Raji Zakharia, Owner and Managing Director

Raji Zakharia

Owner and Managing Director

Lukreate Travel

Location
Lebanon - Beirut
Education
Bachelor's degree, Hospitality Management & Tourism
Experience
19 years, 3 Months

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Work Experience

Total years of experience :19 years, 3 Months

Owner and Managing Director at Lukreate Travel
  • Lebanon - Tripoli
  • My current job since July 2017

- Developed and executed company’s business strategies
- Prepared and implemented comprehensive business plans for market penetration, business development and cost effective operations
- Supervised set up office operations and retail services
- Developing and implementing marketing strategies (online & off-line); leading work on corporate website
- Developing travel products in collaboration with domestic and international partners
- Budgeting, sales, business development / Contract management
- Overseeing company’s financial and other performance metrics
- Building public relations, networking, representing company on domestic and international markets
- Analyzing problematic situations and occurrences, providing solutions to ensure company’s growth

Direct Sales Team Leader at GoStudy
  • Ukraine - Kyiv
  • My current job since June 2021

- Bringing to the attention of subordinate employees the sales plans and checking their readiness to solve the assigned tasks;
- Organizing the work schedule and the placement of personnel
- Checking the provision of employees with material, technical, information resources necessary to fulfill the duties assigned to them, taking measures to prevent downtime, accidents, temporary work stoppages;
- Evaluating the work quality of each employee, rational use of working time;
- Analyzing dialogues, attitudes towards clients; monitoring the professional behavior of employees;
- Providing employees with the necessary instructions for the performance of work, which are mandatory for them.
- Organizing training and personal mentoring for employees;
- Determining the criteria for the requirements for job candidates and takes part in the interviewing process;
- Preparing reports on the implementation of sales plans and submits them to the superior manager

Director of Business Development at Amwaj Rotana, JBR
  • United Arab Emirates - Dubai
  • December 2011 to February 2017

- Establish and develop relationship with high volume accounts, which contributed in generating over 55%from YTD budget with 2.5% growth vs LY.
- Grow business with large accounts by over 25% in generated revenue.
- Plan and execute sales trips which helped to establish a solid footprint in the Saudi Market.
- Access business leads, negotiate contracts that boosted hotel revenue by 7.2%in Q1 2016.
- Develop new business in existing markets and open new markets, increasing hotel STR performance by two points vs the comp set.
- Hire and train new business development executives.
- Implement sales & marketing plans with markets specifics; increasing new business by over 20%.

Senior Sales Manager at Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts
  • United Arab Emirates - Dubai
  • September 2007 to December 2011

Managing and developing existing accounts, bringing new business by searching new potential accounts in domestic and international markets; creating marketing and sales plans/ strategies;
Contracting, allocations, implementing all sales action plans related to the marketing areas;
Preparing and executing market sales trips (regional and international) on a monthly-quarterly base;
Developing and conducting marketing projects /events for leisure & corporate accounts with sales team;
Representing hotel at international exhibitions (ATM - Dubai, WTM - London, road shows within GCC and Europe
Grew leisure segment by 12.5% by efficient account management and hands-on approach in business development
Established strong business relationship with local, GCC & international leisure markets, government sector
Promoted hotel at domestic and international exhibitions and road shows in Europe & ME
Developed and executed marketing projects /events for leisure & corporate accounts

Service Manager at Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts
  • United Arab Emirates - Dubai
  • October 2006 to September 2007

Ensured smooth running of the day to day hotel’s operations;
Ensured the standards and quality services are provided by the hotel;
Handled guests’ complaints and ensured a quality response to complaints in order to transfer guests’ dissatisfaction into self contentment;
Maintained general supervision of FO staff in order to ensure compliance with Hotel’s policies and procedures;
Monitored, motivated and leaded staff to ensure a positive team work environment;
Coached all new FO employees and developed existing employees to ensure maximum performance and growth are obtained;
Maintained effectiveness and efficiency of the hotel’s shifts operations;
Ensured that all accounting auditing practices are in line with company’s practices and governmental requirements;
Ensured that the highest standards of hospitality and welcome are demonstrated at all times at the Front Desk.

Duty Manager at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
  • United Arab Emirates - Dubai
  • October 2004 to September 2006

Managed the FO operations and ensured the delivery of high quality customer focused services;
Welcome guests in a professional and friendly manner, satisfied guest’s need and expectation from arrival through to departure;
Created a positive environment in which employees can provide the highest levels of quality service and products for the hotel’s customers;
Maintained the awareness of occupancy and rates to be sold on a daily basis along with pro-active sales of the hotel’s services to a walk-in guests;
Maintained effective communications with all related departments to ensure smooth service’s delivery;
Supervised all Front Desk employees ensuring guests are taken care of in a professional and friendly manner;
Maintained up to date knowledge of hotel’s and local services and provided information and responded to guest’s queries;
Ensured all guest registrations are completed and correspond with Opera PMS guest’s information;
Ensured that the Guest Service Desk is manned and operationally prepared at all times in order to be always available for guests as a point of contact

Education

Bachelor's degree, Hospitality Management & Tourism
  • at Notre Dame University
  • August 1997

Specialties & Skills

Hospitality
Action Plans
Hospitality Management
Action Planning

Languages

Arabic
Expert
English
Expert
French
Intermediate
Russian
Beginner

Training and Certifications

Shipping and Freight Forwarding Management / Manager (Certificate)
Date Attended:
December 2017
Maximizing Meeting & Event Sales (Training)
Training Institute:
TSA Training Services
Date Attended:
September 2010
Effective Selling Neuro Linguistic Programming – NLP (Training)
Training Institute:
NLP
Managing People Performance Program (Training)
Training Institute:
Rotana Hotels & Resorts
Date Attended:
February 2014
Sales Success (Training)
Training Institute:
Rezidor Business School
Date Attended:
June 2010
Interviewing & Selection Skills Program (Training)
Training Institute:
Rotana Hotels & Resorts
Date Attended:
October 2013