Seeking an Upper Management Sales position with an established and successful Tour or Cruise Company utilizing my robust and rewarding Travel Industry experience and contacts for our mutual benefit. An experienced and passionate traveler with Executive Management experience in the travel industry. Proven success in leadership, partnership, and business development. A self-motivated person who is able to function independently or as part of a Management team.
Hi, I’m
Louisa Benton
Tour Manager
Fulshear
Summary
Overview
50
years of professional experience
1
Certification
Work History
Collette Vacations
Tour Manager - Independent Contractor
09.2021 - Current
Job overview
- Spotlight San Antonio Tours from 2021 through 2025. Collette's new and repeat guests. Welcome presentation on arrival day. Presentation on board motor coach on the Texas Hill Country and Chisolm Trail. Follow the planned itinerary and modify it when needed. Verifying each vendor pre-tour and during the tour. Evaluated schedule to utilize appropriate times allowed for each stop pre-tour and allowed windows for changes during the tour depending on the customer audience. Examples of extras I have added are the Saga Lazer show experience at San Fernando Cathedral, the 3D experience at Tower of Americas, the Phil Collins Exhibition at the Alamo, and a visit to the SAS Factory. Exceeded guests' satisfaction goals.
- Hawaiian Adventures – Tours in 2024 and 2025. Transfer guests between islands and hotels. Assist guests with options and suggestions for each island. Achieved a 100% satisfaction rating from guests at the KTBS weather station in Shreveport, LA.
- Albuquerque and Santa Fe for their Balloon Fiesta 2021 and 2022. Collette's new and repeat guests. Followed planned scheduled itinerary, verifying each vendor pre tour and during tour.
- Collette Compass application, Collette Vinyl application.
- Completed 2021 Virtual Tour Manager Summit. Tour Manager Summit in Pawtucket in 2022. Memphis Tour Manager meeting 2024.
Globus Family Of Brands
Business Development Manager, TX and NV
02.2017 - 12.2020
Job overview
- Worked with marketing teams to deploy and optimize effective campaigns for Premier accounts. Average of 20 field sales calls per week.
- Negotiated, prepared, and signed contracts with Premium accounts with Marketing plans or Field Agreements yearly. Minimum of seven each quarter.
- Worked with existing Preferred customers to increase revenue with four brands of Globus Family of Brands, Globus, Cosmos, Monograms, and Avalon Waterways with quarterly updates and office training sessions.
- Developed new business by networking with prospect Texas and Nevada Travel Agencies with consumer nights, and industry conferences, and trade shows. Typically ten each quarter.
- Reviewed project goals and objectives on monthly basis with Regional Director and Group Account Manager. SWOT analysis for Executive Team updates.
- Completed and submitted weekly Siebel inputs supporting Executive Marketing, forecasting, and analysis.
- Successful in achieving goals on target and stretch levels.
LTA Central and LTA
Vice President
04.2016 - 01.2017
Job overview
- Average of ten calls per day answering inquiries, solving problems, and providing Product Knowledge and Industry Experience to 185 Independent Contractors.
- Recruit and answer ten calls per day on inquiries about becoming "Independent Contractors" for Host Agency.
- Plan, organize, and provide live webinars with Preferred suppliers to LTA Central's Independent Contractors as well as LTA's members.
- Create and deliver informative news items to members through newsletters, recorded webinars, and private Facebook pages, guiding them in creating a"perfect vacation package" for their clients.
- Earned Owner's trust with Budget, and scheduled meetings with Suppliers and Employees.
- Created and made appropriate documentation for annual budgets and senior leadership goals.
SITA World Tours
Business Development Manager
04.2015 - 06.2015
Job overview
- Addressed customer inquiries and suggested tour packages to both existing customers and new potential customers with product training.
- Created monthly newsletter with key highlights of SITA Destination Products. Created Destination PowerPoints for Region as well as recorded Destination PowerPoints for company's Library.
- Provided elevated customer experience to generate loyal clientèle.
- Effectively communicated with and supported sales, marketing, and administrative teams daily.
Travel Impressions, Ltd.
Regional Sales Manager
09.2004 - 02.2015
Job overview
- Responsible for developing Central Region's Revenue and Profits.
- Central Region came in at $101,000,000 in Revenue for 2014, with Net Profits up 16% over 2013.
- Managed and developed three Business Development Managers located in Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Chicago through mentoring initiatives for newly appointed BDMs in other territories.
- I also maintained and improved territory in TX and NM with revenue of $32,417,348 for 2014 and $ 9,788,107 first quarter of 2015.
- Organized and planned Territory blitzes with vendors and trade show events.
