Meet the team

 The Visit Devon Team:

Rosie Bates, General Manager

Rosie Bates is a tourism professional who has been working in the sector since graduating from the University of Plymouth with an honours degree in Tourism Management in 2000. This has included marketing roles with The National Trust, project management with the Tourism Skills Network South West and latterly broader economic development with Devon County Council. Rosie is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Rosie joins Visit Devon following 5 years with Devon County Council working on; skills development projects for the tourism, creative and food and drink sectors, sustainable tourism initiatives, image and brand projects and broader partnership development and business support initiatives. 

Rosie’s interests include; travel, rugby union, music, theatre and tennis.

Notes about the vision for Visit Devon;

I am very much looking forward to taking on this challenging role and promoting the Devon brand to potential visitors from across the UK and around the world and welcoming them to our county. Being Devon born and bred I am passionate about the county and want everyone to know what a fantastic experience we are able to offer them here whatever they are looking for from their time n Devon. I am looking forward to working with colleagues across the county to increase the success of our tourism sector.

I will be supported by a team of 2 who are dedicated and enthusiastic about the challenge ahead. Our priorities in the next few weeks will be to develop and agree our marketing strategy for the next 12 months, consolidate our working arrangements with the Area Tourism Partnerships and maximise the PR opportunities available to us ahead of summer 2010.

Polly Bale, Marketing Executive

Born and brought up in East Devon and an International Hospitality Management graduate of the University of Plymouth, Polly spent time studying and working in the States and Belgium and Germany before returning to Devon to the family farming and holiday accommodation businesses. Having joined Visit Devon in late 2008 Polly is now employed as the Marketing Executive, working closely with the company’s PR agency and other contractors and partners to support the delivery of effective marketing and PR campaigns, promoting Devon as a year-round  destination for leisure and business travel to domestic and overseas visitors.