Islands tourism board appoints its first CEO
Outer Hebrides Tourism (OHT) has appointed a new chief executive, who will be tasked with leading its destination organisation and spearhead the delivery of its Tourism Outer Hebrides 2020 strategy.
Rob McKinnon, who joined the OHT Board in 2015, will become the organisations first CEO in October.
According to the tourism group, Mr McKinnon will take up the role as a tourism leader, a destination champion and an advocate for business owners.
Mr McKinnon’s career has taken him from the Caribbean islands to the islands of the Outer Hebrides and, along the way, he has spent time with Intercontinental Hotels Group and the Prince of Wales’ social enterprises, Duchy Originals and Mey Selections.
Mr McKinnon is also a tourism business operator himself as owner of Fir Chlis holiday let and director of Loomshed, a new brewery launching in Harris next year.
Supported by OHT’s board of directors Mr McKinnon will work in close collaboration with the organisation’s private/ public leadership group.
Chairman of OHT, Ian Fordham said: ‘The appointment of a chief executive to lead OHT is a significant step forward in our development as an organisation, and for tourism in the Outer Hebrides as a whole.
‘Rob will work closely with our board, our partners and business owners to shape and deliver our tourism strategy, grow the visitor economy, and support our 1,000 tourism business members as they develop and grow.’
The creation of the role has been possible courtesy of funding from Highlands and Island Enterprise (HIE).
Joanna Peteranna, account manager with HIE’s Outer Hebrides area team, added: ‘Tourism is a key sector for HIE that can make a significant contribution to the economy of the Outer Hebrides. This is an important milestone for OHT and we are delighted to support the role for the next three years.’