Group Tour and Entertainment Sales Manager

Title: Group Tour and Entertainment Sales Manager

Reports to: Vice President, Sales & Service

To Apply: Email resume to Jeff Hewitt at [email protected]

Overview of Position:

The Group Tour and Entertainment Sales Manager is responsible for reaching both individual and team room night quotas while developing enough tentative business to support the destinations near and long-term success.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Core Functions

• To reach and exceed your individual and team room night quotas.
• Identify and develop new domestic business opportunities that will benefit the hospitality community and our members.
• Promotes the destination by participating in major industry trade shows and conferences.
• Ability to identify Strategic objectives, goals and tactics and contribute to the building of a sales plan to accomplish these tasks.
• Generates leads, for new business opportunities in an assigned market.
• Make sales trips, attend conferences, tradeshows, sales missions and networking meetings to promote convention business, which can also include pre-planning, target marketing, pre/post mailers, industry event registrations and arrangements for tradeshows.
• Prospects for new business utilizing databases, directories and industry tools.
• Responds in a timely manner to all inquiries about future business.
• Maintain professional attire, image and demeanor always.

Planning

• Develops and implements familiarization tours, targeting travel agents, tour operators, wholesalers, and receptive operators.
• Develop objectives, strategies and tactics to increase business from this market segment.
• Works within the established budget guidelines.
• Partners with the Savannah Area Film Office and other local entertainment travel services and resources to develop objectives, strategies and tactics to increase business from the film and television market segment.
• May work with other specific markets as assigned.

Networking/Communications

• Establish, develop and maintain a list of customers and industry contacts that will help reach our organizational goals.
• Maintains contact through direct mail, telephone, or personal sales calls with tour operators/travel agents to promote the region and develop awareness of the destination as a leisure destination.
• Communicates with and develops programs to educate members on issues, topics, and new trends relating to the group tour and entertainment travel industry.
• Works with the communications/public relations department to publish and distribute publications, including the group tour planner, the visitors' guide, and regular contributions to the Chamber Newsletter.
• Works with the communications/public relations department to maintain accurate and updated collateral and informational files to be distributed to prospective and existing clients.
• Develops cooperative opportunities in which bureau members can participate, such as advertising, trade, consumer shows and conventions.
• Maintains a well-informed working knowledge of all hotels, attractions and services, both public and private, available in the area; develops and maintains a close working relationship with personnel from each facility and acts as a liaison between travel planners and the hospitality community.
• Works with the Director of International Sales to host quarterly meetings for the local Tour and Travel community.
• Provide our hospitality partners with the necessary information in a lead that will enable them to properly evaluate and correctly bid on the business opportunity.
• Maintains an awareness of competitors' products, promotions and industry issues that influence sales by establishing a rapport with other divisions within our organization, members and related hospitality professional organizations in the community.
• Verifies all definite room night production by issuing, collecting, and documenting hotel and or buyer commitments.
• Maintains an active, positive, and professional social media presence that promotes the destination and would never reflect poorly on the Savannah Chamber of Commerce or Visit Savannah.

Administrative/Management/Supervisory

• Creates and oversees a database of these customers and contacts.
• Maintains accurate and uniform documentation of all activities in the CRM.
• Provides input in creating a budget and marketing plan for the Group Sales Division.
• Helps direct the tourism partnership program; instills a sense of collective energy within the tourism community; ensures that the group is proactive, effective and is playing a role in developing tourism sales in the area.

Customer Service

• Implement systems to provide literature and photos to, airline offices and other travel-related organizations on a regular basis.
• Coordinates and conducts VIP site inspections for visiting organizations showcasing hotels, facilities, attractions and community aspects of interest to the visiting delegate.

Organizational Commitment

•  Maintain a cohesive working relationship with all other personnel to successfully accomplish Visit Savannah and Savannah Chamber of Commerce goals.
• Participate in ongoing quality improvements and client satisfaction efforts.
• Demonstrate high standards in service through all interactions with customers and clients.
• Handle additional responsibilities and projects assigned.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Education and Experience/Key Competencies:

• Four-year degree from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum of 1 year of related experience, hospitality sales is strongly preferred.
• Excellent communication, management and organizational skills.
• Strong analytical and judgmental skills to determine if a business opportunity benefits the destination.
• Participate in training opportunities for both professional and personal development.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), industry account management software and the Internet.
• Ability to establish priorities and meet deadlines efficiently and effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze data and implement change based on changing market conditions.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients and customers.
• Ability to lead others toward common goals.
• Must be a self-starter; be self-motivated and able to multitask.
• Must be flexible and be able to adjust to changing conditions, circumstances and priorities.
• Must demonstrate a positive attitude and cooperate with staff.

Work Environment:

Working conditions are normal for an office environment. Work may require occasional weekend and/or evening hours. This position requires occasional domestic and international business travel. Reasonable accommodation may be limited to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Office: 80-85%, Travel: 15-20%, Evening/weekend/overtime: As required
Selling: 80-85%, Administration 15-20%.
Bonus: Maximum potential 20% paid at the end of each year.

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time.
• Ability to communicate clearly.
• Ability to drive, transport self and others.
• Ability to travel via airplane.
• Regular attendance and prompt daily reporting required.
• Make sound judgments quickly.
• Work on multiple tasks, making appropriate progress toward deadlines.
• Able to work independently, take direction and provide direction to others.
• Manage differing personalities within the office and the community.
• Maintain the highest degree of confidentiality.
• Creative and detail-oriented.
• Ability to embrace organizational goals.

Other Information:

This job description describes the general nature and work level to be performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of job responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. Duties and responsibilities may change as warranted.

Updated as of: August 2025