Senior Travel Specialist - High-End FITs

Our client is a well-established destination management business specialising in inbound travel throughout South Africa and the wider Southern African region. The organisation works with international travel partners to deliver carefully planned, tailor-made journeys for high-end leisure travellers. Its reputation is built on exceptional destination knowledge, trusted supplier partnerships, responsive service and the ability to turn individual preferences into seamless luxury travel experiences.

The Senior Travel Specialist will design, quote, book and oversee bespoke itineraries for the high-end FIT market. This position manages the complete travel-planning cycle, from understanding the initial brief and developing a commercially sound proposal to confirming services, preparing documentation, monitoring payments and supporting the journey while the client is travelling. The successful candidate will combine luxury product knowledge, operational precision and confident relationship management to exceed expectations, meet demanding deadlines and contribute to agreed sales and margin targets.

Conduct detailed consultations with travellers or international travel partners to understand individual preferences, interests, priorities, budget considerations and special requirements.

Transform each brief into a highly personalised, practical and commercially viable itinerary for travel within South Africa and the broader Southern African region.

Select luxury accommodation, private transport, flights, transfers, dining arrangements and exclusive experiences that reflect the traveller's expectations and desired style of travel.

Apply strong destination and product knowledge to recommend suitable routing, timing and experiences while introducing creative alternatives that add genuine value.

Prepare clear, comprehensive itineraries, proposals, travel documents and supporting information that allow the client to understand every element of the journey.

Acknowledge written requests from agents promptly and work towards the required 24-hour turnaround time for quotations and responses.

Provide accurate written proposals and confirmations, ensuring that pricing, inclusions, conditions and deadlines are communicated clearly.

Open and maintain complete client files in accordance with internal operating standards and capture all reservations accurately on Tourplan.

Confirm accommodation, transport, guiding, activities, meet-and-greet services and other travel arrangements directly with the relevant suppliers.

Coordinate the full trip logistics, including flight details, transfers, service timings and operational dependencies, to deliver a smooth end-to-end journey.

Maintain regular contact with agents regarding reservation status, supplier availability, payment requirements, deadlines and booking conditions.

Monitor every booking through to completion and ensure that all confirmed services, amendments and traveller requirements are reflected in the final documentation.

Build and retain strong client and agent relationships through responsive, detailed and professional communication.

Ensure that all correspondence, quotations, proposals, presentations, confirmations and travel documents are accurate and delivered within the agreed timeframe.

Respond calmly and resourcefully to last-minute amendments, unexpected disruptions or service concerns, limiting the impact on the traveller wherever possible.

Handle complaints professionally, escalating serious or unresolved matters through the appropriate internal channels.

Participate in manager-on-duty telephone support and attend to urgent operational queries when rostered or requested.

Consistently pursue excellent service outcomes while remaining mindful of the booking's commercial objectives, deadlines and agreed service levels.

Develop constructive, long-term relationships with preferred accommodation, transport, activity and experience providers.

Use supplier knowledge and professional negotiation to secure the most appropriate availability, service delivery, rates and value for each booking.

Identify the strongest product combination for the client's needs rather than relying on standard or repetitive itinerary options.

Actively research new products, exclusive experiences, emerging destinations and creative concepts suitable for the luxury FIT market.

Maintain current first-hand knowledge of destinations and products through ongoing research, supplier engagement and structured learning opportunities.

Ensure that every confirmed service is correctly reflected on the client invoice and that invoices are issued within the required timeframe.

Monitor deposits, final balances and other outstanding payments, following up promptly where payment has not been received.

Arrange supplier or booking pre-payments when required and ensure that all approved payment conditions are followed strictly.

Work closely with the Finance team to investigate and resolve invoice, payment and account queries.

Reconcile booking files, monitor high or low margin variances and provide clear explanations for any material differences.

Keep the Manager informed of payment, costing or profitability concerns that could affect the booking or client relationship.

Apply all relevant departmental procedures, operating policies and quality standards consistently across every booking.

Keep electronic files, supporting documents, supplier confirmations and client records accurate, current and correctly filed.

Submit requested reports within deadline and maintain complete confidentiality regarding client information and commercially sensitive business material.

Contribute proactively to a collaborative team culture, share specialist knowledge and assist colleagues in areas of personal expertise.

Provide reasonable support outside normal office hours when operational circumstances or traveller needs require it.

Continuously strengthen product and industry knowledge by attending internal training, supplier workshops, educational trips, trade shows, seminars and conferences.

Remain informed about changing luxury-travel trends, new products and developments within the inbound tourism sector.

Matric / Grade 12.

A minimum of five years' inbound tourism experience in a senior travel-consulting role serving the high-end or luxury market.

Strong, demonstrable experience designing and managing tailor-made FIT itineraries.

Excellent geographical and destination knowledge of South Africa and the wider Southern African region.

Proven ability to coordinate complex luxury travel arrangements, suppliers, timelines and supporting documentation.

Excellent spoken and written English, including the ability to prepare detailed client-facing proposals and correspondence.

A recognised Travel and Tourism qualification.

Practical Tourplan knowledge and the ability to manage reservations accurately on the system.

Established knowledge of luxury accommodation, experiences and preferred suppliers within Southern Africa.

Exceptional attention to detail and a strong commitment to accuracy.

A mature, tactful and professional approach when engaging with travellers, agents, suppliers and colleagues.

The confidence to communicate effectively with stakeholders at all organisational levels.

Excellent planning, prioritisation, organisational and analytical ability.

Integrity, discretion and respect for confidential information.

Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex travel arrangements clearly.

Excellent problem-solving ability and the composure to manage urgent changes without compromising service quality.

A proactive, collaborative mindset and the flexibility required in a client-focused travel environment.

A competitive salary will be offered and determined according to the successful candidate's relevant experience, luxury-travel expertise and overall suitability for the position.

Only applicants who meet the essential requirements will be considered. While every effort will be made to acknowledge applications, candidates whose experience does not align with the minimum criteria may not receive individual feedback.