tourism service jobs

About Karlson Tourism

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Careers at State of Washington Tourism

State of Washington Tourism (SWT) is the official Destination Marketing and Management Organization for the State of Washington. SWT is a membership-based nonprofit that works to promote travel to and within the state through advertising, public relations, travel trade relationships, social media, and industry development and travel management.

SWT offers a fully remote work environment within Washington State. All staff members must live in Washington State or be willing to relocate at their own expense.

Current Career Opportunities

There are no openings at this time. Please check back.

Request for Proposals

Facilitator, rural tourism support program.

Budget: $240,000  Term: 2 years/cycles   Status: Contract  Reports to: Director of Tourism Development and Strategic Partnership 

SWT is seeking the services of a destination development consultant to design and facilitate the Rural Tourism Support (RTS) program. Launched in 2021, the RTS program serves as a vital resource for underserved communities. This program focuses on a long-term, community-based approach to sustainable destination development. The facilitator will work with SWT and a committee of local stakeholders to tailor the RTS program for a specific region, according to industry and community needs.

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Journey to Moscow

   Welcome to Moscow - the capital of Russia, its political, scientific, historical, architectural and business centre, from which power and might of the Russian state developed.

10 Jobs Facing Immediate Cutbacks in This Economy

Posted: March 26, 2024 | Last updated: March 26, 2024

In the ever-shifting landscape of the economy, certain professions find themselves on shaky ground, facing imminent cutbacks. From advancements in technology to economic downturns, the reasons are varied, but the impact is significant. In this blog, we’ll get into the ten roles most vulnerable to immediate cutbacks. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and prepare for what lies ahead. Keep reading to see 10 jobs that are facing immediate reduction due to challenges in the economy.

Travel Agent

Widespread adoption of online booking platforms has empowered consumers to independently research and book their travel arrangements, bypassing the need for intermediary agents. This shift towards self-service options has diminished the demand for traditional travel agent services. Additionally, economic downturns often prompt individuals and businesses to tighten their budgets, leading to decreased spending on discretionary items such as travel.

Telemarketer

Telemarketing jobs are facing cutbacks primarily due to shifts in consumer preferences and technological advancements. Thanks to the rise of digital marketing channels such as email marketing, social media advertising, and search engine optimization, businesses are increasingly investing in more targeted and cost-effective methods to reach their customers.

Plus, stricter regulations on telemarketing practices, such as “do-not-call” lists and opt-in requirements, have limited the effectiveness of traditional telemarketing campaigns.

Recruiting jobs are decreasing due to several factors. One significant reason is the growing adoption of automated recruitment software and artificial intelligence (AI) tools, which streamline candidate sourcing, screening, and matching processes. These technologies offer efficiency gains and cost savings for businesses, reducing the need for manual intervention by recruiters.

On top of that, economic uncertainties and fluctuations in hiring demands have led some companies to tighten their budgets and reevaluate their recruitment strategies, resulting in reduced hiring volumes and, consequently, fewer roles for recruiters.

Cashier jobs are at risk primarily due to the increasing integration of self-checkout systems and advancements in cashier-less technology within retail environments. These automated solutions offer efficiency gains for businesses while reducing labor costs associated with traditional cashier roles.

In addition, the ongoing shift towards online shopping and contactless payment methods, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, further diminishes the demand for in-person cashier transactions.

Switchboard Operator

With the widespread adoption of digital telecommunications and automated phone systems, businesses no longer rely on manual switchboard operators to manage incoming calls. Instead, automated systems efficiently route calls without the need for human intervention, resulting in decreased demand for switchboard operator roles.

Bank Teller

As more customers opt for online and mobile banking, there is a decreased demand for in-person transactions handled by bank tellers. Advancements in banking technology have also enabled self-service options such as mobile check deposit and electronic funds transfers, further reducing the need for traditional teller services.

Advancements in technology, particularly in artificial intelligence and machine learning, have enabled businesses to streamline data entry processes, minimizing the need for manual input. Additionally, economic pressures and the need for cost-saving measures have prompted companies to seek more efficient and cost-effective alternatives, such as outsourcing data entry tasks or implementing software solutions that automate repetitive tasks.

Post Office Clerk

As more people opt for electronic communication methods, such as email and online transactions, the volume of mail processed by postal services has declined. This decreased demand for postal services has led to a decrease in the need for clerks to handle mail sorting, processing, and customer service tasks. On top of that, the implementation of automated systems and self-service options within postal facilities has further reduced the requirement for human clerks.

Administrative Assistant

Tasks once handled by administrative assistants, such as scheduling, document management, and correspondence, can now be efficiently managed through software and online platforms. In addition, the shift towards remote work and virtual communication has reduced the need for in-person administrative support. Companies are increasingly relying on digital assistants, project management software, and virtual collaboration tools, diminishing the demand for traditional secretary roles.

Customer Service Representative

Customer service jobs are becoming less necessary in this economy due to the widespread adoption of automation and self-service technologies. Economic pressures and the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated this trend, prompting businesses to prioritize efficiency and cost-effectiveness by reducing the need for on-site representatives and outsourcing functions.

