Job Summary
Duties:
Develop and actively manage a pipeline of MICE and group opportunities
Prospect and build relationships with corporate travel buyers, event agencies, DMCs, PCOs, incentive houses, tour operators and other group-producing intermediaries.
Generate new leads, qualify requirements and coordinate group requests with the relevant hotel/resort commercial teams.
Sell the destination and the portfolio with a strong focus on accommodation, meetings, incentives, events, buy-outs and group experiences.
Conduct regular sales calls, presentations, client visits, networking and selected trade events in the assigned market.
Maintain disciplined follow-up from first contact through proposal, negotiation and conversion.
Provide accurate market intelligence, competitor feedback and visibility on upcoming group opportunities.
Track activity, pipeline, conversion and confirmed production; compensation will be directly linked to attributable group business generated.
Travel within South Africa and other key related commercial centers as required for client development, trade activity and selected familiarization/site visits.
Requirements:
Currently based in Johannesburg with an established professional network in the relevant MICE, corporate travel, events or group-travel market.
Strong hunter mentality: proactive, self-directed and comfortable building business from relationships and new prospecting rather than relying on inbound leads.
Demonstrable track record in selling hotels, resorts, destinations, DMC services, event solutions, corporate travel or a comparable B2B hospitality product.
Credible network of decision-makers and intermediaries capable of producing international or regional group business.
Commercially sharp, persuasive and confident presenting premium/luxury hospitality products to senior clients.
Highly organized with strong pipeline discipline and the ability to work independently with limited day-to-day supervision.
Comfortable working under an independent contractor / representative agreement rather than as an employee, with a fixed retainer and performance-led earning component tied to actual group production.
Excellent written and spoken English; additional relevant market languages are an advantage.