LuxuryLodge - the worlds platinum collection of Luxury Lodges

Founder/publisher HENRY CRAWFORD

An Emmy award winning (A TOWN LIKE ALICE) producer, and pioneer of Australian televsision drama, with over 800 hours of film production credits. He produced three of four most watched dramas on Australian television in the 20th Cenury.

In 1987 Henry and a business partner landed on a remote beach in Fiji ‘with a shipping container of tools and two fold-down beds’. The two spent three years building Vatulele Island Resort and after opening in 1990 were invited to join the Relais & Chateaux hotel consortium. Vatulele subsequently became a member of the 510 property Small Luxury Hotels of World chain and was named that group’s Hotel of the Year in 2000.

Henry has been a guest speaker at a Relais Congress on the subject of marketing and customer service. He represented Asia/Pacific on the International Board of SLH for several years. during his tenure his main area of interest was the development of the group’s internet presence, and he steered a major survey on SLH Lodge member satisfaction.

Henry’s film experience fostered his great eye for detail and his designs for premium villas at Vatulele have featured in architecturally themed magazines around the world. (He recently served on the jury for New Zealand Architecture Awards). Vatulele sold in 2007 and he is now applying his extensive internet, tourism marketing, branding, architecture/design, and hotel inspection experience to LUXURYLODGE.

Communications Director NINA CRAWFORD

Nina has occupied senior corporate communications roles, including FOXTEL, FOX Studios and a lead position with BAE Systems (formerly British Aerospace). She developed a communications/marketing strategy and website for Sydney International Airport retail.

Mentors

DUNCAN BUTCHER
Born in Durban, South Africa, and a Cambridge University graduate, Duncan is a qualified attorney. He is now based in Johannesburg as in-house legal counsel to the Oppenheimer family, (De Beers diamonds) who also have extensive tourism interests. Duncan is co-founder of a ‘bespoke’ safari company called Safariworx, which arranges tailor-made, high-end, travel throughout Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

ANDREW FAIRLEY
A successful Corporate lawyer with wide tourism experience including as an operator and wholesaler. Andrew is Chair of Zoos and Chair of The Alpine Resorts Council for the State of Victoria (Australia). Amongst his many directorships are The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) and Eco Tourism Australia. (TIES is based in Washington DC, and is the peak world body for Ecotourism & Responsible Tourism. (Andrew is Finance director of TIES). He also served on the International Board of SLH, having replaced Henry Crawford when he retired.

TERRY HOLMES
Terry has been voted, amongst other things, International Hotelier of the Year (Andrew Harper) and Favourite Hotel Manager in the World (Virtuoso agents).
His illustrious hospitality career includes Vice President and Managing Director of Cunard Hotels UK, which, at the time included the The Ritz, The Stafford, and Dukes Hotels in its portfiolio. In 1995 The Stafford was sold and Terry joined the new owners as Executive Director, and later appointed General Manager. In 2006 Terry Holmes joined the Red Carnation Hotel Group as Executive Director. He served as a director of Small Luxury Hotels of The World from 1995-2006 and was Chairman of the group from 1991-1995.

(Professor) AL MERSCHEN
Al holds a rich background in marketing, research and advertising in a number of industries. However, it was Al’s passion for travel that inspired him to create MYRIAD MARKETING. Since its first days, Myriad has focused exclusively on travel and tourism, providing award-winning strategic and creative solutions and services in marketing and representation, Myriad has achieved international reach, respect and recognition across its portfolio. Clients have included Rio de Janeiro Convention and Visitors Bureau, Macau (China) Government Tourist Office, Qantas and Air Pacific Airlines, Australia’s Outback Tourist Office, the German National Tourist Office Voyages Hotels and Resorts, Signature Travel Network, The Waldorf-Astoria Collection, Scandinavian Tourism, South African Tourism (winning the HSMAI Platinum award for their Global campaign), and The Travel Corporation.

DON MORRIS AO
Was a co-founder of the advertising agency, MOJO, and currently Chairman of Tourism Queensland (an Australian State). Don consults on marketing and branding for a number of iconic Australian companies. He was awarded an Order of Australia for his service to tourism and is a past Chairman of the Australian Tourism Commission. Under his watch MOJO developed the highly successful Paul Hogan 'Shrimp on the Barbie' tourism campaign.

J. WILLIAM SHARMAN, JR.
‘Bill’ Sharman resides in Houston, Texas, where he is the Chairman and CEO of The Lancaster Group, a development and management company specializing in small, boutique properties that in many cases have been historic renovations – including the Lancaster Hotel, a historic 93-room property built in 1926 and is located in the theatre/financial district of downtown Houston. The Lancaster Group currently manages the Victoria House on Ambergris Caye in Belize, Central America, Casa Encantada in Antigua, Guatemala and has just completed an expansion of the Victoria House, one of the best performing resorts in the Caribbean. Bill currently chairs/sits on many civic and professional Boards. He was a Founder and Former Chairman of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.