Tourism Manager – Local Authority Tourism

Also known as: Tourism Marketing Manager, Business Development Manager, Tourism Board Skills Development Manager, Tourism Development Manager,

As a tourism manager, you will be based with a national, regional or a local authority, taking a lead role in promoting your geographical area. You will be responsible for improving the facilities within the area, by implementing marketing, training and business support.

Your day-to-day duties may involve:
• liaising with local tourism providers
• co-ordinating marketing campaigns
• presenting to tour operators
• attending travel trade shows
• conducting market research

The tourism manager will carefully plan and create promotional campaigns to improve the awareness of tourism services in their area. You will assist the senior manager decide upon the marketing and brand message, how it should be communicated, and the audience type. You will initiate market research to collect information from your target audience and tourism professionals. When the market research is complete, you’ll start the campaign, and work with advertising agents, designers and photographers to create brochures, newsletters and posters.

Much of your time will be spent in face-to-face presentations, encouraging leading tour operators to bring their business to your area. You will also brief and entertain travel writers, and attend travel trade shows for publicity purposes. If your focus is quality and business development rather than marketing, you will be responsible for liaising with employers and quality assurance organisations to promote best practice amongst tourism companies in your area. You will also develop training initiatives to encourage good customer service and improve skills gaps within the sector.