Sarah Green OBE appointed to national visitor economy board

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has appointed Dr Sarah Green OBE as a member of the VisitEngland Board for a five-year term from 1 September 2025.

Sarah is a leading voice in the visitor economy at the helm of NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI) as Chief Executive since 2020, promoting Newcastle, Gateshead and the wider region as a place to visit and invest. Under her leadership NGI was awarded England’s first Local Visitor Economy Partnership accreditation in 2022 and secured a £2.8 million boost from UK Government to lead England’s first Destination Development Partnership Pilot (DDP).

As a member of the government’s Visitor Economy Advisory Council and chair of the Visitor Economy Regional Growth Taskforce, Sarah has been a leading voice representing the country’s visitor economy. She continuously advocates for greater representation for the visitor economy in national and regional economic strategies and champions the potential of the regional visitor economy to drive investment, skills, jobs and regeneration.

She said: “Our visitor economy has impact. It has the power to unlock opportunity, drive social mobility, enriching experiences and local communities.

“Nationally it’s worth £106 billion and supports 2.6 million jobs, but aside from the quantitative data, it’s the influence our visitor economy has in shaping international perceptions of the UK – embodying our unique heritage – that truly tells the full story.  Whether it’s our national parks and green spaces, awe-inspiring World Heritage sites, or small indie music venues and innovative foodie spots, they all tell a story of our history and our culture which we have the privilege to share with the world.

“To be part of VisitEngland’s board is an incredible opportunity to work alongside industry leaders and forward-thinkers to support the growth, competitiveness, and reputation our visitor economy.  I am committed to giving regions and nations outside of London a voice and supporting the UK’s visitor economy to be resilient, sustainable and world-class. I look forward to playing my part.”

She has been appointed alongside Helen Bonser-Wilton who has been Chief Executive of Leeds Castle Foundation since 2021.

Find out more here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/two-new-members-appointed-to-visitengland-board