Job Description for a Minister Responsible for Tourism
Many countries charge specific government officials with overseeing the country's tourism industry. This includes supervising efforts by the country to market itself to foreigners, as well as assisting those industries whose clientele consists in large part of tourists, such as the hotel, food service and entertainment industries. Duties vary depending on the country, but most tourism ministers have a similar set of tasks.
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Function
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The minister of tourism's primary function is to increase the number of tourists visiting the country and to enhance their stay. According to the government of Ontario, a thriving local tourism industry improves quality of life, increases community pride and grows the economy. There are two main components of this function: First, the tourism minister must successfully market the country abroad; secondly, he must maintain and improve the facilities used by tourists to make their stay more pleasurable.
Duties
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To accomplish their goals, ministers must fulfill a number of specific duties. Tourism ministers will often act as a liaison between the tourism industry and the rest of the government, relaying questions and concerns. They will also help develop advertising strategies for the country, as well as encourage organizers of large events, such as concerts, festivals and sports competitions, to hold their event in the country. They may also travel abroad to coordinate promotion efforts in other countries.
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Experience
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There is no standard background or educational experience for ministers of tourism. Most have previous experience in government. Michael Chan, the minister of tourism for Ontario, has worked in public service for several decades, while John Key, Australia's minister of tourism, was formerly an investment banker and a member of Parliament. In some countries, the minister of tourism is already an elected member of parliament, while in others he is named by the country's leader.
Salary and Benefits
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The salary of a government minister varies widely, depending largely on the country's wealth and cost of living. According to NDTV, the average salary of an Indian government minister is approximately $5,000 per year. By contrast, a minister in the United Kingdom generally earns more than $100,000 per year. One ancillary benefit of the job is that tourism ministers generally get to travel extensively to other countries, where they attempt to promote their homeland to foreigners.
Considerations
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While in some countries the minister of tourism acts largely as a representative of the country's tourism industry, in others, such as Antigua and Barbuda, he holds the power to help make government policy.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit tourism image by Horticulture from Fotolia.com
