Tourism marketing agency, Gate 7, has made a series of recent staff additions to its growing agency team and account base, signalling strong growth into 2016 for the company.

“We’re excited about the additional depth of diverse experience we are bringing to our team,” said Jo Palmer, managing director of Gate 7.

“Our service offering to destinations and iconic tourism products in marketing to the Australian and New Zealand markets is rounding out to become really comprehensive across trade, PR, content, social, events and activations.”

The agency’s Visit California account team has expanded, helping keep the vibrant destination top of mind in the Australian and New Zealand markets. Former Tourism Australia strategist Laura Jones has been appointed as account director, with Kat Wanoa and Phil Haines welcomed as content manager and travel trade manager respectively.

Kristy Meudell, Gate 7’s director of PR for the past six years, continues to drive the public relations efforts for Visit California.

Jones’ role at Tourism Australia included the development of special interest tourism and managing marketing around major events, while Wanoa comes from global media agency OMD Fuse, working in branded content, integration, sponsorships and social media for the likes of McDonald’s, PlayStation, Sunglass Hut and Clinique.

Haines has come to Gate7 with a strong background in product and marketing within the tourism industry, most recently Tourism NT looking after activity across Asia.

Other destination appointments

The German National Tourist Office sees Stefanie Eberhard take the reins as account manager. Munich-born Eberhard comes most recently from sales roles with Discover the World Marketing, and previously from Lufthansa and Tui.

Penny Brand is representing a variety of Gate7’s Southern and Northern Californian destinations as account manager, including Californian ski destinations (North Lake Tahoe & Mammoth), South Lake Tahoe, Sacramento, Napa Valley and San Diego. Brand has over 18 years’ tourism industry experience and will return to the agency having previously worked with Gate 7 from 2000-4.

James Cooley has joined the agency’s collective of PR account managers, looking after a mix of destinations within California including Greater Palm Springs, Huntington Beach, Universal Studios Hollywood and Sonoma County Tourism.

“Our team’s cross-section of experience brings a depth to the work we do and keeps our thinking fresh and creative. It’s an exciting time for Gate 7, our clients and partners,” added Palmer.