Bryanston: Travel Specialist (Italian Market) posted by Craven Cottage CC

Duties:
 
Sales & Itinerary Design:
 
Design bespoke itineraries across Southern Africa (e.g. South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Eswatini, Lesotho)
Handle inbound enquiries from international trade partners
Provide accurate, creative, and well-presented proposals within agreed turnaround times
Confidently upsell experiences while maintaining value and guest satisfaction
 
Operations & Booking Management:
 
Manage bookings end-to-end: confirmations, amendments, reconfirmations, and final documentation
Liaise with hotels, lodges, guides, transport providers and DMC partners
Ensure seamless handover to operations and support teams where applicable
Handle high-value and complex FIT bookings with minimal supervision
 
Supplier & Destination Expertise:
 
Maintain up-to-date product and destination knowledge across Southern Africa
Build and nurture strong supplier relationships
Negotiate rates, allocations and added value where appropriate
Contribute to product development and itinerary innovation
 
Quality Control & Problem Solving
 
Ensure accuracy of costing and margins
Proactively resolve issues and manage changes or emergencies professionally
Deliver a consistently high level of service aligned with brand standards
 
Requirements:
 
Matric / Grade 12
Minimum 5–7 years’ experience as an inbound travel consultant/specialist
Proven expertise in Southern Africa inbound travel
Strong knowledge of FIT travel, luxury and / or experiential travel
Excellent itinerary-building, logistics and costing skills
Experience working with international source markets
High attention to detail and strong organizational skills
Confident communicator with excellent written and spoken English
Experience with Tourplan, Wetu
Proficient in Microsoft Office / Google Workspace and applications
Comfortable working with Customer Rates Manuals and booking platforms
Excellent South African and Regional geographic knowledge
Strong logistical knowledge
Destination-driven and detail-oriented
Calm under pressure with strong problem-solving skills
Commercially aware with a service-first mindset
Self-motivated, accountable, and collaborative
A desirable aspect would be Italian speaking
A mature approach when dealing with people
Capacity for dealing with employers and workers at all levels
Confidentiality, tact and discretion when dealing with people
Excellent planning, organizational, and analytical skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Integrity and Honesty
Excellent Problem-solving skills