Director, Tourism Development

Mission: To impact our communities and visitors through the power of travel.

Core values: collaboration, integrity, trust, innovation.  

The Director, Tourism Development will implement long-term strategies to enhance Anaheim’s position as a leading leisure destination managing the team and initiatives to boost the local economy through tourism by increasing domestic and international visitors, promoting longer stays and higher spending.

The goal is to position the Anaheim area as the ideal Southern California base of stay highlighting the key attributes of the destination in the consumer and trade markets and working in a strong team environment, driving tourism initiatives, developing partnerships, and implementing strategies to target key domestic and international leisure travel.

The responsibilities of this job include managing the team, planning, and implementing innovative consumer initiatives and trade efforts to position Anaheim and Garden Grove hotels as the base of stay and maximize use of partner lodging facilities, attractions, transportation companies, shopping, dining, cultural and sport venues.

Essential Functions:

1.     Manage the Tourism Department Managers and Specialist to ensure the successful use of the resources, execution of programs, integration of initiatives, and collection of reporting, and results.

2.    Responsible for assigned tier one markets and/or domestic accounts by creating consumer initiatives, executing innovative, cost-effective sales efforts, programs, and events to strengthen brand awareness, help drive overnight stays and extend length of stay in Anaheim area TID hotels to grow awareness and increase demand.

3.    Develop a strategic road map for domestic and international efforts in key feeder markets for Anaheim to position the destination as the ideal Southern California base of stay for domestic and international leisure visitors by highlighting the key attributes of the destination in the consumer and trade markets. 

4.    Ensure the Tourism team drives overnight stays for partner TID hotels by creating a distinct identity in the minds of domestic, international travel trade and consumers. 

5.    Oversee the Tourism Programs Calendar and ensuring there are no conflicts within departmental or inter-departmental programs.

6.    Define the content of the Partner Update Meeting and oversee the planning, promotion, and successful execution of the meeting.

7.    Oversee all the international offices follow the strategic road map and its execution with the implementation of the destination message and the direct generation of results.

8.    Establish standard operating procedures to streamline processes for programs and reporting to maximize efficiencies.

9.    Maintain, monitor, and oversee the overall department’s budget to ensure it gets deployed and optimized according to the strategic road map ensuring the generation of room nights to Anaheim area TID hotels.

10.  Develop monthly reports tracking KPIs and results from all consumer and trade efforts, expense reports, metrics, trip reports, and other administrative duties as needed.

11.   Ensure the successful development and integration of consumer multilayer programs including collaboration and asset inclusion from Marketing and Communications along with a conversation partner such as OTA, operators, airlines, etc. 

12.  Collaborate with Marketing to develop marketing strategies, design collateral materials, reference guides, signage, e-vites, web landing pages, etc. as needed.  

13.  Collaborate with Communications to develop media opportunities to enhance Visit Anaheim sales missions, fam tours, trade shows, etc.

14.  Initiate co-op sales, destination promotions and marketing opportunities with traditional or non-traditional partners to launch consumer promotions and in-market activations integrating Anaheim area TID hotels to generate demand specially during off-season.

15.  Develop a plan to grow the Online Training Program including the expansion of the Travel Trade Discounts and the implementation of webinars and trainings.

16.  Develop a comprehensive program to target the Receptive Tour Operators with hotel participation, content ideas, destination assets, and the direct participation in RTO events.

17.  Oversee the trade efforts for Luxury Market leveraging product, messaging, campaign assets and alliances to expand and develop educational resources, fam itineraries, and participation at Luxury Market events.

18.  Ensure FAM itineraries reflect a comprehensive destination experience, and groups don’t overlap or conflict within the same time period.  

19.  Provide periodic destination updates to tier-one clients and keep them updated about new developments and resources.

20. Oversee Visit Anaheim’s presence at IPW, attend conferences, product launches, and partner events as needed.

21.  Support other members of the Tourism Development Team with special projects.

22. Identify Develop the content including stats, trends, and industry insight for public presentations on to travel professionals, partners, community groups, schools, and colleges.

23.  Perform all other duties as assigned.