Product & Holidays Manager (Saudia Holidays)
The Cohen International Group
Total years of experience :16 years, 8 Months
• Leading the holiday product formulation from developing the strategy through managing campaign execution with strategic thinking.
• Leading the translation of the business and guest insights and research into an actionable product strategy.
• Manage internal and third party (Saudia Holidays) product teams, DMC’s and other supplier relationships.
• Leading cross-functional relationships to create holistic seamless and effective multichannel work, including but limited to get Insights, Media, Finance, DMC’S, Hotel chains, Promotional marketing, Publicity, Events, Own brands, Website site merchandising, Digital Channel owners and any other affiliated partners.
• Cultivate strong partnership both internally and externally to support short term and long-term objectives.
• Presenting products and strategic points of view to executive’s/directors and other key partners for input or approvals.
• Understanding and balancing guest needs, Saudia’s brand equity and business priorities to maximize marketing effectiveness.
• Leveraging tools, recourses and investment’s effectively and efficiently to drive business and financial goals.
• Developing strategies to hit or exceed sales targets.
• Promoting and Marketing the Business, sometimes to new or niche markets & increasing the brand awareness.
• Managing budgets and maintaining statistical/financial records.
• Marketing unique travel products and tour packages.
• Coordinating with travel partners, including airlines, transport suppliers, hotels and other key partners to manage bookings and negotiate special rates to offer competitive rates.
• Sourcing products and destinations to meet consumer demands for bespoke travel and sustainable tourism.
• Participating in travel fairs, road shows, and sales visits to new, existing destinations to gather information on issues and amenities of interest to consumers.
• Continuously encouraging the teams to achieve their targets and safeguard the establishment’s success.
Meeting regularly with team leaders to give them sales figures and plan how they approach their work.
• Meeting company "Directors" who advise on strategy and finding out about any local issues and future trends.
• Promoting and marketing the business within the Middle East, Spain & Fare east markets, overlooking few key agents and managing the Maldives office.
• Managing budgets and maintaining statistical/financial records for the above given markets.
• Educating the staff about the new market trends and launching new travel products and tour packages.
• Taking part in familiarisation visits to new destinations to gather information on issues and amenities of interest to consumers.
• Liaising with travel partners, including airlines and hotels, to manage bookings and schedules, often one year in advance.
• Overseeing the smooth, efficient running of the business.
• Constantly motivating the sales team to hit their targets and ensure company profitability.
• Negotiating special rates from hotels, vehicle suppliers to provide the best competitive quotes and win the business and make sure all clients are provided the best services and maintain the high service standards.
• Meeting regularly with team leaders to give them sales figures and plan how they approach their work.
• Meeting company directors who advise on strategy and finding out about any local issues and future trends.
• Overseeing the recruitment, selection and retention of staff as well as payroll matters and staff training;
• Organising incentives, bonus schemes and competitions;
• Communicating with sales consultants and providing encouragement, help and advice.
● Managing my customer portfolio and the overseas travel agents from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, providing innovative customized packages as per the customer requirements, cross selling the packages and services.
● Handling and maintain a very good relationship with key agents.(Etihad, DOTW, Kanoo, Unique Choice and other agents)
● Developing and implementing sales strategy targeting both existing and new high net worth Travel agents and customers.
● Providing the travel agents upcoming events in Sri Lanka and the new packages in line with developing market trends.
● Carrying out credit analysis and grant recommendations to accommodate credit requirements for new agents including active monitoring and periodic review of agent’s facilities.
● Spearheading product development initiatives to maximize total relationship value.
● Maintaining very good relationship with the hoteliers and offer competitive rates to the agents.
● Updating sales Activity Management System and monitoring of Management information MI’s.
● Coaching new recruits on Products, Sales activity management, agent’s visits and Role plays.
● Identify the new markets and new travel agents, which generate fewer sales and transform them to profitable channels to bring business within a short span of time.
● As a Junior Sales Executive my job profile was to achieve the targeted number of clients from the Indian market and develop new loyal travel agents.
● My responsibilities included bringing in potential clients, travel agents to whilst assisting them with their travel related requirements and queries for Sri Lanka.
● I was promoted to Junior Executive in March 2009, given that I excelled in all duties assigned to me.
Following are a few of the key functions in my role at Aitken Spence Travels
● Involved in creating, nurturing and deepening relationships with key travel agents and suppliers (hoteliers, transport providers and national guides) to augment and add value to the Current packages.
● Lead the initiative to drive portfolio profitability
● Under took periodic self-assessment on key controls to assess the proper functioning and adequacy of existing controls and regulations.
● Proposed and executed marketing ideas to promote sales and usages.
Educational Qualifications Successfully completed G.C.E Ordinary level Examinations in year 2004 and G.C.E Advance level Examinations in year 2007. Professional Qualifications Currently reading for the Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing ( The Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK ) Followed Diploma in Travel & Trade Tourism in Louis Pastern Followed Diploma in Information & Communication Technology