Regional Director of Transient Sales - Business Travel & Leisure is responsible for developing and executing strategic sales initiatives that drive transient room revenue across a portfolio of hotels, with a primary focus on negotiated business travel accounts, corporate relationships, and leisure travel partnerships.
SummaryThis position serves as the primary sales leader for the business travel and leisure segments, identifying new revenue opportunities, strengthening existing account relationships, and expanding each hotel's presence within its respective markets.
The ideal candidate is a proactive, relationship-driven sales professional with a strong understanding of transient market segmentation, account management, hotel distribution, and revenue strategy. This individual must be equally comfortable developing new corporate accounts, cultivating luxury leisure travel advisor relationships, analyzing account production, and collaborating with Revenue Management to maximize transient business opportunities.
Working closely with the Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, Revenue Management, Marketing, and property leadership, the Regional Director of Transient Sales will develop targeted strategies that support each hotel's unique positioning, revenue objectives, and business mix.
ResponsibilitiesBusiness Travel Sales & Account Development- Develop and execute targeted strategies to capture Auburn University-related transient demand for The Hotel at Auburn University, Elevation Convening Center and Hotel, and The Laurel Hotel & Spa, including prospective student visits, admitted student events, orientation, move-in, graduation, and ongoing family visits throughout the student's college experience.
- Build and nurture long-term relationships with Auburn University families, parents, and alumni, creating opportunities to drive repeat visitation, strengthen guest loyalty, and establish both hotels as preferred accommodations throughout their ongoing connection to the university.
- Develop and execute a comprehensive business travel sales strategy across the regional hotel portfolio, with a focus on negotiated corporate accounts, local business travel, and other qualified transient business opportunities.
- Identify, prospect, and secure new corporate accounts through proactive sales calls, client appointments, networking, and strategic business development initiatives.
- Manage and grow existing negotiated corporate accounts, ensuring strong relationships, competitive positioning, and consistent production.
- Lead the annual corporate RFP process, including account qualification, rate recommendations, negotiations, submissions, and follow-up.
- Collaborate with Revenue Management to establish negotiated corporate rates, account terms, and pricing strategies that support each hotel's revenue objectives.
- Evaluate corporate account performance, including room nights, revenue, average daily rate, booking patterns, and year-over-year production.
- Identify underperforming accounts and develop targeted strategies to improve production or reassess account value.
- Develop relationships with local businesses, universities, healthcare organizations, government entities, and other organizations that generate recurring transient demand.
- Identify opportunities to expand corporate relationships across multiple properties through total account management and cross-selling.
- Develop strategies to capture business travel demand during identified need periods, particularly midweek and shoulder-night opportunities.
Leisure Sales & Partnership Development- Develop and execute a leisure sales strategy tailored to the positioning, target audience, and revenue opportunities of each hotel.
- Establish and maintain productive relationships with travel advisors, luxury travel agencies, consortia, travel management companies, and other leisure distribution partners.
- Proactively identify and pursue leisure accounts and partnerships that generate qualified room night production.
- Manage relationships with applicable luxury hotel networks, preferred partner programs, and travel advisor communities.
- Represent the hotels through agency sales calls, familiarization trips, trade events, travel advisor presentations, and other targeted business development activities.
- Work with Marketing and Revenue Management to identify opportunities for leisure packages, seasonal promotions, and targeted offers that support hotel demand.
- Develop relationships with destination marketing organizations, tourism partners, local attractions, and complementary hospitality businesses to expand leisure market awareness and referral opportunities.
- Evaluate leisure account and partner production, including room nights, revenue, ADR, booking patterns, and acquisition costs where available.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen weekend, holiday, and seasonal leisure demand based on each property's business needs.
- Ensure leisure sales initiatives reinforce each hotel's brand positioning and target guest experience.
Transient Revenue Strategy & Market Performance- Collaborate with Revenue Management to develop and execute transient segment strategies that support occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, and overall revenue goals.
- Analyze business travel and leisure segment performance to identify market trends, production gaps, and opportunities for growth.
- Monitor transient booking pace, account production, demand patterns, and year-over-year performance.
- Participate in revenue strategy and business review meetings, providing insights into account activity, market demand, and competitive developments.
- Evaluate negotiated account opportunities based on production potential, rate contribution, booking behavior, and overall value to the hotel.
- Identify opportunities to shift qualified business from higher-cost distribution channels to more profitable direct or negotiated channels.
- Collaborate with Revenue Management to evaluate corporate rate performance and ensure negotiated agreements remain competitive and commercially beneficial.
