Group Sales Manager (Business Development)

Xanterra Travel Collection•Eau Claire, WI

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Group Sales Manager is responsible for building and scaling Holiday Vacations’ external group sales program. This role focuses on identifying, developing, and managing strategic relationships with Holiday Vacations’ guests, travel advisors, affinity groups, clubs, content creators, and corporate clients. This position plays a key role in developing the long-term vision and operational foundation of the group sales function. In addition to driving revenue, the Group Sales Manager is expected to bring a strategic, leadership-oriented mindset - establishing scalable processes, influencing cross-functional partners, and contributing to the evolution of the department as the program grows. The successful candidate must reside within a reasonable commuting distance of our Eau Claire, Wisconsin headquarters, or be willing to relocate to the area.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, hospitality, tourism, or related field, or equivalent work experience required.
Minimum of five (5) years of sales / business development experience required, with a strong preference for sales experience in the travel industry, particularly in tour operations or group travel.
Outbound business development experience is strongly preferred, including proactive lead generation, prospecting, and relationship cultivation.
Proven ability to manage a full sales cycle with a consistent track record of exceeding performance targets.
Experience leading or scaling a functional area, program, or initiative, including setting strategy, defining processes, and driving measurable outcomes.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time-management skills.
Willingness to perform independent travel for client meetings, FAM trips, and industry events.
Proficient in Microsoft Office, with experience using CRM platforms; preference given to candidates with HubSpot experience. Proficiency in Smartsheet and familiarity with Copilot or other AI tools is a plus.

Nice To Haves

Strong understanding of guided tours, FITs, and custom group packages.
Experience working with international tour products and multicultural clients.
Familiarity with key travel consortia and host agencies.

Responsibilities

Demonstrated ability to lead, scale, and mature a functional area. This includes setting vision, establishing structure and processes, mentoring others, and building capabilities that support long-term organizational growth.
Design and execute a growth-oriented group sales strategy aligned with annual revenue and passenger goals.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with Holiday Vacations’ guests, travel advisors, group organizers, and institutional partners to cultivate long-term partnerships.
Proactively identify and pursue new group business opportunities through outreach, referrals, trade events, and digital channels.
Create and deliver customized group proposals and agreements tailored to client interests and tour availability.
Collaborate closely with Product Development, Marketing, Guest Services, and Operations teams to ensure alignment across the group sales lifecycle.
Maintain accurate records of client interactions, proposals, and sales pipeline activity.
Track, analyze, and report group sales performance metrics and monitor industry trends to inform strategy adjustments.
Monitor competitor activity and market trends to inform strategic adjustments and identify new opportunities.
Represent Holiday Vacations at trade shows, conferences, webinars, and other promotional events.
Provide exceptional service and support to clients throughout the entire sales and travel process, ensuring timely and professional communication with clients from proposal to post-trip follow-up.
Perform other duties as assigned.