Tourism product manager to destination manager
A tourism product manager already meets 53% of what the destination manager role asks for. The move turns on 17 required skills not yet in the profile.
57.8/ 100
1 How much of what a destination manager is expected to do is already part of a tourism product manager’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the destination manager role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A destination manager role treats 20 of its required skills as things a tourism product manager already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- assess an area as a tourism destination
- build a network of suppliers in tourism
- build business relationships
- comply with food safety and hygiene
- develop inclusive communication material
- educate on sustainable tourism
What stands in the way is 17 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 30 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A destination manager role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a tourism product manager background worth leading with.
- already held assess an area as a tourism destination information skills
- already held tourist resources of a destination for further development services
- already held manage production of destination promotional materials communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held manage yield management skills
- already held manage distribution of destination promotional materials communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held build a network of suppliers in tourism communication, collaboration and creativity
All 30 carried skills, including the 20 the destination manager role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 27 missing skills fall into 4 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn build a strategic marketing plan for destination management required
- still to learn oversee the printing of touristic publications required
- still to learn apply strategic thinking required
- still to learn lead the brand strategic planning process required
- still to learn manage budgets required
- still to learn manage staff required
- still to learn oversee the design of touristic publications required
- still to learn plan digital marketing required
- still to learn recruit employees required
- still to learn select optimal distribution channel required
- still to learn supervise crew required
- optional, not held coordinate operational activities optional
- optional, not held develop strategies for accessibility optional
- optional, not held develop working procedures optional
- still to learn coordinate efforts of stakeholders for destination promotion required
- still to learn coordinate public-private partnerships in tourism required
- still to learn execute marketing plan required
- optional, not held deliver presentations on tourism optional
- optional, not held develop tourist information materials optional
- optional, not held maintain relationship with suppliers optional
- optional, not held design press kit for media optional
- optional, not held train employees optional
- still to learn manage visitor flows in natural protected areas required
- still to learn perform market research required
- optional, not held report touristic facts optional
- optional, not held measure customer feedback optional
- still to learn local area tourism industry required
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a destination manager role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 build a strategic marketing plan for destination management practise this
- 02 coordinate efforts of stakeholders for destination promotion practise this
- 03 local area tourism industry study this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 30 skills that carry over
- already held assess an area as a tourism destination skill
- already held build a network of suppliers in tourism skill
- already held build business relationships skill
- already held comply with food safety and hygiene skill
- already held develop inclusive communication material skill
- already held educate on sustainable tourism skill
- already held engage local communities in the management of natural protected areas skill
- already held geographical areas relevant to tourism knowledge
- already held manage conservation of natural and cultural heritage skill
- already held manage distribution of destination promotional materials skill
- already held manage production of destination promotional materials skill
- already held market analysis knowledge
- already held measure sustainability of tourism activities skill
- already held plan measures to safeguard cultural heritage skill
- already held plan measures to safeguard natural protected areas skill
- already held sales strategies knowledge
- already held set up pricing strategies skill
- already held support community-based tourism skill
- already held support local tourism skill
- already held tourist resources of a destination for further development knowledge
- already held augmented reality knowledge
- already held create annual marketing budget skill
- already held ecotourism knowledge
- already held improve customer traveling experiences with augmented reality skill
- already held manage contracts skill
- already held manage yield skill
- already held promote virtual reality travelling experiences skill
- already held self-service technologies in tourism knowledge
- already held use e-tourism platforms skill
- already held virtual reality knowledge
10 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held report touristic facts optional
- optional, not held deliver presentations on tourism optional
- optional, not held develop tourist information materials optional
- optional, not held maintain relationship with suppliers optional
- optional, not held coordinate operational activities optional
- optional, not held design press kit for media optional
- optional, not held develop strategies for accessibility optional
- optional, not held develop working procedures optional
- optional, not held measure customer feedback optional
- optional, not held train employees optional
18 held skills the destination manager role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role apply foreign languages in tourism skill
- not needed by the target role carry out inventory planning skill
- not needed by the target role create new concepts skill
- not needed by the target role develop tourism destinations skill
- not needed by the target role develop tourism products skill
- not needed by the target role develop travel charter programme skill
- not needed by the target role implement marketing strategies skill
- not needed by the target role implement sales strategies skill
- not needed by the target role maintain customer service skill
- not needed by the target role manage distribution channels skill
- not needed by the target role manage medium term objectives skill
- not needed by the target role monitor contractor performance skill
- not needed by the target role negotiate supplier arrangements skill
- not needed by the target role participate in tourism events skill
- not needed by the target role plan medium to long term objectives skill
- not needed by the target role produce content for tourism brochures skill
- not needed by the target role tourism market knowledge
- not needed by the target role utilise cross-selling skill
1 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn local area tourism industry required
Common questions about this move
Can a tourism product manager become a destination manager?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A tourism product manager already covers 53% of what a destination manager is expected to do: 30 skills carry over, 20 of which the destination manager role treats as required.
What skills does a tourism product manager need to become a destination manager?
17 required skills are missing, plus 10 optional ones. They fall into 4 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by management skills. The single most important is build a strategic marketing plan for destination management.
How hard is the move from tourism product manager to destination manager?
Its learning distance is 57.8 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.