Country Manager GCC in Riyadh
Are you ready to promote Switzerland in GCC?
Switzerland Tourism is the marketing organization for the national and international promotion of Switzerland as a vacation, travel and convention destination. Each day, the 280 employees at our Zurich headquarters and in 35 offices in 21 markets use innovative and unconventional means to market Switzerland as an especially attractive and diverse travel destination.
As Country Manager GCC, you will hold overall responsibility for the strategic development, market positioning, and operational management of Switzerland Tourism activities across Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar. You will lead a multicultural team based in Riyadh and Dubai and play a key role in strengthening Switzerland's position as a preferred destination for GCC travellers. Reporting to the Chief Markets Officer East, you will be responsible for delivering market growth, building strategic partnerships, managing key stakeholder relationships, and ensuring the successful implementation of Switzerland Tourism’s global and regional strategies.
Your area of responsibility
- Lead and develop the GCC team across both Riyadh and Dubai
- Drive the implementation of Switzerland Tourism's strategy and marketing activities across the region
- Develop and execute annual business and marketing plans, including budget and KPI management
- Strengthen the positioning of the Switzerland brand in the GCC market
- Build and maintain strong relationships with Swiss tourism partners, key accounts, media, government authorities, and industry stakeholders
- Identify and leverage new distribution, communication, and marketing opportunities, including digital channels, social media, partnerships, and AI-driven initiatives
- Develop and implement B2B and B2C marketing and sales activities
- Monitor market developments, provide market intelligence, and ensure transparent reporting to headquarters and stakeholders
- Drive sustainable growth and business development across all GCC markets
Our Expectations
- Swiss national
- Minimum 5 years of experience in international marketing, tourism, destination marketing, or a related industry
- Proven leadership experience with strong people management capabilities
- Solid understanding of international tourism trends and GCC market dynamics (including the Luxury Market)
- Established network within the Swiss tourism industry; GCC market contacts are a strong advantage
- Entrepreneurial mindset with a hands-on approach and strong execution skills
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and intercultural management skills
- Strong affinity for digital technologies, social media, innovation, and AI tools
- Fluent in English and at least one Swiss national language (German, French, or Italian). Arabic language skills are a plus
- Passion for Switzerland, travel, and cross-cultural collaboration
- Willingness to travel extensively within the GCC region (approximately 30%+)
Your Benefit
- A highly visible leadership position within an internationally recognized destination marketing organization
- The opportunity to shape the future development of one of Switzerland Tourism's most important growth markets
- A dynamic, entrepreneurial, and international working environment
- Collaboration with a motivated team and a broad network across Switzerland and the GCC region
- Competitive employment conditions and professional development opportunities
- Workplace in Riyadh (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) inside the Swiss Embassy
- Starting date: to be defined