Board Member Election 2026
We have two commercial member vacancies available on the TSE Board and four nominations have been received. We also have one director standing for re-election in the local authority member category. Please take some time to read the brief summary for each candidate, then use the form at the bottom of this page to cast your vote. Voting will close on Tuesday 22nd September 2026 and the successful candidates will be announced during our AGM 2026.
Sarah-Jayne Beasley
Commercial Member
I have spent over 20 years working across tourism, travel trade and visitor attraction sectors, building strong commercial partnerships, driving visitor growth and advocating for the value that tourism beings to destinations and local economies. Throughout my career, I have been passionate about connecting organisations, creating opportunities for collaboration and helping the industry adapt to changing visitor behaviours and market conditions.
In my current role as Partnerships & Groups Manager at Blenheim Palace, I lead strategic partnerships and market development activity across the UK and international travel trade sectors. This includes working closely with tourism organisations, attractions, destination management organisations, transport providers, tour operators, OTAs, hotels and group travel partners to increase visitation, revenue and destination awareness. My role provides a broad perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing tourism businesses of all sizes, from independent operators through to major visitor attractions.
Alongside my day-to-day role, I am Chair of the Great West Way, where I support collaboration across destinations and tourism partners spanning London, Windsor, Oxford, Bath and Bristol. I am also a Board Director of AGTO (association of Group Travel Organisers), giving me valuable governance experience and insight into the group travel sector, which continues to play an important role in supporting year-round visitor economies.
I believe I would bring a strong commercial perspective to the Tourism South East Board, alongside extensive industry networks, strategic thinking and a collaborative approach to leadership. I am particularly passionate about helping destinations and tourism businesses grow sustainably, strengthening industry partnerships, championing innovation and ensuring tourism remains a key driver of economic growth across the South East. I would welcome the opportunity to contribute my experience, energy and industry knowledge to support TSE's future ambitions and the success of its members and partners.
Claire Davies
Commercial Member
Claire Davies has built her career in the tourism and hospitality sector over the past 20 years, working across visitor attractions, events, branded hotels and the wider leisure industry. For the last six years she has worked for Parkdean Resorts, the UK's largest holiday park operator, which operates 11 holiday parks across the South East, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region each year.
Growing up in rural Northumberland, Claire developed an early appreciation of the positive impact tourism can have on local economies and communities. She understand the important role the visitor economy plays in supporting jobs, businesses and investment, while creating memorable experiences for residents and visitors alike.
In her current role, Claire leads brand partnerships at both national and regional level, working closely with 19 Destination Marketing Organisations across England, Scotland and Wales. Through these relationships she has developed a broad understanding of destination development, visitor engagement and industry collaboration, alongside serving as a Board Member for Visit Isle of Wight.
Claire brings extensive knowledge of the South East tourism landscape through Parkdean Resorts' presence across the region's coastal and countryside destinations. She understands the opportunities and challenges facing the sector, including increasing competition for domestic visitors, changing consumer expectations and the need o maximise economic impact while supporting sustainable growth.
Working within a business that welcomes more than two million holidaymakers annually, Claire has built strong partnerships with attractions, transport providers, tourism organisations and local businesses. She recognises that successful destinations rely on effective collaboration across the visitor economy to enhance the guest experience and encourage repeat visitation.
If appointed to the Board, Claire would bring a strategic, commercially focused perspective, informed by both regional and national best practice. She is passionate about championing the South East as a visitor destination and supporting initiatives that drive sustainable growth, strengthen partnerships and deliver long-term benefits for the region's tourism industry and communities.
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Sophie Comas
Commercial Member
I have worked in the travel and tourism sector for over 25 years. After graduating from Bournemouth University with a BA (Hons) in Tourism Studies, I began my career working for some fantastic corporate travel brands, including Austravel, Travelbag and First Choice Holidays, before moving into the hospitality sector with IHG, where I worked across the Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza brands. My corporate career gave me a wealth of commercial experience, working in both UK and European roles, developing a strong understanding of the breadth and complexity of the travel sector.
In 2014, I established RIMU Marketing, where I have had the opportunity to work with not just travel and tourism clients, but also small businesses from a wide range of sectors. While tourism remains where my passion lies, I believe my broader experience brings valuable perspective to our clients. My more recent work with Bekonscot Model Village & Railway has given me greater insight into how the climate impacts smaller attractions in the region and enabled me to better understand the mix that makes up the rich tapestry of the tourism industry.
I am an award-winning Chartered Marketer and at RIMU we focus on providing strategic marketing leadership to our clients, helping them establish clear direction, make confident insight driven decisions and achieve sustainable growth. A key part of my approach is to challenge the status quo; bringing a different perspective to the table and ensure marketing is closely connected to wider commercial objectives.
I have been a member of Tourism Southeast for several years and personally benefited from the insight, support and opportunities to build connections that Jeanette, Fran and the wider team provide. If appointed to the board, I would welcome the opportunity to contribute to an organisation that continues to do great work for the tourism economy. I would bring a strong blend of commercial marketing experience, industry knowledge and an understanding of the challenges facing tourism businesses in today's complex and rapidly changing landscape, helping to strengthen their position as a vibrant, successful and sustainable tourist destination.
Julia White
Local Authority Member
I have 36 years experience working in the tourism industry and have had the privilege to have spent that time with the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead. I have built strong relationships with partners in all industry sectors, locally, regionally and nationally and have created networks to enable business growth and achieve our strategic objectives.
Since 2002, in my role of Visitor Manager, we have achieved significant growth in both say and staying visitors. Together with my team we have raised awareness of the Royal Borough as a top destination brand using themes and itineraries to repackage an already successful day visit destination into a 'must visit' short break location. Most recently, I established the VisitWindsor Partnership, bringing together public and private sector partners to work together to develop the local visitor economy and drive sustainable growth.
I have enjoyed a strong relationship with Tourism South East throughout my career, taking advantage of so many of their excellent services, from training to research, and travel trade activity, both at home and overseas, to MICE marketing. I am so grateful to Fran and the team for all the support I've received over the years and feel the time is right to give my time and experience back to support the TSE board. It has never been more important to pull together as a region, as the tourism landscape evolves. I believe that only through collaborative working can we continue to develop our incredible regional offer, help our business grow in a sustainable way, build resilience and drive more tourism investment into the South East.
Theresa Collins
Commercial Member
I have worked in the hospitality industry for 40 years, beginning my career as a hotel receptionist in Torquay. Since then, I have progressed through a wide range of roles, working across the UK and overseas and gaining experience in many different styles and sizes of hotels and hospitality businesses. For nearly three years I have held the position of General Manager at The Star in Alfriston, working closely with Olga and Alex Polizzi.
In addition to my hotel career, I owned and operated my own catering company for 10 years and have worked as a hotel inspector for Leading Hotels of the World. These experiences have given me a broad understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing businesses within the hospitality and tourism sector, from day-to-day operations and people management to rooms revenue, marketing, sales and promotional strategies.
I believe this breadth of experience would allow me to make a positive and practical contribution to the board of Tourism South East. Having worked at both operational and ownership levels, I understand the realities faced by businesses, particularly the importance of attracting visitors, delivering memorable experiences and encouraging them to stay longer and explore more of what a destination has to offer.
Having worked in Alfriston, I have developed a genuine appreciation for the region's unique combination of countryside, coast, heritage, culture, food and hospitality. I am passionate about promoting the South East as a destination and supporting the businesses and communities that make it such an attractive place to visit.
I would welcome the opportunity to bring my experience, industry knowledge and enthusiasm to the board, while also learning from others and contributing to the development of a strong, sustainable and successful tourism economy across the South East.