The post 10 Jobs Facing Immediate Cutbacks in This Economy appeared first on SheBudgets .

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Money Report

Your vacation was ruined, and the company apologized — with a heartfelt note written by ChatGPT

By monica pitrelli,cnbc • published may 5, 2024 • updated on may 5, 2024 at 5:36 pm.

Responding to angry customers is one of the hardest parts of her job, Natasha said.

Finding the right words, conveying the appropriate level of contrition — especially when the hotel isn't at fault (read: rain complaints) — is a tedious and time-consuming process, said the director of a five-star resort, who asked that CNBC not use her real name to protect the resort's name.

But now she has a secret weapon: generative AI.

Natasha pastes a traveler's complaint into ChatGPT and asks the chatbot to write a response.

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She said a task that would easily take her an hour is done "in two seconds."

'A pretty good job'

For all its faults, ChatGPT "does a pretty good job" responding to customer complaints, Natasha said.

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"One [response] was much better than what I would have done," she said. But "it has to be checked ...you have to read through it."

Responses tend to be "schmaltzy" and adjective-laden, she said. Still, they "hit the points of like 'We're sorry, we wish we could have done something, we'll do better' kind of thing."

They also address every complaint mentioned by a traveler.

"It's hard to write these letters; you have to go through line-by-line," she said. "You wouldn't be doing the person justice, if you didn't respond to everything on the list … the AI does this really well."

But best of all, artificial intelligence isn't defensive like humans, said Natasha.   

"The AI takes all the emotion out of it. Maybe the people were ass-----," she said. "It doesn't care."

The 'ghosting' risk

Responding to negative online reviews is even harder, said Natasha, since they are so public.

Plus, research shows that companies that don't respond to online reviews — even positive ones — can harm their brand's reputation.

In a ranking of U.S. hotel chains by their "online reputations," the tech company SOCi found that a driving factor for low scores was "ghosting" — that is, failure to respond to traveler reviews.

The need to constantly monitor and respond to online feedback is partly why using generative AI for "reputational management" is worth an estimated $1.3 billion to the travel industry, according to a 2023 report published by the travel market research company Skift.

Not only can large language models track sites where travel reviews appear — from TripAdvisor to Yelp to Reddit — they can also help companies "respond to reviews, especially negative ones," the report, titled " Generative AI's Impact on Travel ," states.

Some 45% of hotels use reputation or review management software already, it said.

But short-term rental owners use AI for these purposes too, said Luca Zambello, the CEO of the short-term rental property management platform Jurny .

"The short-term rental/Airbnb industry has been early adopters," he said. "Within the next five years, I would say it is probably going to be adopted by the vast majority of the industry."

He said responding to reviews is time-consuming, which is one of the reasons his company provides this service.

"The majority of our users absolutely love it," he said. "It is really a no-brainer for companies once they see how good it is."

An open secret

Using AI to write penitent responses is a taboo topic in the travel industry, which prides itself on personal service. Conventional wisdom, too, has long held that apologies must "come from the heart."

When asked if she wants travelers to know she uses AI to respond to negative emails and reviews, Natasha said, "I sure do not. I want people to think that I am sitting there toiling away over their letter."

One company that acknowledges using AI to deal with customer complaints is the travel booking platform Voyagu , which stores past customer communications to help travel advisors with future interactions, a company representative said.

"Travel advisors always reply to customers themselves, but Voyagu's AI system tracks all communication — both written and verbal — and suggests a better way to respond," she said.

Brad Birnbaum, CEO of the AI-powered customer service company Kustomer , said technology of this sort is being used "not just within hospitality, but really all forms of customer support."

His company, which counts Priceline, Hopper and AvantStay as customers, uses AI to help customer service agents sound more professional, he said.  

"We will take text that is really rough and convert it to elegant text, to empathetic text," he said.

Birnbaum said customers likely don't know that their interactions with agents are either generated or improved by AI.

"And I don't think they would care," he said. "As a matter of fact, I think they probably welcome an agent system because they're going to get a better response faster."

More discovering it

Michael Friedman, CEO of the family-run vacation rental company Simple Life Hospitality , said his company does not use AI to respond to customers.

"We never write an email with AI," he said. 'There is still a personal element in the 'tone of voice' that I believe AI is missing. … I believe there is nothing better than the human touch."

Wanping Aw, managing director of the Japanese travel agency Tokudaw , said she had never thought to use AI to respond to customer complaints. But after learning that other travel companies are, she decided to test ChatGPT with a real-life problem she recently faced.

She typed: "Our guests are travelling to Mt Fuji. Their bus engine just started smoking. They are scared and anxious to know what is going to happen to their itinerary. What should we do?"

The result? "PRETTY AMAZING!" she told CNBC by email. "ChatGPT suggested exactly what we did!"

The chatbot provided a six-step plan that included evacuating the travelers and arranging alternative transportation.  

"Actually it's better," she said. "ChatGPT provided a good solution — better than my expectations — and also a great apology letter which I wouldn't have able been to write under such stressful situations."

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