Tourism Kamloops has officially named Monica Dickinson as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective March 15.
Dickinson, who was serving as Tourism Kamloops’ Director of Industry Relations and Communications for the past six years, replaces Bev DeSantis who retired at the end of last year.
“It’s an absolute honour and a privilege honestly. This is an incredible organization and it has an incredible team behind it and to be able to assume the leadership role for Tourism Kamloops is definitely been something that I have working towards for a while now,” she told NL News. “To actually be here is amazing and I’m looking forward to the journey ahead and all the work ahead of us.”
“I’ve had great opportunities at really all corners of the organization and I have a deep appreciation for all the roles and responsibilities that Tourism Kamloops holds. It really sets the foundation for the support that our industry needs coming through recovery and heading into what is beyond.”
In a statement, Board Chair, Percy Amaria says they were “impressed” with Dickinson at each decision point in the national search process.
“Tourism Kamloops is about to enter a period of growth. We know there is pent-up demand for travel and as travel restrictions continue to lessen, we know we need a strong leader to navigate this new era,” he said.
“We are excited to work alongside Monica in her new role as CEO and are confident in her ability to bring stakeholders, staff, and our tourism community together to thrive for the foreseeable future.”
Dickinson has been with Tourism Kamloops since 2007, adding her top priority as she steps into her new role is that of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including recruiting and retaining staff to work in the sector.
“Beyond that I mean there are ongoing climate events that we need to be prepared for. I know many of the conversations I’ve been having in recent weeks with our partners include supply chain issues, which are also top of mind,” she said.
“We are just trying to ensure that we can provide the best guest experience possible for those choosing Kamloops in the coming years.”