Scottish hotel group, Crerar Hotels, is further bolstering its commitment to the Scottish tourism industry by making two key signings that will assist them in preparing for the reopening of hospitality in the coming months.
This follows a significant recent investment in its Isle of Mull and Glencoe Hotels, amounting to more than £3.5m.
Alison MacLeod (pictured right) has been appointed as the Group’s Marketing Manager, whilst Jodie Wilson has come on board as Group Revenue Manager. Both will be instrumental in ensuring that the hotels and packages are perfectly suited to meet the needs of post-lockdown guests eager to get out and explore.
Overseeing the marketing strategy for the group, MacLeod joins Crerar Hotels from the five-star Trump Turnberry Resort and brings with her a wealth of hospitality experience from positions across the UK and around the globe, including 8 years in Dubai and Abu Dhabi with Marriott International – where she was awarded the Marketing Leader of the Year in 2016.
With more than 15 years of experience in the hotel and leisure industry, Wilson (left) will oversee the Group’s revenue team, having worked with some of the industry’s biggest names including Macdonald Hotels, Marriott International, the iconic Midland Hotel in Manchester, and the Specialist Leisure Group - where she was instrumental in transforming two of the properties into the UK’s first-ever Country Living Hotels in partnership with Hearst Publishing.
The dedicated duo will ensure the hotel group is ready to welcome guests whilst firming up reopening plans to deliver a meaningful boost to tourism once travel restrictions are lifted.
In addition to MacLeod and Wilson’s arrival, the Group is further extending the team with a newly appointed Group Marketing Executive, Lesley Ross, and are on the search for a Group Revenue Executive. The investment in Mull will also result in an increase in the team with new positions of Operations Manager, Spa Therapists and Food & Beverage team members.
Crerar Hotel’s seven properties in some of Scotland’s most breath-taking locations include five luxury hotels and two idyllic inns. The portfolio includes Loch Fyne Hotel & Spa, Thainstone House, Oban Bay Hotel, Isle of Mull Hotel & Spa, Golf View, The Glencoe Inn, and Deeside Inn.
Chris Wayne-Wills, CEO, for Crerar Hotel Group, said, “As a group, we recognise the importance of investing in our product and our people to ensure we ride out this turbulent period.
“We are striving to provide our guests with an unforgettable experience and thanks to our recent substantial investments in our properties, we are confident, we can deliver. Alison and Jodie are a perfect fit for Crerar and are amongst the best in the business in their respective disciplines. As the industry re-awakens from this period, with the right team in place, we are now poised to embrace the next chapter.”
MacLeod said, “It is great to join the team at Crerar Hotels. The group is heavily investing in the right team and the right product, which I am confident will pay dividends when we are able to begin opening our doors once more.
“Crerar Hotels is a strong Scottish family business, which prides itself in offering the highest standards and best possible experience for guests, with a real appetite to breathe life back into Scottish tourism. I can’t wait to get started.”
Wilson added, “This is a vital moment to be joining the group as we work hard to emerge from the latest lockdown. With major investment reaffirming our commitment to delivering a boost to the industry, we’re working hard as a team to ensure all our guests receive the warm Crerar welcome they have come to expect.”