Moving parties of customers around the world, in and out of hotels, and on planes, trains and coaches, is a complex business. You are one of the links that keep the operation running smoothly, even if there is a last minute hitch, such as a political development or natural catastrophe that requires urgent changes to the itinerary or contractual arrangements.
As contracts are negotiated by the contracts managers, you will initiate the follow up, arranging the signatures of appropriate company executives and advising the finance department and tour co-ordinators on the agreed terms and availability (including dates and numbers of seats/beds/rooms required). You will monitor the level of bookings for each holiday or tour, and update the various hotels and transport operators on numbers, names and any special requirements (e.g. a passenger who requires a wheelchair).
Sometimes it will be necessary to cancel or merge tours, in which case, all those affected including the travel agents and customers must be speedily informed, offered alternatives and perhaps offered compensation. You will need to be an excellent administrator and communicator, and keep a cool head in the face of pressure and problems.
You will have an important input when the plans for the next season are discussed, and contracts renegotiated, giving your assessment of how well arrangements have worked previously. Hoteliers, transport providers and other contractors will want to know from you how they have done, and discuss where improvements or modifications could be made. Besides the information you have gathered directly from discussions with contractors, you will report on the feedback from customer questionnaires, follow-up letters (compliments as well as complaints), and resort representative reports.
You may have the opportunity to research and design new holiday ideas with the help of contract managers. Once plans have been agreed, and the new holiday and tour brochures are in production, you will play a key role in ensuring there are no errors, particularly in relation to prices and dates, descriptions of hotels and resorts, and the background information on the destinations. Some of the details will have to be reconfirmed and checked at this stage with hotels, area resort managers and tourist information centres.
Salary Level: £14k-£20k
Industries: