Visitor attraction general manager

Visitor attraction general managers look after the operation and finances of an attraction, and the health and safety of staff and visitors.

In this guide

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In your day-to-day duties, you could:

  • manage budgets
  • work with suppliers, local government, trade bodies and the media
  • oversee health and safety procedures
  • recruit and train staff
  • manage staff and lead meetings
  • develop new business opportunities
  • promote the attraction to increase visitor numbers

Working environment

You could work at an information centre, at monuments and castles, in a museum, at an art gallery or at a zoo.

Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could progress to senior roles like divisional, regional or group director.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • business management skills
  • leadership skills
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to sell products and services
  • maths knowledge
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You may need a driving licence for some jobs.

Most relevant

  • Business - Visitor attraction general managers run an attraction as a business – managing budgets, developing new revenue streams, and working with suppliers and trade bodies. Understanding business planning, financial management, and organisational strategy is central to the role.
  • Mathematics - Visitor attraction general managers work with budgets, ticket pricing, visitor number forecasts, and financial reports on a daily basis. Strong numeracy skills help them track income and expenditure, analyse trends, and make sound financial decisions.

Also relevant

  • Economics - Visitor attraction general managers need to understand how factors like consumer spending, tourism trends, and local economic conditions affect visitor numbers. This helps them set pricing strategies and plan for seasonal fluctuations in demand.
  • Accounting - Visitor attraction general managers oversee budgets and financial performance, which means reading financial statements, tracking costs, and ensuring the attraction remains profitable. Understanding how accounts work helps them make informed decisions about spending and investment.
  • English Language - Visitor attraction general managers communicate with a wide range of people – from staff and local government to the media and the public. They write promotional materials, reports, and press releases, and need to be persuasive and clear in both written and spoken communication.
  • Geography - Visitor attraction general managers often work at sites connected to the natural or built environment – such as national parks, castles, or heritage sites. Understanding tourism geography, including how places attract visitors and the impact of tourism on local communities, is directly relevant.
  • History - Visitor attraction general managers frequently work at museums, monuments, castles, and sites of cultural or historical interest. Having a good understanding of history helps them develop engaging exhibits, interpret the site's story for visitors, and work credibly with curators and heritage organisations.
  • Psychology - Visitor attraction general managers recruit, train, and lead teams of staff, which requires understanding what motivates people and how to manage different personalities. Insights into consumer behaviour also help when designing marketing campaigns and improving the visitor experience.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly

There is no set entry route to become a visitor attraction general manager but it may be useful to do a relevant foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

  • tourism
  • resort management
  • marketing
  • business management

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

You could work towards this role by doing a subject like a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Leisure and Tourism.

This would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need and may help you to get a job as a trainee assistant manager.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

More Information

It may be possible to work your way into this job by starting in a customer service or hospitality role, with an attraction, and apply for promotion when you've got enough experience.

You can apply directly for jobs if you've got relevant skills and knowledge. For example, you'll have an advantage if you've worked in visitor attraction management, or have experience in leisure, hospitality, catering or retail management.

Career tips

You're likely to find work with local authorities, theme parks, national parks, museums and sites of cultural and historical interest.

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