to represent inbound tourism to the UK.

Rance said: “Naturally I am sad to be leaving UKinbound but glad to be leaving the organisation in such good shape.

“When I joined the organisation I developed an ambitious growth strategy, a plan to double the membership, increase our influence and enhance the business benefits for our membership, all of which have been achieved or on track.

“I have loved being a part of the travel industry and will miss it but I believe my future now lies in the charitable sector.”
Tourism is one of the largest industries in the UK.

It employs 2.7 million people, one in eleven of all people employed in the UK and generates £136 billion in revenue for the economy.