Marketing

Marketing Jobs in Tourism: Essential Skills

According to a recent study, half of marketing managers believe that digital media has reached critical stages in its life-cycle. What does this mean for the career of a marketer? It means that as a marketer, you will need to be an expert digital media specialist. In today’s digital economy, that means being able to reach to target audience over again in order to sustain sales growth. If you think that this is easy, then you might be surprised to learn that it isn’t.

An overwhelming majority of marketing managers also acknowledge that online marketing organizations face a significant talent deficiency due to a relatively low level of adept, digital skills. In other words, a large gap exists between what people know and what they do not know. To compensate for the lack of social norms around online marketing, career development professionals will work to build a comprehensive awareness of how they can better serve their clients.

Another common problem is that many marketers don’t know how to ask questions in a professional manner. How many times have you seen a marketer ask a question during a training session only to be told “no” or “that’s not applicable”? How many times have you witnessed a prospect asks a question during a telephone coaching session only to be told “no” or “that’s not applicable”? Life-long learning experts say that prospecting requires asking questions and not shutting down.

There are also a few career prospects that overlap with tourism marketing, but don’t involve travel. Marketing tourism professionals work within the tourism industry, focusing on promotions geared toward travelers. They will often be involved in marketing communications and event planning. A tourism professional may be an onsite manager for a specific resort. Alternatively, a tourism marketer may work as an online recruiter and market to job boards, placement sites, and cruise line representatives.

Finally, customer relations specialists may be involved in all aspects of customer interaction. From hotel front office staff to onsite vendors and concierge services, they work with clients to ensure a positive experience at each step along the way. If you don’t have good customer service skills, chances are you will find it difficult to survive in today’s competitive environment. However, if you learn how to communicate professionally and understand the value of a friendly voice, your ability to sell will flourish.

Marketing for tourism has already proved profitable for many businesses. The key, however, is for today’s generation of workers to maximize their potential as a marketer. By adopting the proper mentality, approaching marketing from a customer-based perspective, and being open to accepting new perspectives, you can achieve a high level of success within the tourism industry. In order to reach your potential as a marketer, begin by filling in the most important job description – that of being an effective connector and giver of education to the many people in your line of work who need your expertise.