Committee
Meet the Youth Tourism NSW Committee

Andrew Cowan
President
I’ve been working in the tourism and hospitality sector for the past 15 years. During my time at the Millett Group over the last decade, I’ve transitioned from operations to my current role with a key focus on connecting the international youth market to the group’s flagship brand Wake Up! Hostels.
I joined the Youth Tourism NSW committee (formally Backpacker Operators Association NSW) in 2017 and currently hold the position of President. I was lucky enough to take out the ‘Young Industry Legend Award’ at the 2019 Adventure Tourism Awards!

James Oliver
Secretary, Treasurer & Public Officer
With over a decade of experience in the youth tourism industry, I have dedicated my career to creating exceptional travel experiences. I am currently the General Manager for Nomads Sydney and The Scary Canary where I oversee all operations to ensure guests and patrons have unforgettable experiences. Previously, I served as the Property Manager at Sydney Harbour YHA and the South Island Operations Manager for Tourism Adventure Group. My work has taken me to diverse locations across New Zealand, Queensland, and New South Wales, fueling my passion for fostering environments that help travelers create lifelong memories.

Felix Bray

Deon Carstairs

Andy Collins
Committee Member
With over a decade in hospitality management, I’ve held various roles in properties across France, Spain, and New Zealand before moving to Australia and transitioning into hotel technology and online travel. This hands-on experience gave me a deep understanding of the challenges accommodation providers face, shaping my passion for delivering solutions that drive success.
Building on this foundation, I moved into key account management and business development, working across the APAC region to drive growth, strategic partnerships, and technology adoption in the hospitality tech space.
Now, driving Business Development for APAC at RoomPriceGenie, I specialise in helping accommodation providers optimise revenue through smart, automated pricing solutions. My focus is on empowering accommodation providers with technology that simplifies revenue management, enhances profitability, and enables them to thrive in an evolving market.

Peter ‘Sconzey’ Killick

Eleonora Kisser

Karen Larsen
Committee Member
Currently at Headout, I’ve held various key account management across APAC including at Student.com and Booking.com. Previous to that I was in the hotel sector. I have over 8 years experience in the industry and couldn’t be more excited for what the future holds.

Josh Mayer

Anna Menting
I was born and raised in Germany. Luckily enough, I can now call beautiful Australia my home since 2014. I’ve been working in the Hospitality, Travel & Tourism sector for the past 12 years. Always having a passion for travel and adventure, this led me to an amazing opportunity at Somerville Hospitality.
Currently the Operations Manager and very passionate about my role, I still enjoy everyday working in the youth tourism industry. Priding myself on being friendly and approachable with an extremely strong work ethic. Given my time over the past 8 years at Somerville Hospitality, I have gained extensive knowledge in the industry. I’m very excited to be a part of the committee for YTNSW.

Stuart Ryan

Justin Steele
Committee Member
I’m the founder of Local Sauce Tours, an award-winning food, bar and street art tour company. I was previously a corporate lawyer but escaped that path to work in tourism, doing my apprenticeship at Bounce hostels and as a free walking tour guide before starting my own business in 2018.
