Country Travel Specialist

Audley Travel; Salem (MA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full medical and dental insurance

15 days paid vacation

All expenses paid familiarisation trip to specialist countries

Comprehensive social and events calendar

Job summary

Audley Travel is looking for passionate Country Specialists in Salem, Massachusetts. This role involves creating tailor-made itineraries for discerning clients in regions such as Africa and Southeast Asia. Ideal candidates will have sales experience, a strong understanding of their chosen countries, and a commitment to exemplary customer service.

Benefits include full medical coverage, 15 days of paid vacation, and earning potential that exceeds $100k after three years. Training will involve travel to England and ongoing professional development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Knowledge or experience of countries or region of specialty.
• Results oriented with strong computer skills and willingness to learn.
• Excellent writing, mathematical and grammar skills.
• Must be willing to travel for training in England.

Responsibilities

• Create and convert sales for tailor-made itineraries.
• Differentiate between good and bad sales leads.
• Ensure high-quality product and service delivery.
• Uphold client service standards for repeat business.

Skills

Destination knowledge

Sales experience

Customer service

Strong computer skills

Writing and mathematical skills

Education

Degree level education or equivalent

Job description

Audley is a passionate, vibrant company that specialises in creating exceptional tailor‑made journeys throughout Asia, Africa, South America and other destinations around the world. With Audley you’ll get to know first‑hand the best guides, food, lodging and local secrets in your specialist countries, knowledge you’ll use to create custom vacations for your clients.

Audley is one of the UK’s most highly regarded travel companies, with over 20,000 travellers a year and the recipient of multiple awards. In recent years we have seen increasing numbers of travellers from the US and are now opening our first overseas office in the United States and you have the chance to be a part of it. Our offices will be located with magnificent views of Salem Harbor, Baker’s Island, Pickering Wharf, and the schooner Friendship is just across from us at Derby Wharf. Salem is an easy 20 minute ride on the MBTA Commuter Rail from Boston, accessible from Routes 128, 114, 107, 35 and 1A.

The heart of our business has always been our Country Specialists. These individuals have all travelled independently and extensively to one or more of our regions and can demonstrate a wide variety of country knowledge and an infectious passion for what they have experienced. The ethos of Audley is to provide our clients with exceptional customer service and a trip which surpasses their expectations. As a result, they return to us year after year and recommend us to others.

Job Description

We are seeking enthusiastic individuals who have a drive to succeed in sales and a passion for and knowledge of any of the following regions: Africa, China, Japan, Latin America, North Africa and the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Using their destination knowledge, our Country Specialists sell individually designed tailor‑made itineraries for our discerning clients. Ideally educated to degree level or equivalent, the successful candidate will have previous sales experience, preferably within the travel industry. In addition, the ability to deliver excellent customer service is paramount.

Job Purpose

• The creation and conversion to sale of high quality tailor‑made itineraries for current and future Audley clients to your region. You are ultimately responsible for planning, selling and implementation of itineraries.
• To make the most of every single genuine ‘sales enquiry’ received. You need to be able to differentiate between good and bad leads so that we maximise revenue and profit.
• To ensure the product sold to our clients and the supporting information is to the highest standard.
• To achieve levels of client service at all stages of the process to engender repeat business.
• To take appropriate opportunities to up‑sell and switch‑sell to Audley preferred products.
• Interacting with our clients mostly over the telephone – with some face‑to‑face meetings either in the office or at PR events.
• Keeping in touch with product developments in your region, ensuring that you remain a true country specialist with up‑to‑date commercial knowledge and understanding of hotels/flights/infrastructure.
• Demonstrating a total commitment to customer service. It’s your goal to ensure all clients return home having had a trip which exceeds their expectations.

Personal Development

We need good people to stay at Audley, which means there must be careers on offer here. We have deliberately created a structure for developing skills and rewarding achievement.

It all starts with a thorough induction process for all employees.

• For Country Specialists, this includes a familiarisation trip in your area of specialisation followed by systems training.
• Whenever vacancies arise they are advertised ‘in house’ first, as we like to promote from within the company.
• When a Country Specialist has been employed for a year they can enter the Senior Country Specialist scheme, which is operated using a point system.
• On top of this, every Senior Country Specialist can aim to be an Elite Specialist, who we view as role models within the company. Elite Specialists earn more money too.
• Regional Sales Managers have a more strategic role. They manage small teams and look after sales levels and operations. They report to Programme Managers.

Qualifications

Person Specification

• Knowledge/experience of countries or region of speciality.
• Results orientated.
• Strong computer skills and a willingness to learn Audley’s in‑house system.
• Excellent writing, mathematical and grammar skills.
• Must be willing to spend 1‑3 months training in our offices in England and may require additional training and travel to our HQ.
• Extensive travel required to your country of speciality.
• Previous travel industry experience a plus.
• Qualified to degree level or equivalent.

Additional Information

All employees enjoy a wide range of benefits including full medical and dental insurance, 15 days paid vacation, all expenses paid familiarisation trip to your specialist countries and a comprehensive social and events calendar. If you have what it takes, you can expect on target earnings in first year of $50k, with some of our experienced specialists earning in excess of $100k after 3 years.