SPS Stories
Alumni Spotlight
Realizing Global Dreams with an NYU SPS Degree
Fast Facts
- Earned an MS in Tourism Management from NYU in 2002
- Completed two internships as a student
- Currently a senior executive for North America at the Destination Marketing Organization for the country of Monaco
<p><span class="p-body">Maria Tuttocuore graduated in 2002 with an MS in Tourism Management. She currently works in the NYC office of the Destination Marketing Organization for Monaco—a position she felt she was always destined for.</span></p>
Tiny Country, Large Portfolio
<p><span class="p-body">As senior executive for North America, she oversees leisure development, maintains existing relationships and develops new ones at the B2B level. She works directly with supplier partners in the Principality of Monaco. She also establishes, cultivates, and generates business with luxury consortia and deploys targeted marketing campaigns throughout different channels, but mostly digital.</span></p>
A Windy Road, but Always the Same Destination
<p><span class="p-body">Looking back on her time after NYU, she remembers an itinerant period of her life, moving around a bit before settling back in NYC. "The period after I graduated was a rollercoaster due to everything happening in NYC after 9/11," recalled Tuttocuore. "I started my relationship with the Monaco Government Tourist Office in March of that year. Time really flies; it seems like I began my journey yesterday." </span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">Though Tuttocuore has held many positions, she always knew she wanted to pursue destination marketing. "The numerous facets of the public sector have always fascinated me."</span></p>
Hard Work Pays Off
<p><span class="p-body">Despite the rocky times, Tuttocuore already had experience in the travel industry before attending NYU. However, her time at SPS helped her to focus better on the importance of the human network. "This is paramount in every industry, but even more so in the travel industry," she explained.</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">While taking classes at NYU, Tuttocuore was also able to complete two internships—one at one of the leading hotels in the world and the other one at the New York State Division of Tourism. Having two internships certainly kept her busy, as she dedicated her time to one internship in the morning and the other one in the afternoon—while also attending classes in the evening.</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">"These two experiences, combined with my Master’s in Tourism and Destination Management, literally opened the doors to the Monaco Government Tourist Office a few months after graduation," she concluded.</span></p>
The Best of Both Worlds
<p><span class="p-body">All these years later, Tuttocuore gets to do what she loves in a city she loves as well—advocating on behalf of Monaco, while living in NYC.</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">"I truly love the destination; it never ceases to surprise me. Monaco has a strong history and tradition, but its outlook is towards the future," she beamed. "It is the second smallest country in the world and can fit into half the size of Central Park in New York, but it has lots to share with its visitors!"</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">According to Tuttocuore, Monaco has some magic to it that makes it so unique. "The country is synonymous with luxury and is perceived as exclusive," she cautioned. "Our role at the tourist office is to show that Monaco can be a great place to celebrate a milestone in people's lifetime—it can be the right place for that very special occasion such as a proposal, a career promotion, or an anniversary."</span></p>
Don't Be Shy, Mistakes are Allowed
<p><span class="p-body">Tuttocuore is happy to provide some words of advice for SPS students who wish to follow in her footsteps. And she can sum it up in four words: "Do not be shy!"</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">"NYU can be a powerful career springboard if you take the opportunities that it offers. Attend networking and industry events, volunteer, and do internships. Don't be afraid to ask questions and find a good mentor," she urged. </span></p>
This is the time that you should dedicate to exploring what you'd really like to do as a career—mistakes are allowed. You started a journey and are just at the beginning of your career at NYU, but already on the right path!"
<p><span class="p-body">An <a href="https://www.sps.nyu.edu/homepage/academics/masters-degrees/ms-in-travel-and-tourism-management.html">MS in Tourism Management</a> from NYU SPS can open doors that you may have never imagined were possible. See where you can start the next chapter of your career with a degree from the<a href="https://www.sps.nyu.edu/homepage/academics/divisions-and-departments/jonathan-m--tisch-center-of-hospitality.html"> Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality</a>.</span></p>
