Business Development Manager, Southeast(Hospitality/Hotel Sales)

~ This is a remote position requiring 30–50% travel throughout the designated region, with occasional international travel. Candidates should be based in the Southeast U.S., with a strong preference for those located in key markets such as Orlando, Miami, or Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Proximity to a major airport is highly preferred to support the frequent travel requirements of the role.

This position blends strategic business development, account management, partner engagement, and commercial analysis through a mix of virtual and in-person sales activities. It is ideal for a proactive, relationship-driven sales professional with strong commercial acumen and experience in the travel or hospitality sector.

About the Role

The Business Development Manager will focus on Consortia and Retail Leisure accounts and drive commercial growth for a leading global hospitality company. This role will be responsible for engaging targeted travel bookers across retail leisure, corporate transient accounts, unmanaged business travel agencies, and government-focused travel partners within a designated region.The primary objective of the role is to influence partner sales behavior, increase room night production, grow market share, and strengthen the company’s portfolio of brands as the preferred choice for their clients. Through strategic account engagement and partnership development, the Business Development Manager will identify opportunities to grow revenue, deepen relationships, and maximize the commercial potential of key travel partners.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Agency Engagement

• Manage and grow relationships with assigned leisure, corporate transient, unmanaged, and government travel agencies within the designated region.
• Build strong partnerships with agency leaders and partner Business Development Managers through joint sales calls, training sessions, webinars, and regional events.
• Engage front-line travel advisors through virtual and in-person sales calls, webinars, and agency visits to strengthen awareness of the company's hotel portfolio.
• Deliver relevant and compelling sales presentations promoting the company's full portfolio of brands and segment-specific offerings.
• Attend and host advisor engagement events across leisure, corporate, government, and transient travel segments.

Strategic Planning, Commercial Insights & Performance Management

• Analyze account metrics, room night performance, market indicators, and production data to prioritize focus agencies and maximize ROI.
• Develop tailored sales strategies for each agency using data-driven insights and performance trends.
• Customize content and presentations for each interaction based on agency needs and commercial opportunities.
• Conduct regular reviews with agency contacts to identify reasons behind performance shifts and uncover new opportunities.
• Strategically manage call frequency and agency engagement plans using call files and performance tracking.

Sales Execution, Collaboration & Territory Support

• Collaborate with internal sales, marketing, operations, and revenue teams to plan and execute events, activations, and partner initiatives within the designated region.
• Engage with the maximum number of travel advisors during each activity to broaden commercial impact.
• Maintain a positive and professional presence during meetings, conference calls, and internal collaborations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key internal stakeholders across multiple business functions.

Administration, Reporting & Operational Standards

• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of all sales activities and interactions in Salesforce.
• Keep Outlook calendar updated with planned travel, appointments, and agency engagement schedules.
• Use Salesforce and reporting tools to track performance, analyze trends, and monitor progress toward objectives.
• Demonstrate strong attention to detail in documenting activities and following through on commitments.
• Submit expense reports and supporting documentation in a timely manner to ensure reimbursement of approved business expenses.
• Maintain a professional appearance and represent the company positively in all customer interactions.
• Store company materials and equipment securely and ensure proper care of all issued assets.
• Maintain a clean and presentable vehicle when conducting joint customer visits with colleagues.
• Demonstrate flexibility to support occasional additional hours or ad hoc business needs.

Skills & Qualifications

• 3-5 years of related experience in the hospitality or travel industry, particularly in sales, account management, or marketing roles.
• Experience working with Consortia and Retail Leisure is preferred.
• Event planning experience is an advantage.
• Professional appearance and strong business presence.
• Self-motivated, enthusiastic, and committed to achieving results.
• Professional-level proficiency in spoken and written English with excellent communication skills.
• Ability to build and maintain business relationships across various channels, including face-to-face meetings, email, video conferencing, and phone.
• Strong selling, presentation, and influencing skills.
• Effective analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and apply insights.
• Strong administrative and organizational abilities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, WebEx, and Zoom.
• Experience using Salesforce or a similar CRM platform.
• Flexibility to support occasional additional hours or ad hoc responsibilities based on business needs.
• Ability to travel 30-50% within the designated region, with occasional international travel.
• Must hold a valid driver's license and be able to travel independently throughout the territory.
• Must be based in the Orlando, Miami, or Fort Lauderdale area with convenient access to a major airport (within approximately one hour driving distance) to support frequent travel requirements.