FIT/Marketing Manager
African Eagle Daytours
Total years of experience :26 years, 4 Months
Learning and understand the operation of Tourmap Web to use as a tool in the execution of my duties.
Creating a training programme for new booking agents - computer based programme that has goals and results by which a staff members progress can be monitored.
Responding to client’s request within a 24 hour response time, 7 days a week
Preparing proposals for the client, considering their needs and expectations as well as the interests and feasibility of the destination.
Providing the client with additional information on the destination, visits, hotels, etc. as may be required for the programme. Making and confirming tour bookings, including, but not limited to: hotels, transport, guides, flights, visits, meals and game drives.
Collection of booking confirmation mails and checking accuracy of confirmed bookings from service providers. Should there be a difference between the booking requested and the confirmation received, negotiate to obtain accurate confirmation from the relevant service providers
Refer to the alternatives to make and confirm booking with alternate service providers should the initial service provider be unable to confirm the original bookings.
Advising client of undesirables within the itinerary, providing alternatives where possible
Liaising with guides to ensure full knowledge of tour prior to commencement, discussing any irregularities. Doing a complete briefing with the tour guides before the commencement of a tour
Providing Accounts Department with accurate information in order to invoice the client and pay suppliers - Request Invoice Number from Accounts Department and follow up on payment from your clients/agents
Providing an Excel Costing for each tour, at the time you prepare your invoice
Methodically and timeously performing the following file checks: Pre-confirmation; Confirmation;
Rooming List; Final, accurately updating the file
Dealing swiftly with any problems that may arise during the course of the tour, ensuring that I kept fully
informed of any problems and actions taken to remedy the problems
Writing reports should it be necessary for quality control and handling any internal queries that may arise regarding a file.
Checking and confirming that booking agents have daily transfers in the system.
Calculating daily shifts for Booking Agents on duty including weekends and public holidays
Advertising of vacancies for new Booking Agents
Training of any new Booking agents and confirming if they have passed their assessment test
Telephonic support to Booking Agents/Consultants after hours and public holiday/weekends
Loading of Pick up times/rates for all tours and transfers on an annual basis
Calculating new rates for tours/transfers on an annual basis
Group Bookings from conception of the tour till departure
Group and FIT Bookings for Cape Town, Garden Route, Johannesburg, Durban, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia
Managing the FIT/Marketing Department, following up on all quotes and confirmed quotations, ensuring that full pre payment has been received for all files.
Assisting with quotations when staff is overloaded with quotes and constantly checking that our website requests and bookings is up to date always including the evenings and weekends
Following up on the marketing consultants and ensuring they have meetings scheduled daily and reporting back with feedback from the Agent/Tour Operators
Checking daily, weekly and monthly turnover for my department ensuring that we are on target with sales/turnover
Meeting with new suppliers/hotels/guesthouses/coach companies and negotiating discounted STO rates so that African Eagle may utilise them on a regular basis
Reporting on a weekly basis to the company Directors, displaying statistics for the company and discussing new ideas of generating increased sales/turnover for the company including feedback on all staff members in my department, upcoming conferences and incentives groups
Mother City Tours - Inbound Tour Operator - Cape Town, South Africa
Travel Desk at the Commodore Hotel
Bookings Consultant at Mother City Tours Offices
Period: January 1998 - September 2000
Position/Duties
Managing the travel desk at the Commodore Hotel and assisting international clients on a one on one basis with their daily requirements for flights, foreign exchange, tours, transfers, accommodation etc. Booking/allocating drivers/guides every evening for tours and transfers that needs to depart the following day.
Replying of both e-mail/telephonic bookings and queries, tracking both guides/drivers on the vehicle tracker system once the tours tours/transfers commences.
English Afrikaans Biology Geography Mathematics Physical Science