Rebecca Brooks Takes Helm as Chair of Scottish Tourism Alliance Promising a Vibrant Future

Friday, March 29, 2024

The Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) has officially announced Rebecca Brooks as its new Chair, succeeding Stephen Leckie, who has assumed the Chair position at VisitScotland. This transition heralds a fresh era for both the STA and the wider Scottish tourism sector.

Rebecca Brooks, currently serving as Managing Director of Abbey UK and a Director/Owner of the Abbey Group, brings a wealth of experience to her new role. With over two decades of leadership in the Scottish tourism industry, she has been a prominent figure and previously held the position of Vice Chair at the STA since October 2022.

A St Andrews University graduate in Modern History, Rebecca has been actively involved in international inbound tourism since 2001. Her extensive contributions include serving as a non-executive Director of the Scottish Tourism Alliance since 2010, holding a non-executive Director position on the VisitScotland board from 2015 to 2022, and recently assuming the role of Chair at UKinbound. Additionally, she has chaired the Scottish Destination Management Association and participated in the Scottish Government’s Tourism Recovery Taskforce during the Covid-19 crisis.Rebecca is currently a member of the UK Tourism Industry Council and has been acknowledged as one of Scotland’s Top 100 Women in Tourism for both 2018 and 2020.

Marc Crothall, CEO of the Scottish Tourism Alliance said, “The STA Board and team are delighted to welcome Rebecca Brooks as the new Chair of the Scottish Tourism Alliance. Rebecca’s experience and position within the Scottish tourism landscape positions her perfectly to lead the STA into its next phase.”

“We acknowledge the exceptional leadership of Stephen Leckie, under whose guidance the organisation has seen significant milestones, including the launch of two national tourism strategies. Stephen’s legacy is one of visionary leadership, boundless energy, and passion for Scottish tourism. His leadership inspires so many within our sector, and while we bid him farewell, we look forward to the fresh perspectives and strength of leadership that Rebecca will bring to the table.”

Rebecca Brooks said, “I am thrilled to be stepping into the role of Chair of the STA, having worked so closely with Stephen Leckie over many years and remain committed to driving forward the organisation’s mission to influence government policy to enable Scotland’s tourism industry to flourish and reach its full growth potential.

“Our focus will continue to be on deepening collaboration between private sectors, public bodies and governments to ensure Scotland can become a world leader in 21^st century tourism and galvanising the industry as the leading representative body for Scotland’s tourism businesses.

“The foundation laid so passionately and expertly by Stephen, our talented CEO and board provides a robust platform for us to build upon and I look forward to contributing to the next chapter of STA.”

Previous Chair of the STA and the new Chair of VisitScotland, Stephen Leckie said, “It has truly been a real privilege to serve as the Chair of the STA during a period of profound growth and challenges for our industry. Handing over the reins to Rebecca marks a fresh and exciting chapter for the STA and Scottish tourism as a whole. Rebecca’s insight, expertise and unwavering dedication to our industry make her the ideal leader to guide the STA into its next era.

“Her leadership qualities, vision, and deep-rooted understanding of both the challenges and opportunities facing Scottish tourism today are exceptional. I move on to my new role as Chair of VisitScotland with gratitude for the experiences and achievements we’ve shared at the STA and immense optimism for the future under Rebecca’s capable stewardship.”

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