[Hiring] Expedition Consultant @Aqua Expeditions

Role Description

As Expedition Consultant, you will manage and grow our direct customer base worldwide. This person is responsible for actively selling our luxury small ship cruises by developing strong customer relationships and proactively managing prospective clients.

Social Initiative:

• Promote environmental initiatives and contribute to maintaining focus and direction in line with the efforts of the Aqua Expeditions team towards environmental conservation and social responsibility.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage direct inbound booking inquiries from website, email, phone, social media, referrals, press, and live chat platform.
• Determine clients' needs and wishes and suggest suitable cruise options.
• Supply customers with pertinent information and useful travel materials to influence decision making.
• Provide customers with timely, high-quality, and personalized service.
• Resolve customer concerns with the goal of converting inquiries to bookings.
• Reach and exceed revenue targets.
• Conduct personalized outreach to past direct customers to promote new destinations.
• Cross-sell or up-sell when appropriate.
• Handle unforeseen problems and complaints and determine eligibility for rebooking and refund requests.
• Listen to and document feedback from direct customers and suggest improvements in sales, marketing, and operations processes whenever appropriate.

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Confirm reservations and manage the booking process.
• Track and collect payments.
• Follow-up on pre-travel needs (more than 45 days prior) and special requests.
• Ensure proper and timely collection of customers’ personal information and special requests.
• Oversee and manage the direct customer database, taking ownership of its accuracy, especially for critical guest information like email addresses, contact categories, and country of residence.
• Follow proper CRM procedures and collaborate with the CRM team to reduce duplicates in the guest database and ensure an accurate repeat guests' rate.
• Liaise with operations to relay customer requests.
• Review customer feedback from operations and comment cards.
• Booking of press trips in coordination with marketing and PR team.
• Manage direct charter requests.
• Track promotions and proactively promote to direct customers.
• Provide a weekly direct sales report.
• Liaise with accounting team when necessary.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate Degree with a preference for education in Hospitality, Travel, Tourism, Business, or other relevant fields.
• Previous experience working in a luxury travel agency or tour operator as a travel or hospitality consultant or travel advisor.
• Sound knowledge of domestic and international travel trends.
• An informed understanding of Europe & Asia consumer and traveler.
• Personal travel experience a plus.
• Native English speaking.
• Multilingualism is a plus. (Spanish/French)
• Expedition planning: The ability to plan and organize expeditions as increasingly pax are asking for recommendations here and there.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and effective communication skills since this is vital for interacting with clients, negotiating with guests, and handling emergencies.
• Cultural awareness, social skills, travel experience.
• Environmental and conservation and sustainable practices understanding to transmit to our guests.
• Problem-Solving and adaptability: ability to think critically and adapt to changing circumstances, and problem solver.
• IT skills, as will be working independently, need to prove proficiency in using various systems, apps, computer, mobile, etc.

Requirements

• This role is offered under an Independent Contractor Agreement and is based in Madrid, Spain.