Senior Digital Tourism Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
The World Bank Group is a unique global partnership of five institutions established with the mission to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. It is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, helping to solve the world’s greatest development challenges. The organization has 189 member countries and operates more than 120 offices worldwide, working with public and private sector partners to invest in groundbreaking projects and utilize data, research, and technology to bring about transformative changes globally. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.

Job Overview:
The Senior Digital Tourism Specialist position is designed to support the World Bank’s mission by accelerating digital transformation in the tourism sector. This role aims to increase jobs, competitiveness, and resilience within client countries and tourism ecosystems by adopting scalable digital approaches. The specialist will work on improving destination management, enhancing visitor services, boosting SME competitiveness, and promoting investment while ensuring sustainability and protection of cultural and natural heritage. The position will involve contributing to operations, advisory services, and knowledge work, ensuring that tourism programs leverage digital foundations and modern tools such as data platforms, interoperable registries, digital identity, payments, cybersecurity, and analytics/AI to deliver measurable results. The specialist will be embedded within the Digital and AI Vice Presidency and will collaborate closely with regional teams and other World Bank units to design and implement digital tourism strategies that enhance sector governance and improve performance at both destination and firm levels.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Senior Digital Tourism Specialist will have a comprehensive work program focusing on several key areas: 1) Strategic Leadership and Innovation, where the specialist will provide technical assistance to client countries and stakeholders in designing and implementing digital tourism strategies, advising on policy reforms, and developing practical guidance for digital tourism solutions. 2) Tourism Data Platforms, Market Intelligence, and Interoperability, which involves advising on the design and implementation of tourism data platforms, establishing data governance, and providing guidance on analytics and AI use cases. 3) Digital Destination Management and Visitor Experience, where the specialist will support clients in designing digital management solutions, promoting omnichannel service design, and ensuring integration with government digital systems. 4) Tourism Enterprise Digitization and Ecosystem Enablement, advising on interventions to accelerate digital adoption by tourism SMEs and supporting the design of shared digital services. 5) Sustainability, Heritage, and Resilience Enablement, which includes supporting digital approaches for sustainability monitoring and crisis readiness. 6) Operational Support, Capacity Building, and Knowledge, providing hands-on support to World Bank operations and delivering training and workshops for client counterparts.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master’s degree in tourism management, economics, public policy, information systems, computer science, data analytics, or a related field that combines tourism sector experience with digital transformation expertise. Additionally, a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in digital tourism, destination management, tourism analytics, or comparable roles is required. Proven ability to translate tourism sector priorities into feasible digital solutions is essential, along with strong expertise in at least two of the following areas: tourism data platforms, destination management systems, SME digitization, marketing" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">digital marketing, and interoperability. Practical experience with data governance and familiarity with cloud platforms and cybersecurity principles are also necessary.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Master’s degree in a relevant field such as tourism management, economics, public policy, information systems, computer science, or data analytics. This educational foundation should ideally combine knowledge of the tourism sector with expertise in digital transformation, equipping the candidate with the necessary skills to address the challenges faced in the digital tourism landscape.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in areas such as digital tourism, destination management, tourism analytics, or digital transformation in service sectors. Candidates should have a proven track record of supporting public-private ecosystems and translating tourism sector priorities into actionable digital solutions, demonstrating their ability to navigate complex environments and deliver results.

Languages:
The mandatory language for this position is English. Proficiency in additional languages would be considered a plus, enhancing the candidate's ability to engage with diverse stakeholders and operate effectively in various cultural contexts.

Additional Notes:
This position is a full-time role with a term duration of 4 years. It is part of an international recruitment effort, indicating that candidates from various countries are encouraged to apply. The World Bank Group offers a comprehensive benefits package, including a retirement plan, medical, life and disability insurance, paid leave, and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. The organization is committed to being an equal opportunity and inclusive employer, ensuring a diverse workforce that does not discriminate based on gender, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.