Bay woman to lead B&B association

Kathryn Officer has been appointed as president of the Bed and Breakfast Association New Zealand.

A Whangamata bed and breakfast owner has been appointed as the president of the Bed and Breakfast Association New Zealand.

Kathryn Officer has served on the Board for the last two years and has five years' experience in running an award winning bed and breakfast in Whangamata.

The Association's recent survey indicated travellers spent about $30million in bed and breakfast accommodation for the year ended March 31, 2014.

Ms Officer said the Tourism Report, Tourism 2015, talked extensively about the "uniquely New Zealand experience"

"This is what staying at a bed and breakfast is all about," she said.

Eighty per cent of travellers who stay at bed and breakfasts are international visitors and Ms Officer believed the bed and breakfast industry had the experience and was well placed to take advantage of the anticipated increase in international visitors.

Ms Officer said she was passionate about the bed and breakfast industry and is looking forward to the new challenge of being the President of Bed & Breakfast Association.

She said she was buoyed by the fact that she was surrounded by an extremely capable team of Board Members and was looking forward to growing the Association membership and promoting the benefits of staying in bed and breakfasts throughout New Zealand.

Ms Officer praised the efforts of the previous President, Jenny Hoffman, who has retired for family reasons after 10 years on the Board, four of those as President.

Ms Officer said Mrs Hoffman had worked tirelessly on behalf of members and would be sorely missed.

Kathryn Officer was appointed to the position at their recent annual general meeting.