Tourism officer: Career development

Relevant on-the-job experience is essential for career development. Due to the casual nature of work experience, it may take some years to progress to a tourism officer post.

Specialisation in resorts or cities is possible. As local authorities often employ only one tourism officer, opportunities to progress are fairly limited without relocation.

Once you have obtained a tourism officer post, further progression is possible by moving into managerial positions within a local authority tourism team.

After gaining relevant experience and specialising in a particular area, some tourism officers go on to work for private consultancies or on a self-employed consultancy basis. Possibilities include freelance marketing and consultancy work or setting up, developing and managing a tourist attraction.

Regeneration and economic development projects sometimes mean an increase in opportunities in other related local authority departments, such as communications, depending on local needs.