- Support the development of annual business plans, transient revenue budgets, and targeted sales action plans for each property.
- Recommend strategies to address identified need periods, market segment gaps, and changes in transient demand.
Account Management, Sales Process & Reporting- Maintain accurate and comprehensive account records, sales activities, production history, and prospecting information within the designated CRM.
- Develop and maintain an active pipeline of prospective business travel accounts and leisure partnerships.
- Establish annual account production goals and sales action plans for assigned markets and properties.
- Conduct regular account reviews to evaluate production, identify opportunities, and strengthen relationships.
- Track and report key performance indicators, including:
- Negotiated corporate account room nights and revenue
- Leisure account and travel advisor production
- New account acquisition and activation
- Existing account retention and year-over-year growth
- Account production versus established goals
- Average daily rate and revenue contribution by account
- Sales activity, prospecting, and account development
- Cross-property account production
- Transient segment booking pace and market trends
- Provide regular performance updates, market intelligence, and actionable recommendations to the Regional Director of Sales & Marketing.
- Ensure timely follow-up on client inquiries, RFPs, account opportunities, and partnership requests.
Cross-Property Collaboration & Client Experience- Promote a regional sales approach that leverages the unique positioning, capabilities, and target markets of each hotel.
- Identify opportunities to develop relationships with accounts and partners that may generate business for multiple properties.
- Collaborate with Revenue Management, Marketing, Reservations, Front Office, and hotel Operations to ensure successful execution of transient sales strategies.
- Partner with property leadership to identify local market opportunities and strengthen each hotel's competitive position.
- Work closely with Marketing to ensure sales initiatives, promotional messaging, and partnership activities are aligned with brand positioning.
- Ensure negotiated corporate accounts, travel advisors, and leisure partners receive responsive, professional, and personalized service.
- Facilitate effective communication of account preferences, negotiated agreements, and VIP requirements to property teams.
- Represent Ithaka Hospitality Partners and its hotels at relevant industry events, trade shows, client functions, and community organizations.
- Maintain a strong understanding of each hotel's guest experience, amenities, services, and competitive advantages to effectively communicate its value to prospective clients and partners.
Qualifications & Experience- Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Marketing, or related field preferred.
- Minimum 5-7 years of progressive hotel sales experience, with demonstrated success in business travel, corporate negotiated accounts, or leisure sales.
- Previous multi-property or regional hotel sales experience preferred.
- Experience selling full-service, independent, boutique, upscale, or luxury hotels preferred.
- Established relationships within corporate travel, travel management companies, luxury travel agencies, or leisure distribution networks highly desirable.
- Strong understanding of hotel transient segmentation, negotiated corporate rates, travel advisor distribution, and hotel revenue management principles.
- Familiarity with corporate RFP processes, GDS distribution, consortia programs, and travel advisor partnerships.
- Demonstrated success in proactive business development, account management, and revenue growth.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate account production, market trends, and sales performance.
- Proficiency with hotel CRM systems, Microsoft Office applications, and relevant hotel reporting platforms.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
- Highly organized, self-motivated, and capable of independently managing multiple markets and competing priorities.
- Ability to travel between assigned properties and attend industry events as business needs require.
Key Performance ExpectationsSuccess in this role will be measured by the development, growth, and performance of the regional business travel and leisure segments, including:
- Achievement of assigned business travel and leisure revenue and room night goals.
- Growth in qualified negotiated corporate account production.
- Acquisition and activation of new business travel accounts and leisure partnerships.
- Increased production from existing accounts and improved account retention.
- Growth in travel advisor, consortia, and leisure partner business.
- Increased cross-property account penetration and referral opportunities.
- Effective management of corporate RFPs and negotiated account relationships.
- Consistent prospecting activity, CRM utilization, and account performance reporting.
- Strong collaboration with Revenue Management to support each property's business mix and revenue objectives.
Leadership ExpectationsThe Regional Director of Transient Sales is expected to demonstrate strong commercial judgment, proactive business development, and a commitment to building long-term client relationships.
This individual must understand that successful transient sales extend beyond negotiating rates or securing preferred partnerships. The position requires an ability to identify the right customers, understand their travel needs, develop meaningful relationships, and generate sustainable revenue opportunities for each property.
Above all, the Regional Director of Transient Sales should bring a proactive, disciplined, and strategic approach to business development while serving as a knowledgeable and effective ambassador for each hotel's unique identity and guest experience.
Physical Requirements: - Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Driving / Flying / Travel / Commuting between properties
- Ability to move in and around the hotels freely
- Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
