She will head up a team of 13 people covering the new policy remit for VisitBritain -- corporate PR and industry communications, crisis communications and reputation management, research and insights, and government affairs and advocacy.
Strategy and insights is a new division formed as part of the restructuring of VisitBritain and its role is to build the value of tourism to Britain by raising the profile of the visitor economy and communicating between industry and government.
Before becoming head of press and PR at VisitBritain, Yates worked at Which?, where she edited Holiday Which? magazine.
She was responsible for delivering all Which? travel and transport output, producing Which? PR campaigns, and influencing change on many of the consumer-related policy and strategy issues which now form part of VisitBritain's policy agenda.
Tom Wright, chief executive at VisitBritain said: "In the three years Patricia has been with VisitBritain she has contributed massively to the high regard with which the press and PR function is held, shaping our communications positioning on the big issues and leading the international PR effort which achieved £3bn worth of destination coverage last year alone.
"As we move into ever more challenging times for tourism, I am confident that Patricia's leadership in the Strategy and insights arena will prove invaluable."
VisitBritiain has also appointed Sandie Dawe, previously strategy and communications director, to a new directorship role, focused entirely on leading and delivering its strategy to maximise the tourism benefits of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Both appointments will be effective from the start of November.