Destination Cambridge board: From left Jatin Bahi, Dick Breukink, Lucy Young, Carron Steffart, Angelique van der Merwe, Steve Hastie, Belinda Gelston. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Cambridge lawyer Lucy Young has been elected the new Destination Cambridge chair.
She takes over from Martin Buglass who recently stood down as chair, after less than a year, due to health reasons.
The destination marketing organisation held its annual meeting on Tuesday after The News went to press. Buglass told members Destination Cambridge needed further investment and questions should be asked of Waipā District Council.
Lucy Young
“What about the future and importance of our operations and the benefits we bring to Cambridge and Waipā?”
The organisation’s continued viability needed to be addressed by the council too with considerable funds required in wages for staff at the isite as well as day to day costs of running the operation, said Buglass.
Young is a partner at Lewis Lawyers and brings key competencies of governance, sound criteria and legal skills. She joined the board last year.
Two new board members were added. Angelique van der Merwe is a brand, marketing and events’ professional with more than 15 years’ experience in sales and marketing.
Belinda Gelston has customer service and sales and marketing experience.
Ruth Crampton
General manager Ruth Crampton said in her report there were several encouraging signs for summer in Cambridge.
Door counts are back to pre-Covid levels, website visits are higher than ever, and more than 250 events were planned.
Local visitor products were tracking well, she said but to maintain a vibrant visitor experience – digitally and physically – changes needed to happen.
“The business cannot currently sustain the cost of operation and other revenue opportunities need to be found, as well as ways to reduce costs, namely wages.”
A review of the current staff structure was underway as were opportunities to partner with other operators, create exclusive isite offers, grow membership and increase retail offerings to local artisans while not competing with Cambridge retailers.
When Crampton was appointed in April she met stakeholders, and it became clear there was duplication in the marketing and promotion space.
“We are duplicating effort with other agencies such as Hamilton Waikato Tourism, potentially the Town Hall as they come online with their marketing, Waipā events team and Chamber of Commerce from an advocacy/product development perspective.”
Hamilton Waikato Tourism will become the lead marketing agency for Cambridge with Destination Cambridge working in partnership by feeding in new product, imagery, ideas and joint promotions.
“Their new Destination Management Plan is almost complete, and we feel confident in their ongoing promotion of Cambridge as a visitor destination,” said Crampton.
