Matt Anderson joins Crowne Plaza Queenstown

From one award winning hotel to another, the new General Manager of Crowne Plaza Queenstown is excited about taking on the top job at one of Queenstown’s leading properties.

Matt Anderson, former Assistant GM of Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley in Australia, starts his new role at Crowne Plaza Queenstown on Friday 26th June.

Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley is an award winning hotel in one of Australia’s oldest and well known wine regions. In the last 12 months the property has won awards for its restaurant, meeting and business venue, customer service, tourism marketing and environmental efforts.

Mr Anderson says his experience at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, combined with over 20 years of working in the hotel industry, has provided him with the perfect platform for his role at an upscale hotel in a popular tourism destination.

“I’ve come from a high performing environment and have extensive experience operating in similar markets to Queenstown so I’m looking forward to applying that knowledge here,” he said. “I fully expect to hit the ground running and am incredibly excited.”

Mr Anderson said Crowne Plaza Queenstown is currently in a good position with winter bookings and enquiry levels looking promising.

“My challenge will be to build on that and continue to grow the hotel in its current direction,” he said.

“My wife and two young children are really looking forward to settling in as soon as they can in such a beautiful and vibrant place,” he added. “I’m passionate about food and wine and the outdoors and can’t wait to immerse myself in the Queenstown lifestyle.”

Mr Anderson replaces Brett Wilson who finished at the hotel on Tuesday 2nd June. Mr Wilson had been General Manager of Crowne Plaza Queenstown for over four years.

Mr Wilson said he had mixed emotions about leaving.

“The goals I set for myself, the owners and the hotel have been successfully rolled out,” he said. “Over the past four years we’ve undertaken a $12 million refurbishment, rebranded, upgraded our property systems and refocused on the C&I and leisure markets.

“I am totally proud of the management team and what we’ve achieved and the timing is right for Matt to drive the Crowne Plaza brand forward in the New Zealand market,” he said.

Mr Wilson has transferred to the Maldives in the Indian Ocean to open a 4.5 star 120 room property for IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group).