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Highland-based group Turas Hotels has announced a series of senior appointments as part of a leadership overhaul aimed at driving growth and acquisitions across Scotland.
The company has appointed Jennifer Macdonald-Nethercott as head of marketing and Johan Van Heerden as its first internal revenue manager.
Macdonald-Nethercott, who led the group’s recent rebrand to Turas – Gaelic for “journey” – brings 25 years’ experience in Highland tourism. She will oversee the rollout of the “Stay–Discover–Dine” brand vision and a new customer rewards scheme.
Van Heerden, who currently works at the Boat Country Inn, will focus on centralising revenue management across the group’s portfolio.
Other senior appointments include Victoria Erasmus as director of sustainability. Erasmus, co-chair of Visit Inverness Loch Ness, previously led the Glen Mhor Hotel to international recognition at the World Sustainable Travel and Hospitality Awards.
She will now lead sustainability initiatives across all properties, including the development of climate plans and diversity and inclusion policies.
Delia Keating will now serve as head of recruitment, while Fiona Connor will lead on human resources. Charlotte Sukhraj and Peter Thornton also join as sales managers.
Additionally, a centralised accounts team has also been established.
Turas Hotels, formerly the J and R Group, owns a portfolio of hotels and hospitality businesses along the A9 corridor, including the Cairngorm Hotel and Boat Country Inn in the Cairngorms National Park, the Seaforth in Ullapool, the Glen Mhor Hotel in Inverness and McKays in Pitlochry. It also operates the Uile-bheist Distillery and Brewery in Inverness.
Macdonald-Nethercott said: “It’s a privilege to create and develop the look and feel of the brand and to impart the vision to our teams and guests.
“A stay with Turas is much more than just a bedroom. Our properties are offering guests quality food and drink, music and entertainment and experiences such as distillery tours.”
Richard Drummind, Turas Hotels director, added: “Through the Turas model, we are able to use our talented people across the whole group while cross-promoting our individual properties under the Turas umbrella.
“We knew marketing would have a major role to play moving forward. Jennifer understands the vision and was a natural choice for us.”
