Operations Lead, Inbound Tours & Group Travel

Cullinan Holdings Limited; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 334,800 - 446,400; Full time

Job summary

Cullinan Holdings Limited is seeking a dynamic individual to oversee daily operations at African Diamond Tours & Incentives. This role involves leading the Reservations Consultants, ensuring efficient service delivery and high-quality customer experiences. The ideal candidate will have a passion for tourism, with at least 5 years in inbound travel or tour operations, preferably familiar with the Turkish market.

Responsibilities include managing operations, resolving challenges, supporting the team, and conducting quality control on bookings.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in inbound leisure travel or tour operations.
• Experience with the Turkish market is an advantage.
• Strong systems proficiency and leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support Reservations Consultants for operational excellence.
• Oversee daily operations and workflow management.
• Ensure high service standards and customer satisfaction.

Skills

Tourism passion

Leadership

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Tools

Reservations platforms

Job description

African Diamond Tours & Incentives is one of Southern Africa's leading inbound travel companies, specialising in the Turkish market. We are passionate about creating exceptional, tailor-made travel experiences—from group travel and incentive programmes to large-scale events, conferences, and special occasions.

Our success is built on innovation, deep destination expertise, and a personalised approach that ensures every journey reflects the very best of Africa.

If you are passionate about tourism, thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, and enjoy working collaboratively to deliver operational excellence, this is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

Role Overview

This position is responsible for planning, organising, directing, and overseeing the day-to-day operational requirements of the business, ensuring efficiency, quality, and exceptional service delivery.

Key Responsibilities (including but not limited to):

• Lead, motivate, and support the Reservations Consultants to consistently deliver outstanding service and operational excellence
• Foster a positive, high-performance culture rooted in collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Oversee daily operations, ensuring efficient workflow management and adherence to quality standards
• Provide guidance and support on complex itineraries, destination expertise, and customer requirements
• Collaborate closely with internal teams, guides, clients, and supplier partners to ensure seamless travel experiences
• Resolve operational challenges promptly, professionally, and fairly
• Ensure effective systems, processes, and procedures are in place and consistently followed
• Conduct quality control on all bookings to maintain high service standards
• Manage availability, sourcing suitable alternatives where required
• Oversee all bookings to ensure services are confirmed and reconfirmed accurately
• Monitor confirmations, cancellations, and amendments to ensure smooth operations
• Track performance and identify opportunities to improve productivity, service delivery, and guest satisfaction
• Champion a customer-centric approach that reflects our passion for showcasing the very best of Southern Africa
  
  

Requirements

What We Are Looking For:

• A genuine passion for tourism and creating unforgettable travel experiences
• Minimum of 5 years' proven experience in inbound leisure travel, destination management, or tour operations
• Experience working with the Turkish market (advantageous), with an understanding of traveller preferences and expectations
• Strong systems proficiency and experience with reservations platforms
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience
• Excellent knowledge of South and Southern Africa destinations, travel products, logistics, and the inbound travel landscape
• Strong communication, relationship-building, negotiation, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to remain calm, adaptable, and solutions-focused in a fast-paced environment
• Strong organisational skills with high attention to detail
• Flexibility to support the team where needed
• A proactive approach with a strong sense of ownership and accountability
• A commitment to delivering service excellence at every touchpoint