ADTA appoints Strategy & Policy Director

The 45-year-old Australian, with over 22 years experience in tourism, now has overall responsibility for leading the ADTA's domestic and international market research function and overseeing the development of the authority's corporate strategy and operational plans.

"This appointment reflects the ADTA's need to expand its cadre of expertise as it moves towards a new era of managed growth," said His Excellency Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA.

"The next five years will see considerable advancement in Abu Dhabi's tourism infrastructure and it crucial that we ensure our product offering is differentiated on an increasingly competitive global landscape.

"With this appointment Lawrence and his department will contribute to a global research programme which will inform the development of the ADTA's corporate strategy and programmes.

They will assist, through research, the identification of new market opportunities and opportunities for the development and marketing of new product for packaging and wholesaling to the domestic and international tourism markets"

Franklin has joined the ADTA from Tourism Australia, the statutory body responsible for the promotion of Australia as a tourism destination, where he spent three years, firstly as Manager Strategic Insights and, more recently, as Director Strategy & Research.

Prior to Tourism Australia, Franklin worked for 13 years at Tourism New South Wales where he held a number of posts including that of Manager Information and Research.

The holder of a Town Planning degree from the University of New South Wales and a Graduate Diploma in Tourism Management from Sydney's University of Technology, Franklin has, throughout his career, been heavily involved in the development and implementation of knowledge-based strategies.

Franklin's appointment follows a number of other managerial appointments across the ADTA's business intelligence, marketing and human resources functions.