Now more than ever it's time for the Port Douglas business community to pull together and plan for a prosperous future. That's why The Newsport, in conjunction with the Port Douglas Chamber of Commerce, is commencing a weekly feature profiling Chamber committee members.

There is a wealth of business experience on the Chamber, and over the next few weeks you'll get to know more about the people who represent the Port Douglas business community, and what they believe are the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead for the town.

So take the time to familiarise yourself with your Chamber - starting right now!

Phoebe Kitto

The Newsport: What's your position on Chamber:

Phoebe Kitto: I'm a Committee member.

TN: How long have you been a Chamber committee member?

PK: Three years.

TN: What sub-committee do you sit on?

PK: Training and Customer Service.

TN: What is your specific focus as a member of the board?

PK: Linking the local business community with information on training and resources.

TN: How long have you lived in Port Douglas? 

PK: Ten years.

TN: Are you a business owner?

PK: Yes, I'm a partner in human resource consulting firm, HR Dynamics.  We specialise in effective employee management. 

TN: What previous business experience have you had?

PK: I've had ten years working in human resources for Starwood Hotel and Resorts. 

TN: What's the biggest change in business you’ve seen while in Port Douglas?

PK: Times have been tough which has had a big impact on morale. As a town and community we need to lift ourselves up from this current gloom and take positive action and in some cases make some challenging decisions on how to thrive in the future.

TN: What are some of the challenges local business faces? 

PK: Ensuring that businesses remain successful and competitive whilst managing their staff productively and fairly within the realms of the Fair Work Act. Managing the tourism downturn effectively and attracting people to have a career in hospitality.

TN: What are some of the biggest opportunities for business in the future?

PK: Focusing on business solutions, keeping positive and constantly  working at upskilling staff skills so that we offer professional and memorable experiences that will bring people back to the region and make people want to do business with us.

TN: What is Port Douglas' best keep secret?

PK: The amount of successful family businesses based up this way. Port Douglas is a lot more than tourism and has some great, switched on business people who will willing share their knowledge with you.  

Learn more about the Port Douglas Chamber of Commerce committee members next Wednesday.