Rydges Hotels and Resorts Area General Manager for TNQ, Matthew Hurley has
announced the appointment of Natalie Dean as Director of Sales for the three
Cairns hotels – Rydges Plaza, Rydges Esplanade Resort and Rydges Tradewinds.

Mr Hurley said Natalie has been promoted from sales
manager, a role she has held for the past 18 months,
following the relocation of former Director of Sales, Debra
Irvine to Rydges’ Darwin properties.

Mr Hurley said that Natalie’s promotion to Director of
Sales means she will oversee the sales teams for all
properties while covering all market segments – inbound,
wholesale, corporate, government and groups.

“While Natalie’s new role is a significant increase in responsibility I am confident
she is ready to embrace this new and exciting challenge. Over the last 18
months Natalie has proven her propensity for hard work and resourcefulness.
These qualities, along with leadership, are essential in succeeding as a director of
sales,” he said.

Natalie agrees that she is ready for her new role. “With the three hotels
undergoing significant refreshment in both operations and facilities I am
committed to spreading the word, developing new markets and playing a role in
the hotels’ future success,” she said.

After growing up in Cairns, graduating from Trinity Anglican School and
undertaking a business administration traineeship with a local law firm, Natalie
discovered a love for travel, and turned it into a career when she moved to the
UK in 2004. Soon after arriving she landed a sales position in one of the country’s
leading Australian specialist travel companies, Freedom Australia. As a Premier
Specialist Consultant she promoted Australia and New Zealand travel to
individuals, leisure groups and wholesale travel operators – selling over 2000
different products – a job she said she was very successful at.

At the beginning of 2011, Natalie and her English born husband relocated to her
home town of Cairns where she has since been able to refocus her career.