Day in the life of
Deputy Director – Paula Fisher
I’m a Deputy Director (formerly Director of Marketing and Group Tour Services).
My typical day is 9-5, 4 days a week. As the employee with the most longevity (19 ¾ years) and a new President/CEO of almost two years, I tend to be the historian and informer of how things are done, knowing it’s good to try new things and move forward. Answering e-mails is close to 1/3rd of my time spent. Pre pandemic my position consisted of marketing to the group tour industry at travel trade shows and conducting Group Travel meetings for our Destination Management Organization members every other month. Group tour marketing was about 20% of my work.
My position also is the interface for International travel & Tourism and attending Travel Trade shows worldwide but mostly in Europe. I plan familiarization (FAM) trips to our region for travel writers and group tour professionals. This involves soliciting for complimentary rooms, gift cards for meals and free passes, tickets, and vouchers for attractions, often escorting the VIP during the 1, 2, or 3-day FAM. I am the contact for putting together getaway auction packages for nonprofits that promote our region.
German Tour Operators on a Plymouth MA familiarization trip with Mayflower II in the background.
Similar to FAMs I secure complimentary lodgings, meals, and attractions but escorting is not a part of this. I work closely with the Director of Membership so that we have an up-to-date list of our members and are able to communicate in a timely manner on what it is that may affect their position and their company.
I am less involved with the media now as the new President/CEO has a strong background in that and has taken over the bulk of that work with my position as support. I work with the Director of Marketing who recently has taken that position over when I became Deputy Director and am involved in advertising decisions but less involved in design, as she is and has been our designer since 2002. We choose what ad placement reaches our markets and meets our goals and provide cooperative marketing opportunities for our members that benefit the entire region.
Attending International Trade show IPW in the Massachusetts booth (4th from right)
Pros
The pros are the relationships built with other tourism professionals and the opportunity to travel. Also being able to proudly promote my region that has so much to offer the vacationer looking for the best bang for their buck. Also, the interpersonal skills learned as you grow in this industry as well as the complicated but profitable work that makes up the Travel & Tourism industry.
Cons
The cons are that small and mid-size destinations are often unable to pay wages that larger destinations are able to pay but to me, the benefits outweigh the negatives.
