Regional Sales Director- Southeast

Job Summary

The Regional Sales Manager (“RSD”) position is responsible for revenue generation from travel agency partners and direct management of all aspects of Crystal Cruises’ business development in an assigned geographic territory. The RSD is responsible for increasing sales and achieving established Key Performance Indicators (“KPIs”) for Crystal Cruises. The position will collaborate with various teams and departments within the company including Marketing, Revenue Management, IT and Strategic and National Accounts to create programs which drive sales within their assigned sales region in order to support Crystal Cruises commercial objectives.
Essential Job Duties

Develop a Tier One portfolio of travel agency partners within the assigned geographic territory. The number of travel agency partners will be established in conjunction with executive sales management, guided by revenue generation and business needs and is subject to change on an annual basis based on revenue.
Identify and engage Tier 2 agency partners, collaborating with the Business Development team to drive revenue production from that group of travel sellers located in the assigned region.
Conduct 20–25 physical and virtual sales meetings/calls each week, recording and reporting activities through the company’s CRM platform. Meetings will focus on revenue growth of the agency partner and vary by account and business model. Establish revenue targets with partners and review progress toward achieving assigned targets.
Provide staff training (physical or virtual via webinars) to familiarize agency travel advisors with the Crystal product and enable them to sell the Crystal Cruises brand experience to the appropriate target customer.
Seek out and close affinity or promotional group business, assisting agency advisors in identifying group opportunities within their customer database and local/regional organizations.
Create and manage an annual overhead budget for supporting cooperative marketing plans developed in partnership with agencies in the assigned region. Provide a monthly forecast of marketing budget spend and submit all invoices on a monthly basis.
Participate in travel agency partner consumer events both physical and virtual (e.g., Cruise Nights) as feasible given availability, cost, budget and revenue opportunity.
Identify and cultivate new revenue streams with existing accounts and new potential partnerships that elevate Crystal Cruises’ market penetration and brand awareness.
Represent Crystal at industry trade shows, events in the assigned territory, and any conference or event sponsored by a National Account or Consortia partner as requested. Participate in ship inaugurals and onboard events, and plan and conduct “seminar at sea” or familiarization cruises as approved.
Maintain an e‑mail database of travel advisors to communicate offers, news and information about Crystal Cruises, and conduct informational webinars as requested by executive management.
Maintain a presence on at least one social media site of choice (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). Create original content under Crystal Cruises’ brand guidelines or share Crystal Cruise posts at least once per week.
Annual Business Plans

Analyze territory sales, marketing ROI, challenges and opportunities and provide a detailed business plan to supervisor each year with a December1 deadline. The plan must include a course of action to grow sales within assigned agency partners, requesting marketing funds, trade show/conference attendance, anticipated travel & entertainment expenses, sponsorship opportunities, memberships and more.
Utilize both company and online technology to ensure speed to market. Must be proficient in Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Crystal Cruises’ reservation system, CRM platform and standard business technology, including all features of mobile devices, office electronics, printers and scanners. Reservation system (viewing access only) and CRM training will be provided.
Submit required monthly reports or ad‑hoc reports in a timely manner, including weekly sales report, monthly sales report, expense reports, marketing spend forecast and a 60‑day planned calendar with detailed calls and a 3‑month advance notice of travel locations.
Performance Expectations

Achieve a yearly average of at least 85% of the established revenue target. An individual quarterly performance may fall below 85%, but the average of all four quarters must be 85% or above. Incentive payout begins at 90% of goal.
Competency Education

Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent experience.
Experience

5–10 years of travel industry sales experience, with luxury cruise line experience preferred.
Extensive knowledge of the luxury cruise market and competitive set.
Extensive international destination knowledge, including Crystal Cruises’ destinations preferred.
Existing travel industry sales relationships in the assigned territory/region.
Demonstrated track record of sales success with a leading luxury travel company.
Management experience that includes sales team management preferred.
Skills / Qualifications

Positive, energetic, and professional demeanor.
Excellent sales, customer service, and relationship building skills.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
Exceptional organizational and administrative skills.
Self‑motivated and results oriented with proven ability to achieve sales objectives.
Capable of working independently with minimal day‑to‑day direction.
Capable of multi‑tasking and working in a fast‑paced environment.
Skilled at problem solving and decision making.
Ability to handle internal and external contact challenges tactfully to find mutually beneficial solutions.
Fluency in MS Office applications, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
Must be able to travel as needed domestically and internationally and possess a valid driver’s license with a reliable vehicle for business purposes.
Physical Demands

Requires sitting, standing, walking, bending and reaching. May require lifting or pushing up to 35 pounds. Requires manual dexterity to operate standard office machines such as computers, fax machines, calculators and telephone.
Expected Hours of Work

The position is full‑time and frequently requires working additional time outside of normal business hours. Must live in the Southeast USA territory (GA, AL, TN, SC, NC, VA, DC, MD, PA, DE).
EEO Statement

Abercrombie & Kent is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. A&K Travel Group is a global lifestyle and travel company that sets the standard for refined and personalized travel experiences. For more than three decades Crystal has been synonymous with exceptional, award‑winning voyages. In 2022 AKTG acquired the Crystal brand and its two vessels, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, ushering in a new era of Exceptional at Sea.

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