The Friends of Sutro Tunnel Charity is seeking a Tourism Director to lead the development and expansion of tourism experiences at the historic Sutro Tunnel and Site. This position is fully funded through a dedicated tourism grant and focuses exclusively on building, enhancing, managing, and sustaining meaningful visitor experiences.
The ideal candidate will be responsible for designing and implementing tourism strategies, forging partnerships, and increasing both visitation and regional awareness of the site. A key focus will be on long-term tourism sustainability and integration with regional tourism initiatives.
This role will:
Lead tourism development with the goal of increasing visitation to the Sutro Tunnel and the greater Dayton area;
Manage a visitor tracking system, volunteer program, and guest engagement efforts;
Cultivate partnerships with organizations such as HSDV, CFHC, the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, and NNDA;
Actively participate in regional tourism collaboratives, including Pony Express Territory and Reno-Tahoe Territory;
Ensure that all tourism growth efforts align with historic preservation values and provide mutual benefit to partner organizations.
This is a mission-driven leadership role for someone passionate about history, community engagement, and rural tourism development.
Key Responsibilities:
Tourism Development, Implementation, and Sustainability: Create, develop, implement, and evaluate tourism experiences such as but not limited to guided tours, interactive exhibits, collaborations, and special events to attract both local and out-of-state visitors.
Systems & Infrastructure Improvement: Implement ticketing, visitor tracking, and promotional strategies to enhance tourism operations. Develop program evaluation and data collection system to measure successes and guide future programming and initiatives. Ensure tourism sustainability through fund development and collaborations. Oversee all grant funded site projects to ensure successful integration and completion.
Strategic Networking & Partnerships: Build relationships with local and state tourism bureaus, chambers of commerce, travel industry professionals, and regional attractions to promote the Sutro Tunnel and Site.
Community Engagement & Public Outreach: Lead public relations and marketing efforts, including collaborations with businesses, media, local historical societies, and community groups to increase awareness of the site. Develop collaborative events with local chambers of commerce, historical societies, nonprofits, and other organizations and businesses. Develop volunteer program for docents, collections accessioning, events assistance with local tourism organizations and other business and nonprofits, and other relevant volunteer involvement.
Grant Compliance & Project Deliverables: Ensure that all tourism initiatives align with grant requirements, including the development of new tourism products and experiences that extend beyond the grant period.
Qualifications & Experience:
· Demonstrated experience in tourism development, destination marketing, or hospitality management.
· Strong networking skills with experience in working with tourism bureaus, chambers of commerce, and travel industry professionals.
· Ability to develop and launch new tourism products, tours, and experiences.
· Familiarity with heritage tourism, cultural tourism, and outdoor recreation-based tourism preferred.
· Project management and organizational skills with the ability to drive initiatives from concept to completion. Fund development experience preferred.
· Experience in public outreach, marketing, and visitor engagement strategies.
· Graduate or undergraduate degree in a relevant field preferred.
· Must possess a valid driver’s license and personal vehicle.
Additional Details:
· This position is fully funded by a tourism grant and is tied to the completion of tourism development initiatives at the Sutro Tunnel.
· The selected candidate must provide a sustainability plan if the role is intended to extend beyond the grant period.
· The role is not administrative—it is focused on creating, developing, and expanding tourism experiences and programs.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and a brief cover letter outlining their experience in tourism development, visitor engagement, and strategic partnerships to info @ thesutrotunnel.org
Job Type: Full-time