CEO of Cape Town Tourism for the past 9 years with 15 years practical tourism and marketing experience.

Under her leadership, Cape Town Tourism has won critical acclaim as a Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO) working at the coalface of one of the world’s fastest growing industries.

The UN World Tourism Organisation has recognised Cape Town Tourism for its “world best practice tourism organisational model and innovative initiatives in destination marketing”. The organisation's digital marketing strategy and programmes have received international acclaim. Some highlights include:

• Awarded as one of the world's top 20 and Africa’s most influential tourist boards and DMO’s online (rated by influencersintravel.com) in 2012;
• Included in the World Travel Market White Paper for best practice in digital marketing in 2012;
• Cape Town Tourism won the Travel and Leisure SMITTY Award for Best Overall Use of Social Media globally in June 2013 and;
• Cape Town Tourism’s Facebook campaign, Send Your Facebook Profile to Cape Town, won a Cannes Lions Gold Award for Cape Town Tourism’s advertising agency, Ogilvy & Mather in June 2013. The prize was awarded in the Branded Content Category (Best Use or Integration of Digital or Social Media) making them one of only two 2013 Gold Award winners from South Africa.

She is launching a specialised destination and tourism marketing agency in July 2013 that will work with the public and private sector in South Africa and internationally to represent, develop and manage destination and tourism brands.

She is a well known tourism thought leader and public speaker on tourism at large, responsible tourism, destination marketing, brand innovation and digital strategy.

She is driven by passion. Enthused by people. Loves being a mother and lives simply.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your outstanding contribution to the tourism sector over the years. Through your input and conduct, you have always shown that you understand a leader to be someone who unites others behind a shared goal, develops trust and seizes all opportunities. I commend your high level of professionalism and dedication, as well as your innovative approach to tourism marketing and branding. My best wishes are with you in all your future endeavours.” – Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Tourism, South Africa