The GSD has welcomed the appointment of Kevin Bossino as the new CEO of the Gibraltar Tourist Board and has called for the Government to “clarify” the position.

A statement from the GSD follows below:

The GSD welcomes the appointment of a Gibraltarian with an in excess of 30-year track record in the international  tourism trade as CEO to the Tourist Board. The party has been calling for the position - which has in effect been  vacant for almost one year – to be urgently filled and by someone who should be based in Gibraltar. Tourism is  a crucial sector of the economy which has suffered a huge blow as a result of the global pandemic and the delay  in taking prompt action in this respect was a clear failure, which Gibraltar could ill afford. This appointment  therefore comes not a moment too soon and should have occurred much sooner – precious time has been lost.  

It will be recalled that the Minister for Tourism announced that the Government had decided that the individual  should be based in London with responsibility for tourism, transport and shipping. Their press release is  curiously silent on this aspect. The GSD opposition never understood why Mr Daryanani thought it a good idea  that the leader of such an important authority as is the Tourist Board, especially during this period of economic  and financial crisis, should be based thousands of miles away in London and not where he should be, here in  Gibraltar. This important question remains unanswered and so the GSD re-asks the Government to clarify the  position.  

Given the tendencies in office of the current Minister for Tourism who is, usually, so keen to hog the limelight and  attract attention to himself, it will be of public interest to understand how much discretion and authority the CEO  will be given to promote the industry. This is a further aspect which has remained conspicuously silent in the  statement today.  

Damon Bossino the shadow Minister for Tourism said:  

“Whilst these questions remain unanswered, they are matters which are wholly independent of Mr Kevin  Bossino’s appointment. He clearly has tremendous experience in the industry both locally and internationally,  not least in the Far East in both Hong Kong and Singapore, both destinations being successful in the tourism  industry and an impressive CV which speaks for itself and which we hope will be allowed to be put to good use  for sake of our economy. It is a particular pleasure to note the use of local talent, as should be the norm, and not  the exception.”