Like the business events industry, destination organisations are in the people business. They connect communities, convene partners, tell the stories of places and help travel and business events generate lasting economic and social benefits.
None of this work happens without talented, supported and adaptable professionals.
Yet the environment in which destination organisations recruit, develop and retain their people is changing rapidly. Competition for talent is intense. Employee expectations are evolving. New technologies are reshaping roles and required skills. At the same time, many students and emerging professionals remain unaware of the wide range of career opportunities available within destination organisations and the broader visitor economy.
The recently published Destination Workforce Insights Report examines these challenges and points to opportunities for building a stronger and more sustainable talent pipeline. Its findings reinforce an important conclusion: workforce development cannot be treated as a short-term recruitment exercise. It must be a long-term organisational and industry priority.
Making destination careers visible
One of the industry’s most fundamental workforce challenges is also one of the simplest: many people do not know these careers exist.
Students may be familiar with jobs in hotels, restaurants, airlines and event planning, but they are often less aware of destination organisations and the range of careers they offer. These include roles in sales, finance, people and culture, marketing, research, data analysis, community engagement, sustainability, public policy, communications, visitor services, event strategy and destination development.
When these opportunities are not visible, the potential talent pipeline narrows before recruitment even begins.
Destination organisations must tell a more compelling story about their work and begin telling it earlier. Engagement with schools, universities, career and technical education programmes and community organisations can introduce young people to the industry before they have settled on a career path.
That engagement needs to extend beyond traditional career fairs. Students benefit from meeting destination professionals, learning how different roles contribute to a community and experiencing the work first-hand. Internships, apprenticeships, scholarships, classroom presentations, mentorship programmes, sponsored conference attendance and job-shadowing opportunities can turn an unfamiliar industry into a credible and attractive career choice.
The industry must also communicate its broader purpose. Destination professionals do much more than attract visitors. They support local businesses and jobs, generate tax revenue, contribute to economic development, strengthen civic pride and help communities become better places to visit, live, work and invest. For people seeking meaningful work, this is a powerful employment proposition.
Listening to the people we hope to attract
Building the workforce of the future requires listening carefully to the people the industry hopes to recruit and retain.
Competitive compensation remains important, particularly as the cost of living rises in communities around the world. But salary alone is rarely enough. Employees increasingly seek meaningful work, flexibility, supportive leadership, inclusive cultures, professional development and clarity about their career prospects.
Emerging professionals want to understand how their work has an impact and how they can acquire the skills needed for their next opportunity. Clear career pathways, regular feedback, mentoring and stretch assignments help employees see a future within an organisation and the wider industry.
This can be challenging for smaller destination organisations with relatively flat structures and limited opportunities for conventional promotion. However, career development does not always require an immediate change in title. Cross-functional projects, industry certifications, committee participation, conference attendance and exposure to community leaders can all provide valuable experience.
Organisations should also create regular opportunities to hear directly from employees. Engagement surveys, focus groups, stay interviews and career conversations can help leaders identify what is working, what ismissing and what might cause a valued employee to leave. Listening should not be a one-time exercise. It must be part of an organisation’s operating culture.
Retention begins with the employee experience
Recruiting talented people is only the first step. The greater challenge is creating a workplace where they can succeed and want to remain.
Employees look for evidence that opportunity is real. They notice who receives high-profile assignments, who has access to professional development and whose voices are included in decisions. They also look at leadership and ask whether people with different backgrounds, identities, abilities and experiences can advance.
Inclusive workplaces are not only important for employee recruitment and retention. They make destination organisations more effective. A workforce that understands and reflects its community is better positioned to build trusted relationships, communicate authentically with different audiences and create welcoming experiences for residents, meeting professionals and visitors.
Previous Destinations International research found that 73% of respondents wanted greater cultural diversity within their organisations. Yet only 61% reported that their organisations were seeking to increase diversity at every leadership level and just 24% had initiatives focused on developing employees from underrepresented groups.
Closing gaps like these requires more than recruitment targets. An intentional approach must be embedded in onboarding, employee development, succession planning, organisational culture and leadership accountability.
Retention is also closely connected to the quality of management. Employees are more likely to stay when expectations are clear, workloads are reasonable, contributions are recognised and supervisors demonstrate a genuine interest in their development. Organisations should train managers not only to oversee work, but also to coach people, provide constructive feedback, manage conflict and build trust.
Preparing people for changing roles
Artificial intelligence and other technologies are transforming nearly every function within destination organisations. Marketing, research, sales, visitor services and operations are being reshaped by tools that automate tasks, analyse information and accelerate content creation.
This transformation requires thoughtful workforce planning. Organisations need to assess which skills will become more important, which tasks will change and how employees can be prepared to use technology responsibly and effectively.
Technology should be viewed as a tool for expanding human capability, not simply reducing headcount. Destination organisations will continue to need people who can exercise judgement, build relationships, understand local context and translate information into action. Technical fluency will matter, but so will creativity, curiosity, empathy, critical thinking, cultural awareness and collaboration.
Continuous learning therefore must become part of the employee experience. Training cannot be reserved for senior leaders or a small group of high-potential employees. Organisations become more capable and resilient when learning opportunities are available across professional levels and departments.
Creating an industry-wide talent ecosystem
No destination organisation can solve these workforce challenges alone. Building a sustainable talent pipeline requires cooperation among destination organisations, event industry partners, educational institutions, government agencies, professional associations and community groups.
Educational institutions can help employers understand changing student interests and expectations. Industry associations can provide research, career resources, common terminology and scalable professional development. Destination organisations can offer internships, mentorship, guest speakers and real-world learning opportunities. Industry partners can contribute expertise, funding and access to different career pathways.
This cooperation is especially important because talent does not remain within a single organisation or industry segment. A professional may move from a hotel to a destination organisation, from an event company to a convention centre or from a public agency to a private-sector partner. Rather than viewing every departure as a loss, the industry should create clearer pathways that allow talented people to build long-term careers across the visitor economy.
Every destination organisation can begin by asking several direct questions: Do people outside our industry understand the careers we offer? Can our employees see a future here? Are development opportunities available at every professional level? Does our workforce reflect the community we serve? Are we preparing people for the skills and roles we will need next?
The future of destinations and business events will be shaped by the people we attract, the opportunities we provide and the workplaces we build around them. Workforce development is not a separate human resources initiative. It is central to organisational resilience, destination competitiveness and the future of the global visitor economy.
The Destination Workforce Insights Report is available online.
Sophia Hyder Hock has over two decades of experience developing tailored strategy, training, facilitation and coaching services for clients in the international development and travel industries. At DI, she leads the work of the impact, professional development and advocacy departments.
