Raetihi man continues family tradition... but overseas

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 34, 14 February 1984, Page 3

Raetihi man continues family tradition... but overseas

A former Raetihi man travelled to London last week to take up an appointment as manager for Contiki ... one of the major guided tour operators in Europe and the British Isles. Twenty-nine year old Barrett Littlewood is to be based in London and Amsterdam where it will be his responsibility to employ staff for the seasonal summertime tours operated by Contiki in Europe. His first assignment will be to take a tour of Europe and Britain with Contiki to familiarise himself with the operation. Barrett Littlewood, who was born in Raetihi, is the son of Ray and Valma Littlewood. He attended Raetihi Primary School before going to Rathkeale College in Masterton. On leaving school he took | fill-in job at the BNZ in ^BRaetihi while he waited to attend Canterbury University. It was while he was at university in Christchurch that he became interested in the hotel industry through his holiday jobs. He decided not to complete his degree bui took

a series of management courses instead and joined Lion Breweries as an assistant manager in New Plymouth 7-8 years ago. He has held several

managerial positions since then at such establishments as Cobb & Co in Christchurch, Fairfield Tavern in Dunedin and the Lawcourts Hotel in Dunedin. His most recent position was as manager of the Suneourt Motor Hotel in Taupo and it was from there that he applied for the Contiki Tours appointment which had been advertised internationally. He was interviewed in Auckland and selected from a large number of applicants from New Zealand and overseas. In accepting this new appointment with Contiki Tours, which provides transport and accommodation for the travelling public, Barrett continues in the family tradition ... his father Ray and grandfather Henry (Harry) Littlewood operated a transport business for both passengers and freight in the Waimarino running between Taihape, Ohakune, Raetihi, Pipiriki and even Taupo. The family also owned and operated the Grand Hotel in Ohakune earlier this century.