Tourism Economics is a subsidiary of Oxford Economics dedicated to analytical consulting in the tourism sector. We are seeking a high-caliber economist to join our expanding team and be based in the Philadelphia area, PA (USA) offices - Center-city, or Wayne location.
Examples of our work include:
- tracking, modeling, and forecasting travel sector performance,
- quantifying the economic impact of visitors, events, and destination marketing, and,
- conducting policy and market analysis, and bespoke research.
Our clients include destination marketing organizations at the city, state, and national levels; leading industry trade associations; and major corporate owners, operators, and brands in the travel sector. We have a longstanding relationship with many of our clients, typically through subscription-based services or recurring studies. We serve a global client base from our offices in the US and UK.
Key Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of the senior economist role include:
- Preparing insightful, quantitative analysis of travel-sector trends, including analysis and forecasts of measures such as trips, visitor spending, employment, income, and tax revenue. For example, developing and operating econometric forecast models, preparing data and analytical insights in support of client deliverables, and preparing occasional research briefings as part of subscription-based forecast services.
- Analyzing the economic impact of tourism from national to local levels, including preparing data, updating models, and drafting presentation-format reports.
- Ensuring quality and consistency in results by being mindful of previous approaches, data limitations, and potential inconsistencies, and by being detail oriented.
In this position, you will apply a strong grounding in economic concepts and research methods. You will assist with econometric model pipelines in R and/or Python, drawing on our internal data warehouse and third-party data. You will gain familiarity with customized use of the IMPLAN software for economic impact analysis. As your capabilities expand, the role will grow to include managing more customized research such as scenario forecasts and policy analysis to support client decision-making.
Skills & Experience
- Prior experience working as a professional economist with demonstrated abilities in managing increasingly complex research tasks.
- Master’s level degree preferred
- Excellent analytical and quantitative skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Practical experience preparing and analyzing data, and developing econometric models, using software such as R, Python or Eviews, and experience with data visualization software such as Tableau, is desirable
- Ability to work effectively in teams across offices and within tight deadlines
- Ability to plan workload, ensuring sufficient time for quality assurance from senior colleagues
- Attention to detail and a commitment to going the extra mile to produce rigorous, accurate work, within the constraints of the time and resources available.
About Oxford Economics
Oxford Economics was founded in 1981 as a commercial venture with Oxford University’s business college to provide economic forecasting and modelling to UK companies and financial institutions expanding abroad. Since then, we have become one of the world’s foremost independent global advisory firms, providing reports, forecasts and analytical tools on 200 countries, 120 industrial sectors and over 6,000 cities. Our best-of-class global economic and industry models and analytical tools give us an unparalleled ability to forecast external market trends and assess their economic, social and business impact.
Headquartered in Oxford, England, with regional centres in London, New York, and Singapore, Oxford Economics has offices across the globe. We employ over 450 full-time people, including more than 250 professional economists, industry experts and business editors—one of the largest teams of macroeconomists and thought leadership specialists. Our global team is highly skilled in a full range of research techniques and thought leadership capabilities, from econometric modelling, scenario framing, and economic impact analysis to market surveys, case studies, expert panels, and web analytics.
Oxford Economics is a key adviser to corporate, financial and government decision-makers and thought leaders. Our worldwide client base now comprises over 1200 international organisations, including leading multinational companies and financial institutions; key government bodies and trade associations; and top universities, consultancies, and think tanks.
Oxford Economics is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.
