Tourism Development Coordinator

Join the team at Visit Huntington Beach, one of the Orange County Business Journal's 2024 Best Places to Work in the OC!

The Company: Visit Huntington Beach (VHB) is the official destination marketing organization for Huntington Beach, CA. A 501(c)(6) non-profit organization, its mission is to support and advocate for the economic vitality and quality of life for the Huntington Beach community through inspirational destination marketing and brand management. Its programs include marketing, public relations, group sales, visitor and partner services, advocacy, and tourism development. VHB embodies a community-focused spirit of service that is proactive and strategic. It places an emphasis on teamwork; staff engagement and commitment; diversity, equity, and inclusion; professional development and accountability; community support; and sustainability. The small, but mighty, staff represents the best of Huntington Beach at a professional, high-quality, laid-back luxury level.

The Position:

Responsibilities:

Marketing (60%)

• Assist in the management of VHB travel trade efforts for Tier 1 and Tier 2 international markets, collaborating with international agencies, state tourism offices, product managers, and travel agents;
• Create, edit, and manage written materials for travel trade, including travel agent training presentations, the travel trade website, e-newsletters, and other relevant projects;
• Maintain and update travel trade digital toolkit including up-to-date itineraries, digital photo library, maps, and other additional collateral;
• Maintain accessible travel and STVR webpages, digital toolkits, collateral material, and editorial content;
• Research and share updates on trending and successful tourism development programs to inspire the development of unique and elevated destination experiences in Huntington Beach; and
• Develop and promote new and owned VHB visitor experiences like Bike HB and elevate existing product like the Surf City USA Barrel Trail and Downtown Scavenger Hunt.

Tactical (30%)

• Coordinate and attend travel trade familiarization tours (FAMs) for visiting international product managers, travel agents, and tour operators;
• Represent Huntington Beach alongside the Director of Tourism Development at industry networking events and/or tradeshows and provide all necessary follow-up;
• Support travel trade efforts through maintenance of CA Star training modules; Coordinate and execute quarterly sessions for vacation rental owners and local business owners interested in working with the international travel trade and the accessibility market;
• Collaborate with Director of Tourism & Partner Services on programs for STVR market, including but not limited to coordination and delivery of 'Surf City USA' Welcome Kits, organize quarterly meetings, and providing in-house marketing benefits; and
• Partner with Visitor and Partner Services to present at Partner Info Meetings on bettering the destination experience with topics like best practices for the international visitor and disabled traveler.

Administrative (10%)

• Update CRM promptly after international sales missions, trade shows, and networking events;
• Collaborate with the Director of Tourism Development to prepare and supply KPIs, performance results, and dashboards on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis;
• Work with hotel concierge on a biannual basis to keep them up to date on visitor experiences in Huntington Beach
• Work with the Marketing Coordinator on collateral refresh (rack brochures, visitor maps, and mini-maps); and
• Perform other related duties as required.

Qualificiations:

Incumbents must demonstrate the ability to follow policies and procedures as established in the Company's Employee Handbook. Incumbents will also contribute to a positive work environment by behaving and communicating in a manner such that they get along with all constituent groups, co-workers, and management. In addition, the education, experience, and other skills listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.

Key Skills Set

• Must be self-directed, motivated, collaborative, and demonstrate intuitive customer service and interpersonal skills;
• Effectively deals with internal and external customers, with high levels of patience, tact, and diplomacy;
• Knowledgeable about accessible travel and Americans with Disabilities Act;
• Communicates clearly, concisely, and openly in all interactions;
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in decision making;
• Strong writing and editing skills, with a comprehensive knowledge of AP style, grammar, and vocabulary;
• Understanding of international cultural nuances;
• Demonstrates creativitiy aand resourcefulness;
• Ability to gather, compose and edit information in an extremely accurate manner for publishing on VHB's owned channels;
• Ability to work independently with little supervision;
• Be able to exercise discretion when sharing company and client information;
• Exceptional attention to detail, organizational, analytical, and time management skills;
• General knowledge of Huntington Beach and the region including hotel properties, attractions, and amenities is a plus; and
• Multi-tasks and prioritizes in a fast-paced work environment.

Equipment and Applications

• High proficiency in MS Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Teams;
• Photography, videography, and Adobe skills is a plus;
• Working knowledge of all standard office equipment including iPads; and
• Working knowledge of Simpleview CRM/CMS software.

Work Experience

• 1-2 years of hospitality/tourism and marketing, including internships required.

Education

• BA/BS degree in marketing, communications, hospitality, and/ or marketing-related field or equivalent related experience required.

Licenses/Certifications

• Must have a valid Driver's License and auto insurance.
• Must have valid passport.

Work Environment and Physical Demands:

The physical demands/conditions described below are representative of those that must be met/tolerated by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Ability to travel to various locations
• Attending conferences or training sessions within Huntington Beach and in- or out-ofstate locations
• Sitting at a desk for sometimes long and continuous periods of time
• Occasionally standing for long periods of time
• Answering or making calls on the telephone for sometimes long and continuous periods of time
• Carrying loads up to 40 lbs
• Using a keyboard to perform research, and to communicate through written means for sometimes long and continuous periods of time
• Looking at a computer monitor for sometimes long and continuous periods of time
• Occasionally standing, walking, reaching, and stooping

Compensation & Benefits:

• Market competitive salary with incentive plan;
• Health, vision, and dental insurance;
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA);
• Retirement plan with employer contribution
• Life & Disability Insurance benefits;
• Paid time off, vacation, and holidays;
• Flexible schedule; and
• Modern, professional, Surf City USA lifestyle office environment with standing desks and kitchen stocked with beverages and snacks.

Job Type: Exempt

Salary Range: $

To apply: Please complete the online application. No calls, walk-ins, direct emails, or direct messages from applicants or recruitment firms will be accepted.