Our board members possess extensive expertise in various fields including business leadership, hospitality, hotel ownership across diverse brands, food and beverage, compliance with licensed venues, organizing business events, multicultural and business events, radio and media presentations, and community engagement and fundraising activities.
THE SOUTH WEST SYDNEY TOURISM TASKFORCE N.S.W. INC. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT – FAZILA FARHAD
Z Hotels Pty Ltd/FazFar Pty Ltd
Being a UCL (University of London) graduate in Economics, Fazila’s experience ranges from banking, product management, business development , hotel business ownership & management, negotiating hotel brand franchises, refreshing the properties with unique brands, food & beverage as well as Bar/Gaming /VIP lounge remodelling & operations. She in her family business has owned & managed hotel brands like Crown Plaza (IHG), Ibis styles (Accor Hotels) and Ramada Hotels & suites (Wyndham Hotel group) for over 20 years and constructed the first hotel in Western Sydney at the time of the Olympics in Sydney 2000. Her experience ranges from managing the hotel accommodation business, bar/ gaming /Tab area as a licensee plus F & B management of an award winning 150 cover Italian restaurant for over 10 years. While in the hotel business she has been involved in coordinating development applications for hotel rooms, redesigning the bar/Tab areas as well as adding serviced apartments to a hotel block. In additions she has worked at changing brands and refreshing it with soft refurbs, and thereby working on star ratings that increased revenue in first year of operations by over 20%.
In 2017, close to when the WSI was announced she became a founding board member of South West Sydney Tourism Taskforce NSW Inc through which she and the board were active in reviving local tourism in South West Sydney by launching tourism maps & working closely with local councils, various stakeholders & Western Sydney Airport.
Other board positions she has held are the Australia Hotels Association (AHA), Tourism Accommodation Australia NSW (TAA), and the Chamber of Commerce of Liverpool and Cabramatta and Liquor Accor Fairfield. Fazila is an active community supporter for Greater Western Sydney and has sponsored an array of educational and charity events for Liverpool Hospital, Ingham Institute, Fairfield Hospital, Western Sydney University, the National Breast Cancer Foundation and Cancer council. In addition, Fazila holds various board positions with TAA NSW, the Chamber of Commerce Liverpool, Liquor Accords and is also currently on the committee of Liverpool city council CBD and tourism. Due to her active community engagement and business leadership skills, she was also nominated as finalist for WSABE awards as Best Business leader in 2020 and Outstanding contribution to tourism in NSW Tourism awards in 2023.
She is proud that the SWS Tourism Taskforce is now a large tourism association representing all visitor economy stakeholders of Western Sydney ,a large growth corridor with the new Western Sydney airport opening in the next few years with 10 million passengers entering our region. Our focus is to make businesses tourism ready, providing a platform and umbrella to all stakeholders and advocate for the region which has a fast-paced growth of investment of strong hotel brands, industries and businesses moving in as connectivity with Sydney metro is at full swing for airport and the new Bradfield City Centre shapes up .
VICE PRESIDENT – KARRESS RHODES
Karress Rhodes was the previous Vice President and a founding member of SWSTT. She has served on the boards of numerous Liverpool community Not for Profit organizations including Secretary of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce whilst Harry Hunt was the serving President. She has run her own business since 1977, including publishing a Liverpool community magazine. Karress has advocated for Tourism and visitation in South West Sydney since 2010. She is currently serving Independent Councillor for Liverpool City Council, being first elected in 2016, re-elected in 2022, and was elected in the first term of 2022 as Deputy Mayor. Karress is a current Liverpool Councillor Representative on the Western Sydney Region of Councils (WSROC) and the current elected Treasurer of WSROC.
SECRETARY – CHRISTINE WANG
Director – Quest Hotels Campbelltown
Christine Wang is the owner and operator of Quest Hotels Campbelltown. Christine is active in engaging with the community being a business entrepreneur in the Macarthur region. She has built strong relationships with the Western Sydney Hoteliers and also the hospitality industry.
TREASURER – TOM WANG JP
Managing Director – Fifty Group
Tom was the founding Managing Director of Quest Liverpool, the first premium accommodation provider located in Liverpool’s CBD. He brings the SWSTT committee his vision that tourism is one of the strongest drivers of world trade and prosperity. Through collaboration, it can act as an engine for our city’s development by attracting international and domestic visitors and creating direct and indirect employment. He is a strong believer in uniting the tourism stakeholders in Southwest Sydney to work together to showcase the assets in the region. Tom continues to make investments in tourism assets.
DIRECTOR – DAVY NGUYEN
Executive Producer / Director – HeyYa TV
With over 20 years of combined exhilarating media and business, experience has proven track records, and substantial media accomplishments, a passionate seasoned, witty Radio and Television Presenter, and Exemplary current media networks with strong links with key media agencies both in Sydney and Internationally.
Davy Nguyen has held Key senior positions including senior management, board of Directors, and President. He is championing Culture & Linguistically Diverse Communities and supporting Local Businesses, his current role is as a Digital Media Content Director and Executive Producer for HeyYa TV.
DIRECTOR – BELINDA THOMASON
General Manager – The William Inglis Hotel ,Warwick Farm
A veteran of over 30 years in the hospitality and tourism sector, Belinda started her career after graduating with a master’s in commerce. Over 30 years with Accor, the largest hotel operator in Australia, Belinda was transferred to Warwick Farm in 2017 to open The William Inglis Hotel in the role of Director of Sales & Marketing. In 2022, Belinda was promoted to General Manager and is responsible for growing tourism in southwest Sydney as well as providing a great place to work – with over 95% of the hotels 100+ team living in Western Sydney. She is a passionate hotel operator who has created new events to build tourism in the local area and works alongside the Inglis family and board to grow opportunities.
DIRECTOR – MICHAEL FOULKES
Group General Manager Cabra-Vale Diggers, President Liquor Accord Cabramatta – Fairfield
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