Group Tour Consultant

Date:

May 7, 2008

Location:

Kalamazoo, MI

Job Title:

Group Tour Consultant

Summary:

The purpose of this position is to qualify leads and sell customized tours to specific destinations. May also host and/or conduct tours.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop leads and new business and re-establish contact with past Ambassador Tours clients who are now interested in the specific destination(s).
• Work with clients to formulate ideas, determine their wants and requirements and create itineraries.
• Research ideas and suppliers to create interesting, individualized group tour programs.
• Present proposal to client and maintain contact for follow-up.
• Make suggestions for revisions as necessary with client and revise proposals.
• Prepare Power Point Presentations and visit clients to address groups or meet with tour committees.
• Close the sale.
• Assist client with tour promotion as required.
• Prepare contract and other forms for registration and send to client.
• Send tour inclusions to supplier(s) for their bid.
• Prepare notebook and turn over to tour coordinator.
• Work with tour coordinator to ensure that tour is as promised.

Marketing:

• Help to create marketing plans and strategies.
• Work with professional creative designers and members of the staff to develop and produce advertising or brochures for mailings and distribution.
• Attend conventions and trade shows representing Ambassador Tours, meeting with clients and vendors.

Personal Development:

• Attend travel trade shows and study programs to gain destination knowledge.
• Maintain current destinations specialist certifications and get new ones.
• Maintain memberships in current trade associations.

Competencies:
Budgets/Cost Control, Customer Focus, Customer Service, Dependability, Global Perspective, Product knowledge, Quality, Teamwork.

Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:
Certification and/or degree from accredited travel school preferred, but will consider equivalent on-the-job experience in lieu of formal education. Amount and type of experience required may be dictated by client(s) to be serviced, or group tour destination.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge of travel products, including but not limited to destinations, airline routings, hotel accommodations, weather conditions, entrance requirements and customs regulations.

Previous travel to the group tour destination highly desirable.

Must exercise discretion and independent judgment.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Publisher, email and use of Internet.

Ability to shift back and forth between activities or sources of information while maintaining accuracy and efficiency.

Ability to communicate with people within and outside the organization.

Ability to hear and understand information presented in spoken form, whether face-to-face or by telephone.

Ability to read and understand information presented in written form, whether by mail, fax or computer.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

May supervise the work of one or more Tour Coordinators. Work with airline and concert venue coordinators.

Work Environment:

General office environment, with low hazard risk. Exposure to noise is low to moderate. Hazard risk could increase if Tour Planner travels with a group, depending on destination and mode of travel.

Physical/Mental Demands:

The employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. Close vision ability is required. Must regularly interpret information and solve problems. Must be able to organize, plan and prioritize tasks. Travel by car, plane and other means may be required for business purposes. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

Hours:
M-F, 8:30-5:00

Salary:
Depends on experience.

Contact Name:
Mary Christie.

Contact Department:
Ambassador Tours .

Comments:
Successful candidate does not have to be based in Kalamazoo, but would have to be willing to spend some time there for training..

To apply, please submit resume to maryc@mtstravel.com by May 14, 2008.