This paper defines formation of the concept of "competence", attaches importance to the invariant of professional qualification, and explains core competencies of the marketer. The general and extensive use of the term "competence" in professional education and training has been indicated. It has been noted that recently the marketers' functions in the hotel sphere are in the centre of the commercial attention directly deduced. In current conditions the diversity of tourism requires special attention to the formation of the marketer's professional competence and the need for this formation has been thoroughly justified. It has been stressed on the Ukrainian and foreign scientists' opinions on professional competence. The attention has been drown to the conditions of the professional competence's formation and development. The fact that the result of the professional education is not in the form of graduate's knowledge, but in his practical preparedness to professional life's activities in typical and unusual situations has been confirmed. The list of competencies a person should possess for an effective professional activity has been presented. It has been highlighted that the formation of professional competencies promotes the mastery of students' fundamental knowledge and skills, which generally determines an effective professional activity. It has been approved that the knowledge should be as possible close to life and meet the requirements of the labour market.