Manager of Tourism Industry Relationships

Cleveland, OH, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Compensation

Salary

Range $65,000.00 - $81,000.00

Work Schedule

Standard Hours

Benefits

Annual organizational bonus

Opportunity for individual bonus incentives

Private revenue goals

Flexible work hours with occasional weekends and evenings

Collaborative team environment

Professional development opportunities

Engagement with diverse Cleveland business community

Job Description

Destination Cleveland is the official destination marketing organization for the city of Cleveland. Dedicated to promoting Cleveland's unique attributes, the organization focuses on stimulating the region's economy through equitable growth in travel and tourism. The team at Destination Cleveland works tirelessly to attract visitors, inspire both visitors and residents to explore the city, and to connect people with experiences that showcase Cleveland's rich diversity, creativity, and cultural passion. The organization serves as the main entity responsible for marketing Cleveland beyond its borders, ensuring consistent communication and engagement about the city. The team comprises innovative, energetic professionals committed to exceeding expectations and rolling up their sleeves to get the job done for Cleveland and its communities. Destination Cleveland’s work promotes community pride while supporting economic development through tourism, and it engages a broad network of partners across the hospitality and tourism sectors to foster inclusivity and growth in the region.

The Manager of Tourism Industry Relationships is a pivotal role within Destination Cleveland, with primary responsibility for building, maintaining, and expanding relationships with small and midsize hospitality and tourism businesses throughout Greater Cleveland. The role emphasizes engagement with independent operators, newly established businesses, and community-based organizations that demonstrate strong potential for growth and deeper involvement with the organization. Acting as a trusted consultant and main point of contact, this role helps businesses access relevant Destination Cleveland programs, opportunities, and resources designed to promote their success and integration into the broader tourism ecosystem.

Success in this position is measured by the establishment of strong, trust-based relationships with a diverse portfolio of business partners, increased representation of neighborhood and culturally significant businesses within the organization’s network, and the conversion of engagements into revenue through partnership dues and advertising sales. The person in this role will be responsible for managing a high-touch, responsive experience for assigned accounts, regularly engaging partners through proactive communication and in-person or virtual check-ins to understand their needs and challenges. The role also requires strategic collaboration with the broader Destination Engagement team to translate program participation into sustained industry partnerships and measurable outcomes.

Key responsibilities include owning a defined portfolio of hospitality and tourism industry relationships, actively seeking out underrepresented business segments to ensure equitable inclusion, partnering with programs specialists to convert program engagement into partnership and growth, contributing to revenue generation by acquiring new partners and retaining existing ones, and driving consultative sales efforts aligned with the organization’s goals. The Manager will also play a critical role in community engagement by connecting with local business ecosystems such as neighborhood business districts, chambers, and community organizations, fostering a stronger support network for small and midsize businesses in Cleveland.

This role demands consistent use of customer relationship management (CRM) tools to track partner interactions and metrics, enabling data-driven decisions to optimize outreach and performance. The Manager will contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by leveraging AI where possible, identifying trends and gaps in industry engagement, recommending program and outreach enhancements, and supporting the evolution of Destination Cleveland’s small and midsize business engagement model. The position requires flexibility, as occasional evening and weekend work is expected, especially around major events. Overall, the Manager of Tourism Industry Relationships will be essential in helping Destination Cleveland amplify the voice and growth of local small and midsize hospitality and tourism businesses, driving economic development and community inclusion across the region.

Job Requirements

Strong written and verbal communication skills
extremely organized and strong attention to detail
project management skills
demonstrated research and critical thinking skills
ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment
creativity in problem solving and solutions-oriented approach
ability to work flexible hours when required
public speaking skills
prior work experience in community partnerships and/or relevant account or relationship management experience working with small and midsized business particularly in the hospitality and tourism industry
comfort and ability to leverage a human-centered approach to AI
general understanding of basic marketing and sales skills
bachelor's degree preferred but not required

Job Qualifications

Prior work experience in community partnerships and/or relevant account or relationship management experience with small and midsized businesses particularly in hospitality and tourism industry
comfort and ability to leverage a human-centered approach to AI
general understanding of basic marketing and sales skills
experience with consultative selling and relationship management preferred
strong written and verbal communication skills
extremely organized with strong attention to detail
project management skills
demonstrated research and critical thinking skills
ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment
creativity in problem solving and solutions-oriented approach
ability to work flexible hours when required
public speaking skills
bachelor's degree preferred but not required

Job Duties

Own and manage a defined portfolio of small and midsize business hospitality and tourism industry relationships
serve as the primary point of contact at Destination Cleveland for assigned businesses, ensuring a high-touch, responsive, and relationship-centered experience
maintain and build trust through consistent outreach, proactive communication and timely follow-through
conduct regular check-ins (in-person, virtual, or on-site) to understand needs, challenges, and opportunities within portfolio of accounts
maintain a deep understanding of each partner's business model, goals, and target audiences
actively identify and engage underrepresented hospitality and tourism industry segments to ensure equitable inclusion and participation
partner closely with the Programs Specialist to track and manage the progression of businesses from awareness to participation to partnership to growth
contribute directly to team private revenue goals through new partner acquisition, retention and renewals, and consultative selling
serve as a connector between Destination Cleveland and neighborhood business ecosystems
build relationships with local business districts, chambers, merchant associations and community-based organizations
work cross-functionally with programs, marketing, content, PR, and convention services teams to share insights and align strategies
maintain accurate, real-time records of partner interactions in CRM
use data to guide decision-making and improve performance
identify opportunities to leverage AI to efficiently manage relationships
recommend improvements to programs, outreach strategies, and partner offerings
take on expanded responsibilities as initiatives grow over time