The House of Travel board has appointed ex-Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) Managing Director David Coombes for the company to charge ahead in New Zealand and Australia.
House of Travel Holdings Chairman Keith Sutton said the position was the subject of an extensive international search, and the board was happy with the exceptional talent that applied.
“It speaks volumes of House of Travel’s brand awareness and its reputation. We are thrilled that David accepted the position, as a result of his knowledge, experience and his well-cemented relationships within the travel industry, he will hit the ground running,” Sutton said.
With almost 23 years of experience in the travel industry, Coombes has held high-profile positions, including Managing Director of FCTG in New Zealand.
Founder of House of Travel Chris Paulsen describes Coombes as a highly respected and well-liked leader within the New Zealand travel sector.
“David has shown unwavering passion for the travel industry over many decades, but his leadership and commitment particularly stood out, and benefitted the entire travel industry, during the global pandemic when on behalf of the travel industry he led negotiations with the Government,” he said.
“He has a proven track record as an exemplary leader and a deep understanding of the industry and we believe it is his leadership acumen and strong relationships that make him the ideal person to lead our dynamic executive team, continuing to drive House of Travel’s solid performance.”
After leaving Flight Centre, Coombes spent a year recharging and upskilling his governance skills through the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.
He also served as an independent director, providing strategic direction and governance while spending time with his children.
During this time, Coombes acknowledged that House of Travel was a brand and business where he most wanted to work.
“I can’t tell you how pumped I am to be coming back into an industry that I am so passionate about. I have always respected House of Travel and Chris Paulsen’s vision as its founder, this opportunity could not be better timed,” he said.
“House of Travel is a much-loved brand with a phenomenal reputation for its outstanding partnerships and a customer-centric focus.”
The New Zealand-based company owns and operates travel brands and models across retail, corporate, broker, and digital channels in both Australia and Aotearoa.
House of Travel is also the parent company of TravelManagers, which operates wholly in Australia and recently hit the road to meet with industry across five states.
House of Travel is Australasia’s largest privately owned retail travel company and the biggest New Zealand-owned travel organisation.
To find out more about House of Travel, click here.
