Senior Travel Designer

The Senior Travel Designer is primarily responsible for generating and increasing sales by efficiently and accurately securing, costing, and presenting travel journeys to sales agents. This role requires a strong sales focus, excellent relationship-building skills with agents, and the provision of outstanding customer service, all while operating in a highly competitive industry with strict deadlines. The successful candidate must possess extensive knowledge of Southern and East African destinations, regional logistics, and in-depth supplier information to foster mutually beneficial partnerships with preferred partners, their lodges, and locations. The position is crucial for business growth and success, leveraging expertise and a strong sales drive.

1. Develop and maintain strong relationships with sales agents, including attending familiarization trips when necessary.
2. Generate and increase sales by efficiently securing, costing, and presenting travel itineraries to agents.
3. Provide prompt service to sales agents, ensuring effective communication and adherence to tight deadlines.
4. Demonstrate a strong sales focus and commitment to the success of each booking.
5. Liaise with the Reservations Manager regarding sales potential and agent relationship developments.
6. Ensure continuous communication and excellent service delivery to agents.
7. Manage new requests from sales agents, from quoting to provisional booking, aligning with client requirements for quick confirmation.
8. Quote accurately and promptly, utilizing strategic and preferred partners and upselling where appropriate.
9. Build strong connections with supplier reservations teams to gain benefits.
10. Maximize beneficial relationships with preferred partners, their lodges, and locations.
11. Apply applicable specials and make necessary notes as per partner systems.
12. Flag concerns for special needs/high-risk guests with incident management teams and follow protocols.
13. Streamline sales negotiations by reducing dead beds, managing waitlists, and maximizing camp yield during provisional stages, aiming to upsell Wilderness camps.
14. Liaise with RARA for rate, accommodation, transit, or activity loading issues on the system.
15. Raise concerns with the integration specialist for system-related issues.
16. Understand sales agents' needs, including urgency, and prioritize direct communication.
17. Possess excellent understanding of sales agencies' preferred supplier lists and product knowledge for quick alternatives.
18. Follow up on all outstanding provisional bookings, understanding yield implications.
19. Monitor daily expiry reports to prevent auto-releases and manage bookings effectively.
20. Maintain provisional bookings with all relevant documents and guest information uploaded.
21. Correspond with suppliers to hold space, room types, and flights, utilizing online facilities for faster responses.
22. Escalate supplier service delivery issues to Res managers or product managers.
23. Handle all provisional changes efficiently, communicating status to sales agents.
24. Ensure provisional bookings match client payments and applied offers before handover for confirmation.
25. Possess excellent and intimate geographical knowledge of Southern and East African destinations.
26. Stay updated on regional logistics and industry trends.
27. Maintain in-depth supplier knowledge for accurate information provision.
28. Keep updated with all Wilderness and third-party products and technology updates.
29. Understand strategic and preferred suppliers, their deals, specials, and packages, and negotiate benefits without compromising guest experience.
30. Continuously update product knowledge through training and research.
31. Participate in industry events, trade shows, and familiarization trips as required.
32. Stay informed about company policies, procedures, and system updates.
33. Embrace continuous learning, seeking feedback for personal and professional growth.

1. Minimum Tertiary certificate in Travel & Tourism/Hospitality.
2. 4-5 years of senior experience in inbound travel, handling customer relationships, product promotion, and journey building.
3. In-depth knowledge of Southern and East Africa.
4. Personal or educational travel experience is advantageous.
5. Knowledge of Mozambique, Mauritius, and Seychelles is an added advantage.
6. Computer literate (Microsoft Office: Outlook, Teams, Excel, Word).
7. Working knowledge of TourPlan and WETU or similar booking/operating systems.
8. Excellent attention to detail.
9. Dynamic, creative, organized, and excellent communication skills.
10. Ability to thrive under pressure in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines without compromising accuracy.
11. Strong problem-solving skills and ability to maintain high-quality output.
12. Highly detailed product knowledge for presenting alternatives quickly.
13. Strong financial skills, self-starter with high integrity and ethical conduct.