– The Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB) has appointed Australia-based Mike Parker-Brown to manage its global PR portfolio.

(TRAVPR.COM) SOLOMON ISLANDS - March 4th, 2014 - The Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB) has appointed Australia-based Mike Parker-Brown to manage its global PR portfolio.

Announcing the appointment SIVB CEO, Josefa Tuamoto said Parker-Brown’s high profile and experience both as a journalist and PR practitioner with strong travel industry and media connections made him a good fit for the role.

“Our vision for the future of Solomon Islands tourism is to see the tourism sector become the prime source of the country’s foreign exchange earnings within the next 10 years,” Mr Tuamoto said.

 “The PR portfolio is a key component of the overall SIVB international marketing blueprint now being implemented and is expected to play a critical role as we move forward to change the perceptions with which the Solomon Islands are held on the international tourism stage.

Sydney-based Parker-Brown is no stranger to the regional tourism industry where he has managed PR for several large organisations in recent years. 

These include airlines, wholesale tour operators (both domestic and overseas-based), travel agency groups, hotels, cruise lines and industry associations.

More pertinent to the SIVB role is his experience managing PR and consulting to a number of national tourist offices in Australia and New Zealand and also globally. 

These include Indonesia, Hong Kong (during the 1997 handover period for which he received the Australian Society of Travel Writers’ ’Communicator of the Year’ award), the Sultanate of Oman, Fiji, Taiwan and most recently Taiwan and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

His non-travel experience includes a stint as a senior media adviser with the Australian Trade Commission.

He also assisted Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill and his People’s National Congress party with international and domestic PR support during the 2012 PNG general election.

Mr Tuamoto said Parker-Brown would become heavily involved as the SIVB sharpened its focus on the strategic direction it needs to take to achieve its goals.

“The SIVB portfolio is challenging but having Mike and his experience on board represents a major development for the SIVB and we are delighted to have him on the team.”

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