Tourism Minister Kevin Krueger has announced a new 13 member "Council on Tourism" to advise the government on how to market BC around the world.

The council will be chaired by Grouse Mountain Resorts President Stuart McLaughlin, and Krueger says nearly half of the members were previously on the board of directors at Tourism B-C.

The government is shutting down Tourism BC as of next April, with Krueger's ministry taking over its role in what he says is a bid to save money.

But the NDP mocked the minister in the legislature last week after a freedom of information request turned up no government documents or studies to justify the decision to close the agency.