Jane Rees-Baynes

Throughout 2019 and 2020, as the chair of Pembrokeshire Tourism, I worked closely with Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and PLANED to establish the first Destination Management Organisation of its type in Wales - Visit Pembrokeshire, which launched in November 2020.

Pembrokeshire Tourism was re-branded Visit Pembrokeshire and now has a much wider remit, including public purpose activity.

It is a private sector organisation that works in true partnership with PCC, PCNPA & PLANED to market Pembrokeshire to the world as a sustainable tourism destination.

The organisation also offers training, support, lobbying and guidance for member businesses in the county's tourism economy.

I'm immensely proud to have been a founding director and the chair of the board since it's inception right up to April 2025, when my term finished. However I remain on the board as an active director.

The 4.5yrs since its launch have been hugely challenging for the tourism sector and I have personally worked very closely with the Visit Pembrokeshire CEO to grow the business into the organisation it is today.

My role included everything from chairing meetings, appointing directors, strategic oversight, negotiations with partners, business development, public speaking and financial oversight to name just a selection.

Returned to the family business to take over the running of Elm Grove -a 11 bedroom country house which has been in the Rees family for nearly 70 years. In the last 18 years no two days have been the same and my role includes;

• Continuing to build the business and ensure a profit in a sector which is being continually challenged economically
• Increasing return stays through personal, friendly service at the right price point.
• Maintaining the house and grounds to a high standard of furnishing to meet the needs of an ever diversifying customer base.
• Marketing Elm Grove across a variety of digital and hard copy channels, both domestic and international.
• Identifying new income streams - via events and weddings, international travel trade, domestic business customers, exclusive use groups.
• Day to day operational tasks including filling staffing gaps, HR, cooking breakfasts and evening meals, ordering, laundry, accounting, maintenance etc

• Tailored messages according to various audiences within the organisation; ensured relevance and comprehension.
• Coordinated leadership communication sessions to ensure flow of key information from top down.
• Guided teams during organisational change; ensured smooth transition process.
• Enhanced company culture with regular town hall meetings and events.
• Drafted clear, concise corporate messages, achieving better understanding of business goals.
• Managed crisis communication effectively, minimising potential reputational damage.

This role was part of the TCS Scheme, where universities and business work together - placing candidates into roles where there is development support from specialists in the university (Cardiff Business School in my case, where I had graduated from in 1999). Menter Ltd, a commercial printing company, needed marketing expertise to build their business. The 2 year placement was a valuable experience in developing both my skills and Menter's marketing activity.