Cocker for tourism post

The Tourism Council of the South Pacific recently appointed Christopher Cocker as Manager - Marketing and Communications. Formerly Tourism Marketing Officer with the Tonga Visitors Bureau, Cocker holds a Bachelor of

Business (Hospitality) Degree from

Queensland University.

Cocker, 31, brings extensive experi ence to his current position and was previ ously the Educational and Training Officer and Public Relations Officer with the Tonga Visitors Bureau.

He has worked as tourism marketing officer for the past five years.

The TCSP’s chief executive, Levani Tuinabua, welcomed the appointment, saying that Cocker would further enhance the work of TCSP with his wide and varied experience in the tourism industry.

“The position has been vacant for over a year now and we have every confidence in Chris to take over the demanding responsibility of the marketing division,”

Tuinabua said.

“Chris has already undertaken an edu cational visit of most of our member coun tries and has met with all our national

tourism office representatives and talked to them about their marketing strategies.

During these visits he also had a look at the numerous tourism products we sell to consumers in our targeted markets.”

Cocker said it was a great challenge to work at the TCSP which has played an instrumental part in promoting the South Pacific at major international trade shows.

The TCSP, he said, played an integral part in promoting the South Pacific at major international trade shows.

“I firmly believe that the South Pacific should be promoted as a multi-destination al product and not individually,” Cocker said. We have much to offer in that each island is unique in landscape, culture and history which enhances our joint promo tional efforts”.