Richard Tobias OBE

Richard Tobias OBE, FInstD, FTS, FInstTT
Trustee, Just a Drop

Richard Tobias has spent almost his entire working life in the tourism industry in a number of high profile private sector senior appointments. After selling Kids International,
the specialist activity holiday company he created in 1984, to a major public company in 1992, he was appointed chief executive of the British Incoming Tour Operators Association, the official trade body representing Britain’s inbound tourism industry.

After ten years in the post Tobias stood down in February 2003 and was appointed deputy chairman (subsequently Director-General) of The Tourism Alliance, the body created with the encouragement of the Culture Secretary of State, to act as the pan-industry communications and lobbying body between the Government and the tourism industry. He steps down in December 2004 having completed an eighteen month assignment to establish the new body.

An experienced lecturer and broadcaster, Tobias has written numerous articles for travel and tourism trade journals and has advised a number of overseas governments on tourism strategy and implementation.

A Fellow of the Institute of Directors, the Tourism Society and the Institute of Travel & Tourism other honours and awards include an OBE in 1998 for services to tourism and the Catey Tourism Award in 2000.

Tobias serves on a number of public sector boards and bodies as a tourism advisor and is non-executive chairman of World Media Publishing.  His Who’s Who entry lists golf, good food and Chelsea Football Club amongst his passions.