REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Saturday March 29, 2008

ADELAIDE conventions supremo Martin Winter was appointed chief executive of Gold Coast Tourism, stepping into the vacancy created by the departure of Pavan Bhatia

Mr Winter, who is married to Merrilee and has three children, had been chief executive of the Adelaide Convention and Tourism Authority since 2000 and had widespread international experience.

Mr Winter was reminiscing about a 1970s surfing trip that took in the Gold Coast.

“I’ve watched it grow astonishingly over the years,” he said.

“I came to the Coast after I finished school on a surfing trip, back in the days when we used to get around in old panel vans.

“My wife Merrilee also remembers as a teenager the hula-hoop competitions down at Coolangatta.”

He took over from Mr Bhatia, who took on a senior role within the Raptis Group as head of its hotel and tourism division.

Mr Winter said he had a great appreciation and value for the Coast and was looking forward to the challenge.

“My children have grown up and I think it’s a great time for me to take on a challenge like this,’’ he said.

Mr Winter said he would not be tampering with the organisation’s five-year plan, which was orchestrated after securing a $10 million a year funding allocation every year until 2010.

“As CEO, I’ll be implementing the plan,’’ he said.

“I don’t expect to come into a new role and tell others how to do their business when a plan has already been put into place.”