Long-time CEO of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, Grant Hunt, has opted not to renew his contract and will cease in his day-to-day duties at the helm, to be replaced by AAT Kings CEO, Matthew Cameron-Smith.
Hunt will instead join the Voyages Board as a non-executive Director after two separate stints as CEO at the organisation dating back to 1996. His time at the organisation and services to tourism overall saw him bestowed earlier this year as a Member of the Order of Australia. In his most recent run at Voyages, Hunt oversaw the restructure of the business, which included rebuilding the executive team.
His work led to a 43% increase in profitability for the 2018-19 financial year and led to 2019 being the most successful year ever for the company. He departs Voyages following the finalisation of a ten-year Masterplan for the organisation which has include a major refurbishment of Ayers Rock Resort and an AUD$55 million expansion of Uluru Airport.
Cameron-Smith holds an extensive and highly successful pedigree in national and international tourism, joining Voyages from The Travel Corporation, where he has spent the past nine years leading the Trafalgar guided holidays brand as well as his most recent position as Global CEO of AAT Kings. Prior to that, he worked with Tourism Australia, promoting the country in the UK and Europe markets.
Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia Chairman, Rick Allert, said Cameron-Smith has had a highly distinguished career to date.
“His almost ten years with Travel Corp have provided him with a deep knowledge and appreciation of the Ayers Rock Resort experience and Indigenous culture,” Allert said.
Matthew Cameron-Smith begins in his new role on August 10.