Travel Trade Marketing Manager

The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) works to deliver experiences that uniquely enrich the lives of our visitors and residents. Through leadership in destination development, marketing and venue management expertise, the CRVA leads efforts to maximize the region’s economic potential through visitor spending, creating jobs and opportunities for the community. Brands supported by the CRVA include the Charlotte Convention Center, Time Warner Cable Arena, Bojangles’ Coliseum, Ovens Auditorium, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Charlotte Regional Film Commission and Visit Charlotte in conjunction with the region’s destination marketing brand, ‘Charlotte’s got a lot.’

Overview:
The CRVA travel trade program implements marketing strategies that target travelers through third-party sellers and travel industry suppliers. The Travel Trade Marketing Manager is responsible for the coordination, tactical execution and analysis of B2B marketing efforts that promote Charlotte and CRVA managed venues to travel professionals as a preferred destination for group travel. This position engages in marketing activities with group tour operators, travel wholesalers and international travel agents to create a sense of urgency to book business in Charlotte.

Responsibilities:
• Execution of outbound promotional efforts, in line with CRVA Sales and Marketing plan, that generate increased interest in Charlotte that ultimately drives group room night consumption at Charlotte hotels and/or group ticket sales at local attractions.
• Prepare and maintain detailed tactical plans for promotion of Charlotte at trades hows and events that offer the opportunity to interact with travel professionals actively booking group travel. Purpose of trade show activation should be centered on promotion of Charlotte as a group destination. For larger trade shows the Travel Trade Marketing Manager may organize co-op program enabling Charlotte-based hospitality partners to participate.
• Respond to requests for information from travel professionals seeking destination information on hotels, group friendly attractions and service providers like receptive tour operators. The Travel Trade Marketing Manager will serve as “local expert” ultimately referring the lead to the appropriate business for follow up and booking.
• Identify and execute promotional opportunities to increase NASCAR Hall of Fame group revenue from motor coaches, educational field trips and team building events. Opportunities may include, but are not limited to, trades how activation, development of marketing tools such as promotional collateral and execution of direct mail campaigns.
• Solicit, organize and serve as primary host for annual tour operator familiarization event to showcase Charlotte as a desirable group tour destination.
• Oversee the implementation of program that incentivizes group leaders to book business in Charlotte.
• Continually seek the best distribution channels to get ‘Charlotte’s got a lot’ promotional materials in front of group travel decision makers with particular emphasis on quality over quantity.
• Collaborate with Digital Media Manager to ensure best-in-class group focused content is available on appropriate CRVA owned websites. Travel Trade Marketing Manager will conduct, in tandem with the Digital Media Manager, educational outreach sessions for hospitality partners to ensure they maximize available CRVA digital assets.
• Serve as the CRVA designated contact for all international programs coordinated by Visit NC.
• Evaluates association membership opportunities within the travel industry to determine which are of greatest benefit to the CRVA. For those selected, the Travel Trade Marketing Manager handles all aspects of membership activation.
• Craft regular reporting on promotional activities and their impact on key performance indicators (KPIs) of the group travel market both on a destination level and at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Work with the CRVA Research Department to prepare annual ROI and economic impact report of group business in Charlotte.
• Support additional marketing projects as assigned by the Senior Marketing Manager.

This job will have periodic access to confidential data including company records and/or minutes, customer quotes, product costs and company plans, designs, and/or programs.

Requirements:
• Demonstrated ability to work as an individual contributor that maximizes available resources.
Proficient with Microsoft Office suite.
• Excellent communication and intra-personal skills that help cultivate and maintain prosperous relationships within the group tour industry.
• Self-motivated team player with a positive outlook.
• Ability to anticipate customer needs, build positive relationships with customers and vendors, go the extra mile to satisfy and exceed customer needs, treat all customers and vendors with the highest degree of respect and courtesy and deliver exceptional service to internal and external customers.

Education and experience:
• Bachelor’s degree (B. A.) in hospitality, marketing, communications or related field and 3-5 years of related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Previous experience in B2B marketing is preferred.
• The ideal candidate will have work experience with a destination marketing organization, CVB, convention center or other tourism-related entity.
• Demonstrated understanding of marketing best practices and ability to understand and evaluate emerging trends.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, work within a team and other departments, and possess time management skills, ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.

Travel required:
• This job includes approximately 10-15% overnight travel.
• Ability to work flexible hours including evenings, weekends and holidays.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.