Intermediate Travel Designer -Trade & Media

at  Wilderness

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Qualification: Matric certificate – with maths (minimum standard grade or above)
Tertiary certificate in Travel & Tourism/hospitality.
Experience: 2-3 years’ experience at Intermediate level.
Experience in handling customer relationships and developing & promoting product and services in the inbound travel industry.
Computer Literate (Microsoft Office, email, Internet)
Proven English literacy.
Working knowledge of TourPlan and WISH or similar booking/operating system. General product knowledge on Southern & East Africa.
Personal or educational travel experience advantageous.
Excellent attention to detail.
Skills: Excellent communication skills both written and oral, in English.
Foreign language skills advantageous
Personal Abilities: Creative, organised and good communication skills. Ability to work under pressure without compromising accuracy. Ability to pace oneself and prioritise demands. Team worker and ability to interface with various departments. Good follow up skills. Consistent approach to quality of output, service and result orientated. Good administrator and professional in all dealings. Dedicated to customer satisfaction and wanting to “go the extra mile”. Self-starter with high energy levels.
Interests: A passion for wildlife, hospitality, a commitment to sustainability and conservation

PRIMARY PURPOSE

Assisting agents, media and prize winners with their travel requests.
To secure, cost and present product to the agent/guest accurately, efficiently, timeously by creating inspirational luxury travel. Have an excellent knowledge and good geographical understanding of all Southern and East African destinations as well as day-to-day regional logistics.

DETAILED RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop relationships with Agents, PR Companies, Prize Winners and Internal Sales.

• Liaise with the Sales Managers on sales potential and any development on the agent relationship for all bookings.

• Working closely with the PR and Marketing Team
• Continuous communication and excellent service delivery to agents, media and prize winnesr at all times.
• Build relationships based on trust and support.

• Liasing with the Reservation Managers regarding any specific agent needs.

General

• Keep booking information updated. (Data capturing).
• Keep updated with all Wilderness and 3rd party product (AP), as well as technology updates.
• Streamline operational negotiations by also reducing dead beds, waitlist chasing and maximising camp operations role to create those life changing journeys for guests.
• Liaise with RARA if rates, accommodation, transit points and activities are not loaded or correctly linked on the WW.
• Attend all Wilderness and AP training on a weekly basis, this knowledge facilitates exceeding expectations and accuracy in the booking process.

• Keep apprised of company policies, procedures and system updates.

  Quoting bookings – Design, develop and plan guests’ journeys

• Quote accurately and timeously keeping in mind our strategic and preferred AP

• For special needs/high risk guests, follow protocol to ensure the guests are safe to travel in the planned journey.
• Be mindful of deadbeds and overlapping with other discounted bookings. (Media, Agents, Prize Winners)
• Understand the agents/guests needs in each booking.
• Design itineraries around company guidelines and product knowledge e.g. area, variety, product status and service consistency in accommodation standard, distances travelled and time saving aspects.
• Follow up on all outstanding provisional bookings with the agents, consistently understanding the yield implication of provisional space held.
• Follow up on daily WISH/WW expiry reports with Agents ensuring no bookings are auto released and bookings are managed effectively.

• Maintain booking file (electronically) incl. -Agent correspondence, AP correspondence, costings, , confirmations, invoices should be loaded in the WW, under Admin / Private Documentation.

Confirmed Bookings in accordance with company procedures

• Once an agent confirms a booking in writing, a deposit invoice is to be sent and booking handed over to the Operations Specialist to action - Once payment is receipted, confirm all services required and to cancel those services not needed in the system and relevant AP provider.
• Create the automated deposit invoice including all services that are confirmed and need to be delivered in accordance to the agents agreed T&Cs, ensure bookings are not exposed on the TFS reports.
• Ensure that the deposit requirements in the WW match what the AP advises on the quote to mitigate exposure risk in each booking.
• Process any additional changes/updates after confirmation to the itinerary.
• Identify and obtain all relevant information for passing a credit note as required and authorised with the Operations Manager. Ensuring this been applied correctly.
• Confirm that all services not required have been cancelled by the Operations Specialist prior to invoicing final invoice.
• Highlight all VIP guests to the relevant Sales and Reservations Managers and the dedicated Travel Designer(reservations and sales)
• All required travel information to be obtained from the Agent and sent to the Operations Specialist e.g. bed configuration, dietaries, ages of children, group dynamics and any other additional information from the agent. (Guest Information Form - ensure we have passport numbers)
• Review guest travel docs completed in conjunction with the operations team support and ensure details are correct prior to sending out to the agent.