Sales Manager - Tour and Travel Vertical

Job Description

As the Sales Manager – Tour and Travel Vertical for Aramark Destinations, you will serve as a portfolio leader, responsible for driving leisure managed business opportunities with key buyers in the tour and travel sector. This role focuses on managing relationships with tour operators, travel agencies, 3rd party wholesalers, and bed banks to support onward distribution of ARI (availability, rates, and inventory). You will also collaborate closely with property sales teams to support tour and travel partnerships and achieve sales goals, optimizing performance across the portfolio.
Your primary goal will be to generate revenue, grow Aramark’s market share in the tour and travel segment, and represent Aramark Destinations at major trade shows and industry events.

Job Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sales strategies for the tour and travel vertical, targeting key buyers in the leisure managed travel space and supporting onward distribution through 3rd party wholesalers and bed banks.
• Drive revenue growth by expanding relationships with tour operators, travel agencies, and distribution partners, ensuring optimal ARI distribution.
• Work with property sales teams to support tour and travel partnerships, ensuring alignment with portfolio-wide sales goals and strategies.
• Represent Aramark Destinations at major trade shows, industry events, and client meetings, positioning the company as a leader in the leisure travel market.
• Manage a portfolio of key partners, including tour operators, travel agencies, wholesalers, and bed banks, ensuring strong relationships and ARI distribution across all channels.
• Collaborate with property sales teams to ensure they are supported in meeting tour and travel partnerships’ needs and optimizing performance in this segment.
• Develop tailored sales proposals and presentations that align Aramark’s offerings with the specific needs of each buyer and property.
• Provide regular updates to the Sr. Director of Sales and Distribution on account performance and opportunities for growth, while supporting property-level sales goals.
• Serve as the primary contact for tour and travel buyers, wholesalers, and bed banks, ensuring exceptional service and support for their ARI needs.
• Conduct regular sales calls, in-person meetings, and virtual check-ins to strengthen relationships and increase sales conversion rates.
• Organize and participate in familiarization (FAM) trips to introduce tour and travel buyers and distribution partners to Aramark properties.
• Actively participate in key industry trade shows and events, including IPW, ABA, NTA, and USTOA, to promote Aramark Destinations and expand relationships with tour operators, wholesalers, and bed banks.
• Serve as a brand ambassador for the portfolio, delivering compelling presentations and driving interest in ARI distribution.
• Follow up with trade show leads, nurturing prospects and converting them into new business opportunities.
• Collaborate with wholesalers and bed banks to ensure accurate and efficient distribution of availability, rates, and inventory (ARI) across all properties.
• Work closely with property sales teams to ensure smooth ARI distribution and maximize performance across the portfolio.
• Monitor the performance of distribution channels and recommend strategies to optimize market penetration and profitability.
• Collaborate with marketing, revenue management, and operations teams to ensure seamless execution of sales and distribution strategies.
• Align with the centralized sales support team and property-level sales teams to ensure efficient ARI distribution processes and fulfillment for managed accounts.
• Provide feedback to internal teams on market trends and client expectations to improve product offerings and sales approaches.
• Utilize CRM platforms and sales software to track key account performance, ARI distribution metrics, and sales pipeline.
• Prepare and present sales reports, including forecasts, pipeline updates, and competitive insights, to leadership.
• Leverage data insights to optimize both sales and ARI distribution strategies, identifying opportunities for growth.

Qualifications

•    Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Hospitality, Tourism, or a related field preferred.
•    Experience: Minimum of 5 years of sales experience in the tour and travel industry, with a focus on leisure groups, managed travel buyers, and ARI distribution.
•    Industry Expertise: Established relationships with key tour operators, wholesalers, bed banks, and travel agencies.
•    Skills: Proven ability to build and manage strategic client relationships, with strong negotiation and closing skills.
•    Sales Acumen: Track record of exceeding sales targets a