Leisure Sales Manager

O'Brien Recruitment; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

O'Brien Recruitment is seeking a seasoned Leisure Sales professional to grow leisure business across three hotels in Cape Town, working with domestic and international travel trade partners. You will collaborate with Revenue, Distribution, Reservations and Marketing to convert opportunities and boost commercial performance.

You will manage relationships with tour operators, wholesalers and travel agents, lead contracting, and represent the group at trade shows and industry events, ensuring

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ relevant hospitality or travel trade sales experience.
• Experience in leisure accounts, contracting and account management within 4- or 5-star hotels.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; working knowledge of Opera advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Manage and grow relationships with STOs, wholesalers, tour operators and travel agents.
• Develop plans for priority accounts to grow and recover business across three hotels.
• Lead the leisure contracting process, including negotiating rates, allocations and terms.
• Identify and convert new leisure business opportunities.
• Maintain a clear leisure sales pipeline and account activity plan.
• Represent the hotel group at travel trade shows and industry events.

Skills

Hospitality sales

Leisure account management

Contracting experience

Relationship management

Travel trade show participation

Education

Hospitality/ Tourism/ Business Diploma

Tools

Microsoft Office

Opera hotel system

Job description

The Role

Reporting into the Group’s Commercial Sales and Marketing leadership, you will be responsible for growing leisure business across all three hotels while strengthening relationships across the domestic and international travel trade. You will work closely with Revenue, Distribution, Reservations, Marketing and hotel teams to convert opportunities and support overall commercial performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and grow relationships with STOs, wholesalers, tour operators and travel agents
• Develop clear plans for priority accounts to grow, retain and recover business across the three hotels
• Lead the leisure contracting process, including assessing contract and rate requests and negotiating rates, allocations and commercial terms
• Proactively identify, qualify and convert new leisure business opportunities
• Maintain a clear new business pipeline, with particular focus on identified need periods and business priorities
• Act as a knowledgeable and responsive point of contact for leisure travel trade partners
• Host site inspections and represent the hotel group at trade shows, roadshows and industry events
• Monitor leisure production, account performance, market trends and competitor activity
• Translate market and account insights into practical commercial recommendations
• Maintain an up-to-date sales pipeline and account activity plan
• Provide meaningful leisure sales insights and recommendations for business reporting and planning
• Maintain accurate and accessible account records, contracts and correspondence
• Manage leisure sales expenditure responsibly within agreed budgets and company policy

What We’re Looking For

• Minimum 5 years’ relevant hospitality or travel trade sales experience
• Demonstrated experience in leisure accounts, contracting and account management, ideally within the 4 star or 5 star hotel sector
• Relevant Hospitality, Tourism or Business Diploma
• Demonstrated experience managing relationships with Specialist Tour Operators, wholesalers, tour operators and/or travel agencies
• Proven experience representing a hotel, hotel group or tourism business at travel trade shows, roadshows or industry events
• Sound working knowledge of hotel contracting processes and the relationship between Sales, Marketing, Revenue, Distribution and Reservations
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and hotel systems, with working knowledge of Opera advantageous
• Flexibility to attend client meetings, site inspections and industry events, including occasional after-hours engagements when required

This is a full-time, office-based role in Cape Town. Daily office attendance is required except when attending approved client meetings, site inspections, trade events or other business activities.

Applicants must be South African Citizens. Appointment will be subject to satisfactory criminal record, credit, qualification and reference checks.

Preference will be given to Employment Equity candidates in line with the company’s transformation objectives.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

You’ll have the opportunity to play a meaningful role in growing leisure business across three established hotels, develop a high-impact portfolio of domestic and international travel trade relationships, and join a respected hospitality environment where commercial performance and exceptional guest experiences go hand in hand. If you know the leisure travel trade, enjoy building relationships and have the commercial instinct to turn opportunity into business, we’d like to hear from you.