- Earned management trust. Successful in providing services for "Best of Best" award guests at events.
- Committee member of " bi-weekly Customer Service Experience" three years representing "voice of Sales Field Managers".
- Collaborated with vendors regarding joint sales calls and sales events.
Continental Airlines Vacation
Regional Sales Manager
11.2000 - 09.2004
Job overview
- Responsible for developing "Brand" recognition among 1,700 travel agencies in eleven South and "Western States".
- States had average annual growth of 20% from 2000 to 2004.
- Personally called on top 100 accounts regularly.
- Serviced secondary markets with phone calls, city blitzing, and trade shows.
- Worked closely with Certified Vacations Managers in Product Development, Customer Service, Group Sales, and Marketing.
- Worked closely with Continental Airlines Managers in Sales and Marketing with Monthly calls.
- Planned and organized familiarization trips with Travel agency partners, hotel vendors, and tourist boards.
- Planned and organized territory blitzes with hotel vendors and tourist boards.
- Conducted extensive Vendor Systems Training.
Travel Smart, Inc.
Co-Owner and Manager
06.1996 - 11.2000
Job overview
- Manager and Co-owner of Travel Agency.
- Recorded and reconciled ARC reports and bank statements.
- Paid commissions to agents.
- Set, enforced, and optimized internal policies to maintain efficiency and responsiveness to demands
- Evaluated suppliers by assessing quality, timeliness, and compliance of deliveries to maintain tight cost controls and maximize business operational efficiency
- Developed key operational initiatives to drive and maintain substantial business growth
Consolidated Travel Services, Inc
Director of Member Services
02.1992 - 06.1996
Job overview
- Respected Regional Travel Consortium with a Billion Dollar in revenue with over 600 Travel Agency members through Preferred Suppliers.
- Instrumental in increasing Membership (400%) and Revenues (300%) during tenure.
- Effectively communicated with and supported sales, marketing, and administrative teams on a daily basis.
Collins Travel - Uniglobe
Office Manager
03.1985 - 12.1991
Job overview
- Dec 1991 Uniglobe Travel - Collins Travel - Westlake Village, CA.
- Held positions of Independent Contractor to Office Manager.
- Maintained computer and physical filing systems
- Compared vendor prices and negotiated for optimal savings
- Established efficient workflow processes, monitored daily productivity and implemented modifications to improve overall effectiveness of personnel and activities
Delta Airlines
Sales
05.1975 - 06.1985
Job overview
- Fully vested Early Retiree employee.
- Positions held at Delta were; Reservations Agent, Regional Sales Secretary and Regional Operations Secretary.
- Awarded 100% attendance awards for Ten (10) consecutive years.
Education
LaGuardia Community College of The City University of New YorkLong Island City, NY
Associate of Arts from Business
06.1981
University Overview
- Coursework in Accounting, Finance and Statistics
- Coursework includes: Speech and Communication, Sociology and Psychology
Skills
- Strong partnership relationships with accounts, suppliers, and employees
- Strong communication skills
- Strong ability to work independently or as part of a team
- Sales and Marketing agreement negotiation
- Executive Team Leadership
- MS Office, GDS systems, SalesForce, Concur, Siebel, and Cyberquery
Languages
Languages
Fluent in English and Italian. Functional in Spanish and French.Affiliations
Affiliations
Member of PATH, ASTA, SKAL, The Travel Institute.Certification
- License Insurance Agent – State of Texas, November, 2020
- Certified Internal Tour Manager – International Guide Academy, Inc. August, 2020
- Cruise – CLIA, September 2019
Timeline
Tour Manager - Independent Contractor
Collette Vacations
09.2021 - Current
Business Development Manager, TX and NV
Globus Family Of Brands
02.2017 - 12.2020
Vice President
LTA Central and LTA
04.2016 - 01.2017
Business Development Manager
SITA World Tours
04.2015 - 06.2015
Regional Sales Manager
Travel Impressions, Ltd.
09.2004 - 02.2015
Regional Sales Manager
Continental Airlines Vacation
11.2000 - 09.2004
Co-Owner and Manager
Travel Smart, Inc.
06.1996 - 11.2000
Director of Member Services
Consolidated Travel Services, Inc
02.1992 - 06.1996
Office Manager
Collins Travel - Uniglobe
03.1985 - 12.1991
Sales
Delta Airlines
05.1975 - 06.1985
- License Insurance Agent – State of Texas, November, 2020
- Certified Internal Tour Manager – International Guide Academy, Inc. August, 2020
- Cruise – CLIA, September 2019
LaGuardia Community College of The City University of New York
Associate of Arts from Business
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