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A former hotelier has swapped hotels for homes as COVID-19 transforms the way Australians look to holiday.
After 20 years in hotel management with InterContinental Hotels Group, most recently as general manager of Crowne Plaza Terrigal, Ryan South has been appointed as general manager of Belle Escapes Central Coast, the holiday arm of Belle Property.
Mr South’s appointment with Belle Escapes Central Coast comes as the area has experienced a surge in demand for holiday homes, driven primarily through the pandemic by a boom in domestic trips as well as cashed-up Australians opting to purchase holiday homes in lieu of taking overseas holidays.
The new role sees Mr South in charge of 100 of the “the most expensive and exclusive holiday homes on the Central Coast… from luxurious beach houses with all the mod cons to stylish penthouses with million-dollar views”.
He said: “I’m looking forward to working with the team to further enhance Belle’s guest experience.
“I will be bringing a hotelier’s perspective to the operation to ensure guests enjoy more of the flourishes of a five-star hotel during their stay.”
Having lived on the Central Coast for 15 years himself, he also brings with him plenty of unique local knowledge.
“In previous roles, I’ve lived all over the world, but there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than the Central Coast,” he said.
“My family had a holiday house at Copacabana and now I call Copacabana home, so it’s very special to be helping others make cherished holiday memories in this beautiful part of the world.”
Belle Property Central Coast principal Cathy Baker expects Mr South’s hotelier experience will prove to be a key to success amid the new homegrown hospitality trend created by the pandemic.
She said that the pandemic had driven a dramatic spike in holiday homes and created a trend where holiday homes have become the new hotels.
“So, it will be great to have a highly regarded hotelier on the team making sure that we’re ticking all the right boxes for our guests,” Ms Baker concluded.
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