Tourism Recruitment Agency in Belgium

Archetype recruits sales, marketing and leadership roles for tourism businesses in Belgium: sales directors of hotel groups or leisure parks, MICE and business events managers, business developers for tour operators and B2B agencies, marketing directors and general managers. Our core business is sales, marketing and management profiles, which account for over 90% of our assignments. French, Dutch and English; retainer; 12 weeks on average; 6-month replacement guarantee; since 1993.

Hotel sales director showing a seminar room to two corporate clients — Belgian tourist accommodation recorded 46,136,112 nights in 2025, according to Eurostat.

46 million nights, over half by non-residents

According to Eurostat, Belgian tourist accommodation recorded 46,136,112 nights in 2025, of which 23,360,818 by non-residents and 21,428,505 in hotels. Every other night is sold to a foreign guest, often through a tour operator, an agency or an association running a congress. Those B2B sales, plus business travel, are what the roles on this page carry.

One difficulty comes up often: the sector trains mostly operators, fewer B2B sellers. Some hotel sales managers come from front office or events, know their product inside out and have rarely run an annual negotiation with a buyer. People who can do both are courted by large groups, at salaries an independent property does not always plan for.

What a tourism salesperson sells

The product is perishable capacity: a room or meeting space unsold tonight cannot be sold tomorrow. The salesperson negotiates allotment contracts with tour operators, annual rates with corporate buyers, meeting packages with event managers and bids for congresses, working with the revenue manager who sets prices, and must defend a rate rather than fill at any price.

Archetype matrix

Client segment, counterpart, languages and KOAN competency to test in interview

Segment	Client-side counterpart	Languages often required	KOAN competency to test
Corporate seminars and conferences	Event manager, office manager, event agency	French, Dutch, English	Responsiveness
International association congresses	Organising committee, professional congress organiser	English first, then French or Dutch	Communicating and Networking
Tour operators and group travel	Tour operator contracting lead	English plus the target market’s language	Influencing Strategies
Corporate accounts, business travel	Travel manager, buyer	French, Dutch, English	Customer Orientation

Our recruitment team works in French, Dutch and English. All 10 competencies of the KOAN Sales model are assessed for every candidate; the matrix shows the one that weighs most per segment.

Our principle of transparency is one of our core values: saying what needs to be said, even when it’s uncomfortable. In practice, that means we’ll tell you if your salary range is misaligned with the market. We’ll tell you if the candidate you’re set on raises a red flag on a critical point. We’ll tell you if the training you’re asking for won’t solve the problem you’re describing. Everyone says they value transparency; few accept its relational cost. We do.
The Archetype method, since 1993

Sales roles in demand in tourism

We recruit business developers for MICE, groups and tour operators, sales directors for hotel groups, leisure parks and congress centres, marketing managers, corporate key account managers, and general managers. For roles focused on foreign markets, see our international recruitment approach. Tourism is not one of our nine core sectors: we apply the same sales recruitment method as for service companies.

Method, timing and fees

Briefing, sourcing strategy, structured screening, detailed presentation, follow-up before, during and after the hire. At the briefing we compare your salary range with the market and tell you if it is likely to block the search. Proposal within 48 to 72 hours of the first call. Fees are set before the assignment starts, in a written proposal, on a retainer basis: never a success fee. 6-month replacement guarantee.

About Archetype

Archetype is a Belgian family business founded in 1993 by Marc Diamant and now co-managed with Davy Diamant and Steve Diamant. A member of Federgon, it won Talent Business Innovation of the Year 2025 for its ethical and structured use of AI.

Tourism recruitment: frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to hire a tourism sales director?

Fees are set before the assignment starts, in a written proposal, on a retainer basis: never a success fee. 6-month replacement guarantee.

How long does it take?

12 weeks on average from signing the assignment to the candidate signing.

Do you recruit hotel or restaurant staff?

No. Our core business is sales, marketing and management profiles, which account for over 90% of our assignments. For those roles, use a temporary staffing agency specialised in hospitality or post your vacancy through Forem, VDAB or Actiris.