Sales & Visitor Services Manager

Summary

The Hattiesburg Tourism Commission, doing business as VisitHATTIESBURG, is the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Greater Hattiesburg, MS. VisitHATTIESBURG’s mission is to increase overnight bookings for leisure and corporate travel, growing the economic impact of visitors on the local economy.

The Sales & Visitor Services Manager is a full-time, salaried position with benefits, reporting to the Director of Programs and Development. This position focuses on securing group travel, serving as a liaison to hospitality partners, and managing several signature programs, driving Hattiesburg’s positioning as a premier destination for group travel and events.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Sales (Primary Focus)

• Actively promote Greater Hattiesburg as a meeting and event destination for conventions, seminars, trade shows, sporting events, and motorcoach tours through:
  • Sales calls, prospecting, digital campaigns, direct mail, co-op initiatives, and participation in industry trade shows.
  • Coordinating with local hotels and tourism partners to create competitive accommodation bids and proposals.
• Create, organize, and implement sales strategies for prospective meeting and event clients, conducting site visits and preparing RFPs.
• Represent Hattiesburg at industry events, generating and tracking leads through the DMO software platform.
• Maintain awareness of market trends to identify new opportunities for meeting and convention sales.
• Support sales initiatives as outlined in Hattiesburg’s strategic plan to achieve hotel occupancy and visitor spending goals.

Visitor Services

• Oversee visitor services, including:
  • Maintaining brochure inventory, managing distribution routes, and fulfilling visitor information requests.
  • Managing operations of VisitHATTIESBURG’s gift shop by overseeing inventory, purchases, gift-wrapping services, and promotional products.
• Manage the Red Carpet Services program to incentivize group travel, offering complimentary services like welcome bags, name badges, accommodation bids, and registration assistance.
• Support tourism partner outreach programs, including quarterly industry sessions aimed at strengthening tourism market awareness.
• Maintain a strong awareness of industry market factors and changes that impact the DMO’s ability to promote Hattiesburg as a strong destination.

Programs and Grant Oversight

• Assist in the coordination and oversight of VisitHATTIESBURG’s tourism grant programs, ensuring proper implementation and reporting.
  
• Provide logistical and event support for umbrella programs like Mississippi Miss Hospitality and Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art.
• Assist in planning and implementation of VisitHATTIESBURG’s signature event portfolio.

Education, Experience, and Other Requirements:

Education

• At least three years of combined experience in sales, project management, and/or hospitality/tourism/hotel industry required
• Bachelors Degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Business, or Tourism and Hospitality Management preferred
• Experience using a digital database software platform is a plus (i.e. CVB Leads, IDSS, SimpleView)
• Direct experience in working with hotels and tourism partners preferred

Essential Job Qualifications

• Ability to travel, drive a personal vehicle, and maintain a valid driver’s license throughout employment
• As the position requires travel, weekend work, and irregular hours, must have flexibility in schedule and availability

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Knowledge and Skills

• Strong ability to communicate in a clear, concise manner; develop and implement dynamic sales initiatives; and present to groups on behalf of the DMO
• Ability to organize and prioritize work while meeting multiple deadlines
• Must be able to complete assignments accurately and with attention to detail
• Must provide exceptional customer service to clients and partners
• Must be proactive and take initiative but be able to collaborate with a team and take direction