Bath Tourism Plus, the public/private partnership between B&NES Council and the Initiative in B&NES, has appointed Matt Davis, Sales Director of QA Systems Ltd and current Director and Vice Chairman of Bath Tourism Board of Directors as the organisation’s Chairman.

As a board member of both Bath Tourism and Bath BID, it is the 12 years as a councillor for B&NES that has provided Matt with an in-depth knowledge of the Bath area and a strong commitment to the region, but more importantly it has given Matt an excellent understanding of the private-public partnerships that the city is keen to nurture. The appointment heralds a new era for Bath Tourism Plus which has to ensure that the city remains competitive.

Commenting on his new role, Matt Davis said: “I am delighted to be appointed as Chairman of BTP, and I look forward to working with the BTP Board invigorated by new members, our Chief Executive and his team, and further developing partnerships throughout the area.  This is an exciting time for BTP.  As a company we have set ourselves the task of growing the value of our tourism economy to £400m, and I am determined that we shall achieve that goal, while becoming more entrepreneurial as a company and less dependent on public funding.”

Councillor Cherry Beath, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, said: “We look forward to working alongside Matt Davis in his new role with Bath Tourism Plus as part of the Council’s commitment to building a stronger economy in the area including tourism and local shopping. We wish Matt every success in building on the solid foundations for growth which have already been secured through working in partnership with others including the Council.”

Ian Bell, Executive Director of the Initiative in B&NES, added: “We are delighted to have someone of the calibre of Matt to take on the job of Chairman following Mary Lynch’s term. He has a great knowledge of the company and a brilliant eye for detail which will be a real benefit. Furthermore, as he is not himself engaged in the tourism business in his own right, he can take an objective stance on the important issues which we will be facing in the future.”