At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the reservations team to deliver exceptional service and drive revenue growth.
- Company: Aqua Expeditions offers luxury travel experiences focused on culture and wildlife.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, benefits package, and the chance to work remotely.
- Why this job: Join a passionate team and contribute to creating unforgettable travel experiences.
- Qualifications: 8 years in reservations, fluent in English and Spanish, with a degree in Business or Tourism.
- Other info: Be part of an award-winning company at the forefront of innovation.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
We’re hiring: Reservations Manager in Europe
At Aqua Expeditions, we are passionate about providing exceptional levels of service to our guests. We take pride in pampering our guests and ensuring that their time with us creates a trip of a lifetime. The Aqua experience is carefully curated by a team of talented individuals — from onboard crew to reservations staff — who work behind the scenes to guarantee smooth sailing. We are always on the lookout for new team players who share our passion and expertise, to ensure a world-class travel experience. If this sounds like you,apply now and be part of our extraordinary voyage!
OUR VISION:To create and deliver unique and authentic once-in-a-lifetime experiences so that our guests can have enriching memories to cherish for a lifetime.
OUR MISSION:Aqua Expeditions offers customized luxury travel experiences aboard vessels of elegant, contemporary design, centered around
immersive culture and wildlife excursions unique to each location, award-winning cuisine by renowned chefs, personalized guest service, and a commitment to community, sustainability and preservation.
4 CORE VALUES:
A: We value AUTHENTICITY, believing in the unique talents of each individual and the importance of integrity.
Q: We aim for QUALITY, emphasizing a service-oriented approach and shared knowledge.
U: We believe in UNITY, and prioritize effective teamwork.
A: We hold deep ADMIRATION and respect for our environment, collaborating closely with local communities to foster responsible practices that protect and conserve nature.
Sounds great – what’s the role in a nutshell?
The Reservations Manager leads and empowers the reservations team to deliver exceptional service while driving commercial performance through strategic oversight of bookings, yield optimization, and collaboration with key departments. This role focuses on maximizing revenue, driving both trade and direct bookings, ensuring operational excellence, and fostering strong cross-functional partnerships with Marketing, Sales, CRM, Accounting and Operations.
Your passion is:
- Lead, mentor, and support the Reservations Supervisors and global reservations team including Expeditions Consultants to ensure high levels of performance, motivation, and customer service.
- Oversee the day-to-day reservations operations, including team scheduling, performance reviews, and coaching, ensuring adherence to company standards and service levels.
- Align the reservations strategy with commercial goals, identifying booking trends, optimizing inventory, and collaborating with the Sales, Marketing and Finance team on yield strategies to maximize occupancy and revenue per departure.
- Ensure prompt and professional handling of all guest and agent inquiries, while upholding a high standard of personalized service across all communication channels. Collaborate closely with Guest Relations Coordinators to ensure a seamless handover of guest and client relationships to operational teams, maintaining consistency in service quality and communication throughout the guest journey
- Ensures all reservations related systems are correctly configured, validated and working optimally, especially Resco booking system and its integration with related systems like Zoho CRM. Liaise with IT team to resolve operational issues and technical errors on these systems when required.
- Collaborate with the Digital Marketing, Marketing, and IT teams to ensure accurate configuration and data input of vessel, pricing, and departures in Resco—supporting the setup of new vessels, including any data updates, and ensuring correct display across our booking systems and Agent Portal.
- Define, measure, and track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to reservations conversion rates, booking lead times, revenue targets, and guest satisfaction metrics, and work closely with the Digital Marketing and CRM teams to review Reservations performance reports and provide input on potential areas for improvement.Collaborate with CRM, Sales, and Marketing teams on strategic projects aimed at driving revenue growth, improving lead management, and optimizing guest engagement workflows.
- Oversee the reservation pipeline and ensure timely follow-up on courtesy holds, inquiries, and follow-ups, driving conversion and minimizing missed opportunities
- Support Accounting with timely and accurate reporting on collections, billing, and outstanding payments related to reservations.
- Analyze monthly and quarterly vessel performance, preparing insightful reports with clear recommendations to improve forward bookings and long-term profitability.
- Participate in refining systems and workflows—while not leading technical development, the role ensures usability and effectiveness from a commercial and operational standpoint.
- Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of training materials, SOPs, and best practices across the reservations function.
- Act as a key liaison between the Reservations Department and Accounting, Sales, Marketing, CRM and Operations to ensure seamless alignment of priorities and timely execution of commercial initiatives.
- Partner with the Marketing team to ensure accurate and compelling offers, promotions, and updates are reflected on reservations system and communicated effectively to the reservations team.
What are we looking for?
- Business Administration or Tourism or other related degree with applicable qualities.
- Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in reservations and system
- Fluent in English (spoken and written)
- Fluent in Spanish (spoken and written)
- Desirable French (Spoken and written)
- Proactive Problem Solving
- Results-Oriented Leadership
- Booking & CRM Expertise
- Analytical & Data-Driven
- Active Listening
- Strategic Prioritization
- Influential Communication
- Collaborative Team Leadership
- Adaptive to travel and interact with various cultures.
- Guest-Centricity
- Self-Motivation & Commitment
- Team Motivation & Guidance
Why You\’ll Love Working With Us:
- Competitive salary and benefits package.
- Be part of an award-winning, worldwide company at the forefront of technological innovation.
- Collaborate with a passionate and dedicated team.
- Make meaningful contributions that drive our company\’s success.
Apply Now and Let\’s Shape the Future Together!
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Reservations Manager employer: Aqua Expeditions
Contact Detail:
Aqua Expeditions Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Reservations Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Aqua Expeditions' core values and mission. When you understand what drives the company, you can tailor your conversations and demonstrate how your personal values align with theirs during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of Aqua Expeditions on platforms like LinkedIn. Engaging with them can provide insights into the company culture and expectations, which can be invaluable when preparing for interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Stay updated on industry trends in luxury travel and reservations management. Being knowledgeable about current market dynamics will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute to the company's success.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare specific examples from your past experience that showcase your leadership and problem-solving skills. Highlighting these will demonstrate your capability to lead the reservations team effectively and drive commercial performance.
We think you need these skills to ace Reservations Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities of a Reservations Manager. Highlight your relevant experience in reservations and team leadership in your application.
Tailor Your CV: Customise your CV to reflect the skills and experiences that align with the job description. Emphasise your expertise in booking systems, CRM, and your ability to lead a team effectively.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for providing exceptional service and your understanding of Aqua Expeditions' mission and values. Use specific examples from your past experiences to demonstrate your fit for the role.
Highlight Language Skills: Since fluency in English and Spanish is required, ensure you mention your language proficiency clearly in your application. If you have any additional language skills, such as French, be sure to include those as well.
How to prepare for a job interview at Aqua Expeditions
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Reservations Manager, you'll be leading a team. Be prepared to discuss your leadership style and provide examples of how you've motivated and guided teams in the past. Highlight any specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to drive performance.
✨Understand the Company’s Values
Familiarise yourself with Aqua Expeditions' core values: Authenticity, Quality, Unity, and Admiration. During the interview, relate your personal values and experiences to these principles, showing how you align with the company's mission and vision.
✨Demonstrate Your Analytical Skills
The role requires a strong focus on data-driven decision-making. Be ready to discuss how you've used analytics to optimise bookings or improve customer satisfaction in previous roles. Prepare to share specific metrics or KPIs you've tracked and how they influenced your strategies.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving abilities and customer service skills. Think of scenarios where you've had to handle difficult situations or make quick decisions. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses effectively.