Business Development Executive - Local Market & Online Travel Agencies - Excursion

Company: DESERT GATE TOURISM - UAE

An organization built on professionalism, extensive experience, and guest-centricity, Desert Gate was the long-sought dream of a visionary who established the company in 2004 as a supplier of the local needs of top-level tour operators in the UAE. Today, it is a full-fledged premium DMC, serving the seven emirates of the UAE, Oman, the Maldives, and its newest destinations Qatar and Mauritius. Over the years, the company has been recognised and rewarded for its innovative approach to product design as well as providing top notch service to its guests.

With a solid financial base complemented by a well-proven, reliable top management boasting 75 years of combined experience in the travel industry, Desert Gate envisions becoming the number one luxury travel group in the Gulf region, with a plan to expand its services to other destinations that are culturally connected to its home market.

Desert Gate is part of the MTS Globe group (www.mtsglobe.com) and through that partnership has access to the best-in-class technology and cleanest XML feed in the industry. Also, as a traditional DMC, Desert Gate has all you can expect from a first-rate ground handler, such as excellent contracting, creative excursions, and superior in-resort service levels.

• Build & Manage Relationships: Develop and maintain strong relationships with key local stakeholders, including DMCs and OTAs.
• Market Research & Strategy Development: Conduct research on local tourism trends, competitor activities, customer preferences, and emerging opportunities. Use this information to create tailored business development strategies.
• Local Promotions & Campaigns: Work closely with the marketing team to create and execute localized marketing campaigns to drive traffic and increase bookings for products offered in local markets.
• Sales Generation & Target Achievement: Focus on generating new business and growing existing partnerships in local markets by identifying opportunities for increased bookings and creating bespoke solutions for customers.
• Partner Relationship Management: Develop and nurture relationships with key OTAs ensuring that our travel products and services are accurately represented and are available to customers.
• Content Optimization & Product Listings: Oversee the integration and optimization of our products on OTAs, ensuring accurate descriptions, pricing, and availability. Work on improving product visibility and attractiveness to potential customers.
• Negotiating & Managing Deals: Collaborate with OTAs on promotional activities, special offers, and exclusive deals to boost bookings. Negotiate commissions and terms with OTAs to ensure profitability.
• Performance Monitoring & Reporting: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) for OTAs and assess the effectiveness of OTA campaigns. Provide regular reports to management on OTA performance, ROI, and sales trends.
• OTA Campaigns & Promotions: Collaborate with OTAs on joint marketing campaigns, seasonal promotions, and bundled offers that target key customer segments.
• Target Setting & Results: Set and achieve sales targets for local market partnerships and OTA performance. Ensure continuous business development activities align with sales goals.
• Customer Service & Relationship Building: Act as the primary point of contact for key local market partners and OTAs, providing excellent customer service and managing inquiries, complaints, and issues.
• Problem Solving: Address any issues that arise with local market partners or OTAs to ensure smooth operations and resolve disputes effectively.
• Feedback Loop: Collect feedback from partners and clients to continually refine products, services, and partnership strategies.
• Market Insights: Provide management with regular reports on local market activities, OTA performance, competitor analysis, and recommendations for new strategies.
• Campaign Effectiveness: Assess the success of local and OTA promotional campaigns, using data insights to refine and optimize future initiatives.
  
  
  

Requirements:

• Valid UAE Driving License
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Tourism, or a related field.
• 2-4 years of experience in business development, sales, or partnerships within the tourism, travel, or hospitality industry in UAE.
• Strong knowledge of the destination management industry and experience working with local market and OTAs
• Familiarity with major Online Travel Agencies
• Knowledge about the excursions or Tourist Attractions in UAE.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to analyze data and draw actionable insights to drive business growth.
• Experience with digital marketing strategies, including SEO and SEM, is a plus.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and CRM software
• Fluent in English; additional languages are a plus.