Associate Travel Product Manager (Tour Operator)

  • Full-time

Company Description

BUSINESS OVERVIEW:

At YMT Vacations, the goal is to provide our guests with affordable vacations they will remember for years to come. We assemble hotel, tour, sightseeing, and cruise components and offer a range of inclusive value-priced escorted tour and cruise/tour vacation packages throughout North America and worldwide. We sell direct to customers from sales offices in Los Angeles and Detroit. Prospects respond to advertisements placed in a variety of media including newspapers, magazines, newsletters, radio campaigns, DR TV, direct mail and online.

YMT Vacations is a member of Travelopia, which is the world's largest collection of specialist travel brands. Each brand is individually operated, creating unique experiences that are centered around specific destinations, passions or interests.

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Associate Product Manager manages a portfolio of tour programs and is responsible for product planning and development, contracting of included services, costing and pricing, sales performance measurement and yield management. The Associate Product Manager is responsible for the full product lifecycle of assigned portfolios from planning to the guest experience.

 

The Associate Product Manager must provide successful management of revenue, occupancy and margin to achieve company goals. The Associate Product Manager must work tenaciously to monitor sales pace, tour load factors and other KPIs to ensure that we are on track. When necessary, this role will influence marketing activity to address issues using all available tools, including but not limited to discount management, tactical activity recommendations, sales incentives, tour capacity and inventory management.

 

MAJOR AREA OF RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

Product Planning, Contracting & Portfolio Management

  • Proactively plan, develop, own and manage YMT tours through the product lifecycle while remaining in line with business timescales
  • Negotiate contract rates and terms: hotels, DMC’s, cruise lines, optional tour operators, and special offers, while remaining in compliance with health and safety, and other relevant regulations
  • Manage and maintain vendor relationships along with contract administration
  • Collaborate with Marketing department to define product marketing spend plan
  • Provide tour set-up for reservation system (Softrip)
  • Write and  maintain accuracy of appealing tour itinerary descriptions
  • Collaborate closely with Marketing department for brochure and collateral production

 

Pricing & Business Performance Management

  • Manage tour pricing and set costs, by analyzing historic performance, market influences and budget requirements; define assumptions and propose selling prices
  • Collaborate with Air department to set future air pricing, and identify the best commercial and tactical marketing opportunities for the supply of air
  • Closely monitor sales against budget and pace by using available data sources and reports
  • Manage planned promotions, discounts and tactical activities, by working closely with Marketing department to drive sales with focus on achieving budgeted tour load factors
  • Manage tour capacity and inventory
  • Continuously develop recommendations and implement initiatives that improve product P&L

 

Quality Assurance & Product Expertise

  • Collaborate with Tour Operations department to define operational delivery standards
  • Assist with vendor performance management, as needed
  • Provide training for sales and reservations staff on tour products and destinations

Qualifications

 

  • 3+ years of management experience in travel industry; experience with product management, contracting and pricing required
  • Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience in travel, business administration, marketing or related field
  • Advanced analytical skills with demonstrated ability to work through the development of complex business solutions
  • Familiarity working in MS Office (Excel) and a data warehouse
  • Strong communicator, both written and verbal, with the ability to direct the actions of others
  • Must be flexible and responsive to changing priorities while working under pressure to meet immediate deadlines
  • Collaborative nature with the ability to interact with a variety of staff from all levels, including heavy interaction with executive team
  • Willingness to travel occasionally (domestically and/or internationally) for trade shows, product contracting, planning and destination familiarization

 

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.