Head of Sales - Travel events

We Are Aspire; London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading media and events business seeks a Senior Sales Lead for a pioneering Luxury Travel Meetings Event. This pivotal role involves driving commercial strategy, building partnerships, and achieving ambitious revenue targets within the vibrant landscape of luxury travel. Join a passionate team to shape a landmark event that connects elite travel suppliers and professionals.

Benefits

Travel perks

Access to global luxury events

Competitive base salary with uncapped commission

Qualifications

• Proven sales expertise in luxury travel events.
• Strong industry black book across luxury sectors.
• Comfortable managing full sales cycle.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead commercial sales strategy for a new luxury travel meetings event.
• Deliver 700K+ of the 1M revenue target.
• Secure participation from 90-100 luxury travel suppliers.

Skills

Sales expertise in luxury travel events

Entrepreneurial mindset

Relationship management

Target-driven

Consultative approach

Job description

Job Title: Senior Sales Lead - Luxury Travel Events

Location: London, UK (Hybrid)
Salary: 50K base + bonus (OTE 70K+)
Start Date: ASAP

About the Role

A rare opportunity to join a purpose-driven, market-leading media and events business with a 70-year heritage in delivering high-impact, high-quality experiences in the travel industry. We're launching a brand-new, flagship Luxury Travel Meetings Event - a first-of-its-kind hosted buyer format connecting the world's top luxury travel suppliers with a handpicked audience of elite travel sellers and advisors.

We're looking for a Senior Sales Lead to own the commercial strategy and delivery of this new event. With strong backing, a respected brand, and a substantial contact base, the right person will be empowered to shape and scale this into a landmark annual experience for the luxury travel market.

You'll be leading from the front, driving revenue through meeting packages and sponsorship sales - with an immediate revenue target of 1 million in Year 1. You'll have full autonomy and support to build something meaningful - and fast.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and lead the commercial sales strategy for a new luxury travel meetings event
  
• Deliver 700K+ of the 1M revenue target across supplier bookings and sponsorship
  
• Secure participation from 90-100 luxury travel suppliers across sectors: cruise, aviation, DMCs, resorts, ski, tourism boards, etc.
  
• Sell to a highly competitive and discerning luxury market, where relationship, value, and credibility are key
  
• Work with marketing, editorial, and event teams to help design, shape, and scale the product
  
• Operate with full autonomy to lead commercial growth from the ground up
  
• Identify and close new business while nurturing key accounts (approx. 50% new business)
  
• Collaborate on hosted buyer strategy: 150 luxury travel agents qualified by transaction value
  
• Ensure commercial partners receive outstanding value and guaranteed meetings via AI-driven matchmaking platform
  
• Feed into event content and sponsorship activations with the wider luxury team
  

What We're Looking For

• Proven sales expertise in luxury travel events - ideally from ILTM, PURE, Connections, or similar hosted buyer format
  
• Ability to hit the ground running - we need a doer, not a learner
  
• Comfortable managing the full sales cycle, from pipeline to pitch to close
  
• Strong industry black book across the luxury travel landscape: aviation, hospitality, cruise, DMCs, tour operators, etc.
  
• Entrepreneurial mindset with desire to help shape and scale a premium event brand from scratch
  
• Experience selling meeting/exhibitor packages and sponsorship for B2B travel events
  
• High levels of credibility with senior travel execs - trusted, polished, consultative
  
• Resilient, target-driven, and self-motivated, with an eye for opportunity
  
• Excited by the luxury travel space and the doors it opens: events in Cannes, global luxury FAM trips, and more
  

Why Join?

• Shape and scale a landmark luxury event with real purpose behind it
  
• Access to a highly engaged luxury audience and an established brand legacy
  
• Join a business passionate about smarter, fairer, better travel
  
• Work with industry leaders with deep connections and years of expertise
  
• Travel perks and the opportunity to attend global luxury events
  
• Competitive base salary with uncapped commission and clear bonus targets
  
• Autonomy to lead with support from an experienced and passionate team
  

We Are Aspire Ltd are a Disability Confident Commited employer