CATO gives top honour to retiring founder, Peter Baily

The Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) have re-elected Bunnik Tours CEO, Dennis Bunnik as CATO chairman for another term during the organisation’s annual general meeting on Tuesday.

Addressing the membership, Bunnik expressed his delight in the support shown by members as the organisation continues to evolve under the current leadership of Managing Director, Brett Jardine and paid homage to the work undertaken by the retiring CATO founder and long-term General manager, Peter Baily.

Baily received a warm farewell from the membership and was given the honour of a CATO Life Membership.

The audience received their fair share of hilarious stories from Peter’s 50 years in the industry at the event, which was sponsored by Qatar Airways and took place at Establishment Hotel.

AFTA CEO Jayson Westbury praised Baily for his unwavering support of industry deregulation whilst former CATO Chairman, Michael Hay and Rod Eather acknowledged Baily’s resolute belief in the land supply side of the industry during CATO’s formative years.

In responding to the praise from colleagues, Baily said he was “both humbled and honoured to receive such recognition.”

Jardine also addressed the membership, and said that “external relationships with numerous stakeholders were a key part of the CATO strategy.”

AFTA, with whom CATO is closely aligned, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Retail Consortia, Independent Agents, Airlines and numerous providers of product, “all are an important part of the supply chain and we will continue to engage to achieve our goals,” Jardine said.

In a strong show of support for the CATO leadership, the organisation also announced a full complement of Executive Committee members that includes; Julie King, Managing Director – Julie King & Associates; David Walker, Managing Director – ITC Pacific/Sno’n’Ski; Brett Mitchell, Managing Director – Intrepid Travel Group; Matthew Cameron-Smith -Trafalgar Tours; Halina Kubica, Managing Director, Greece & Mediterranean Travel; Anne-Marie Mitchell, Managing Director – GET Educational Tours; Liz Anderson, Managing Director – Sundowners Overland and Justine Waddington, Director – Encounter Travel.

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