Patrick will join Love Taupō from 9 September 2024 heading up a talented team on a mission to increase visitation, length of stay, and support delivery of world-class tourism experiences across the iconic region.
Patrick has worked in the tourism industry for more than 20-years, in North America and New Zealand. For the past four years, Patrick has been Destination and Tourism Manager for Development West Coast. He led development of its destination management plan and implemented its tourism strategy. Last year, the West Coast led the country in attaining 123% growth in visitor spend.
Previously, Patrick was the Rotorua Regional Tourism Organisation’s international trade manager, before which he spent many years in the international hotel industry. Patrick majored in Public Relations and Marketing from Université du Québec à Montréal and speaks several languages fluently.
With his extensive skills and experience coupled with a love of the outdoors, alpine skiing and running, the board felt he was a perfect fit for the outdoors centric region.
“I feel both privileged and thrilled to join the Destination Great Lake Taupo team and collaborate with industry to realise the full potential of tourism for the region” says Patrick.
DGLT Board Chair, Kiri Atkinson-Crean says the board were thrilled by the number of high calibre candidates for this role.
“Patrick really stood out to us as someone who could take our destination to the next level – especially with his international market and destination management experience.
He is high energy, charismatic and well connected globally, just what we’ll need to lead the destination and its tourism development, including an implementation of the Destination Management Plan.”
Patrick Dault replaces Jane Wilson who retired from the role in late April after many successful years at the helm.
