BridgeClimb CEO resigns amid drop in patronage

BridgeClimb CEO resigns amid drop in patronage

BridgeClimb Sydney CEO Chris Zumwalt has resigned amid a slump in bookings and a rise in maintenance fees.

This comes about a year and a half after the operating contract changed hands from Otto Holdings, the company who began the climb, to The Hammons family, which runs the Blue Mountain’s Scenic World.

BridgeClimb said in a statement its executive team, with the direct support of the board, would continue business as usual until the board concludes its search for a new CEO.

“The Board thanks Chris for his contribution and valuable leadership of the BridgeClimb team over the past 18 months, and his extensive contributions to Hammons Holdings over the past 12 years,” the statement said.

Travel Weekly understands business has dropped since new management took over, with the recent bushfires and coronavirus outbreak exacerbating the situation.

The Financial Review reported staff have said Zumwalt and the family had not adequately adapted their management style from its high volume business in the mountains to a more expensive, smaller city attraction.

Zumwalt told the ABC the bushfires were linked to a 15 to 20 per cent year-on-year decline in patronage.

The new owners have also been plagued by a much harsher deal struck with the NSW Roads & Maritime Services (RMS) to win the tender, that saw bridge maintenance commitments, which the company has to pay 15 per cent of, grow to almost triple what Otto Holdings had to pay.

Latest News

  • Aviation

Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

  • Attractions

SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

  • Cruise

Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

  • Technology
  • Travel Agents

Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]