Who We Are
Tourism South East supports the industry through many specialist services, expert advice and guidance and via locally-based staff who work closely with tourism businesses.
You can find out more about how we work alongside many partners and support the industry in various ways throughout this website.
Structure chart
Directors
Robert Collier
Managing Director
Robert Collier has been Managing Director of Tourism South East since the amalgamation of the former Southern and South East England Tourist Boards in April 2003.
He was previously Chief Executive of East Midlands Tourist Board, Marketing Director of Parkdean Holidays, Managing Director for RGIT Ltd and an independent management consultant.
He has wide experience of tourism including seaside resorts, incoming tourism operations, conference and incentive travel, UK Holiday Parks, Regional Tourist Boards and teaching post graduate students in tourism management.
He is a Board member of the South East England Cultural Consortium, the Tourism Alliance, and a Director of RTB Partnerships.
Christine Melia
Commercial Director
Christine joined TSE in 2004, and is responsible for our commercial, marketing, e-commerce, visitor information and membership services. She leads four TSE departments, heading their work with public and private sector partners across a range of key activities to support and drive the region's visitor economy strategy.
She was previously managing director of the acclaimed Magna visitor attraction and conference centre in South Yorkshire, developing visitor and commercial income streams from start-up to create a successful £3.2m turnover organisation which received no central or local government revenue funding. Christine was also Chair of South Yorkshire Tourist Board and a board member of the Sheffield City Council Tourism Group.
Christine has held senior marketing and operational positions including marketing director and deputy centre director of Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth; marketing director of the not-for-profit Dynamic Earth Enterprises (Scotland's first National Lottery-funded visitor attraction and conference venue); and in marketing management for Flagship Portsmouth Trust and Mersey Ferries.
Peter Colling
Development Director
Peter Colling was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, but has lived most of the last 25 years in South Hampshire. After graduating in Leeds with a Town Planning degree, he joined the East Anglia Tourist Board in the early 1980s. There he was responsible for providing planning and business advice and administering the 'Section 4' tourism grant aid scheme. In 1988 he joined the Southern Tourist Board, eventually becoming Director of Development Services of Tourism South East, created following the Board's amalgamation with the South East England Tourist Board.
Besides running Tourism South East's research, development and training functions (a team of 36 mainly based at offices in Eastleigh and Tunbridge Wells), Peter also has lead director responsibility for the Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Surrey sub-regions. He is also the Honorary Treasurer of the Tourism Management Institute.
Malcolm Lane
Corporate Services Director
The sub-regions
We aim to deliver effective, local support to the tourism industry through our seven sub-regions. TSE employs sub-regional managers and training co-ordinators based in each area.
We have set up sub-regional committees, representing a cross-section of the industry at a local level. They meet regularly to discuss issues and develop local initiatives based on agreed strategic development plans.
TSE's allocation of both staff and financial resources mean each sub-region can deliver tourism projects tailored to their needs.
Find out more about what's happening in your area here