Destinations International

As the global trade association for official destination organizations and convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs), Destinations International protects and advances the success of destination marketing worldwide. Destinations International’s membership includes over 700 official destination organizations with more than 7,500 individuals in over 22 countries that command more than $2 billion in annual budgets. As the world's largest and most reliable resource for destination organizations we inform, connect, inspire, and educate our members with the goal to drive destination economic impact, job creation, community sustainability and quality of life through travel. 

Our Purpose

We believe that destination organizations positively impact local communities as a dynamic place to visit, live and work. As such, Destinations International, the global association for destination professionals, elevates tourism by educating, equipping, empowering, and connecting its members to better fulfill their missions and achieve positive results around the world.

Destination’s International Pillars

COMMUNITY: Destinations International fosters a strong, global community of professionals and promotes the exchange of information, knowledge, and best practices. 

ADVOCACY: Destinations International is the collective voice of destinations organizations empowering destinations on issues big and small. 

RESEARCH: Destinations International is constantly expanding industry knowledge, introducing new ideas and developing forward-focused research and relevant data.

EDUCATION: We are the definitive resource for professional development within the destination marketing and management industry.

Work Environment

Destinations International is a remote-first organization with a headquartered office space located in Washington D.C. Collaboration of team members includes virtual and in person meetings.

Destinations International offers a comprehensive benefits package including paid time off (PTO), sick leave, paid holidays, 401K retirement plan and health, dental, vision, life, accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D), and short-term/long-term disability insurance coverages. 

Position Summary

The Manager, Meetings & Events is a critical role at Destinations International and is primarily responsible for the execution of all operational aspects of Destinations International education programs, conferences and events, including F2F, virtual and hybrid. The position works collaboratively across Destinations International departments to plan logistical requirements for events that meet organizational goals and objectives.

Role and Responsibilities:

• Oversee and manage event setup and registration process in Impexium (CRM) for the association’s education summits and Annual Convention
• Manage housing process by working directly with the hotel(s) to create master room list, monitor pick up reports, pace reports and rooming lists.
• Serve as a contact for logistical support with suppliers and staff for events.
• Support Meetings and Events team with tracking event budgets and coding/reconciling invoices
• Provide administrative support to the events team which includes ordering event supplies, researching venues, making reservations, etc.
• Manage packing/shipping process for all conferences, meetings, and events.
• Liaison with the marketing department to design/create name badges/tent cards for all conferences, meetings and events.
• Adept at understanding various online virtual event platforms and the main features of a virtual platform, as necessary
• Manages all logistical requirements and interface with venue and vendor contacts to deliver a seamless meeting experience.
• Support Meetings and Events team with managing all policies, procedures and reporting mechanisms for registration, housing, food and beverage events, meeting attendance, travel and ancillary group meetings/functions.
• Respond promptly to member requests via phone and email for event related inquiries
• Attend industry seminars and read industry publications to keep up to date on industry trends
• Support committees and leadership projects
• Contribute to our safe, healthy, positive and harmonious work culture and environment.

Please note this position description is not designed to cover or contain all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the team member for this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Desired Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 5+ years of relevant professional experience required
• Preferred professional experience within travel and tourism industry with an emphasis on destination organizations, convention/visitors bureaus and/or association
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification preferred
• Digital Event Strategist (DES) certification preferred

Expected Competencies:

• Ability to maintain a consistent level of detail orientation and organization
• Superior interpersonal and relationship building skills
• Ability to provide clear and effective communication with excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong problem-solving skills and critical thinking skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks independently, meet deadlines, manage multiple priorities simultaneously and adapt to unforeseen circumstances
• Strong creative and forward thinking skills
• Superior professional skills including reliability, credibility and consistency
• Competency in Microsoft office to include Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, and Zoom/Microsoft Teams.

Candidate Location:

This role requires the ability to complete the shipping needs to and from events in addition to inventory maintenance which is executed at Destinations International’s headquarters located in Washington D.C. Ideal candidate’s geographical location would be within the Washington D.C. region to reduce travel requirements when completing this role responsibility.

Working Hours/Travel Expectations:

Destinations International operates Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm based on the time zone where the employee resides in however organization communications time in EST. On occasion work or travel will be required outside of business hours including weekends and/or evenings.

This role will require up to 25% travel time and may include international travel. Individuals must have a valid driver’s license, current passport and be able to travel via plane, train or automobile.