Ambitions Travel Recruitment
Business Development Manager
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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER / BDM
SOUTH UK — FIELD-BASED | 4 DAYS ON THE ROAD, 1 DAY HOME
UP TO £40,000 DOE + GENEROUS CAR ALLOWANCE + UNCAPPED BONUS
Business Development Manager job covering the South UK region within the luxury travel industry, offering up to £40,000 DOE plus a generous monthly car allowance and an uncapped bonus scheme. This is a field-based sales role focused on growing B2B retail agent partnerships, promoting a premium touring and cruising product range, and identifying new business opportunities across the territory.
Do you?
- Thrive on building genuine relationships with retail travel agent partners?
- Have a background in travel, retail or wholesale sales and a natural ability to influence and negotiate?
- Confident presenting to groups — from an agency team briefing to a full trade conference stage?
- Want the autonomy of a field-based role, backed by a strong product range and clear sales targets to aim for?
Our Customer
Our client is a well-established name in premium guided touring and cruising, known for delivering exceptional travel experiences across a global collection of destinations. With decades of industry experience and a loyal international customer base, they have built a strong reputation for quality, service and reliability.
They are now seeking a Business Development Manager to drive growth across the South UK territory — building strong relationships with retail agent partners, raising brand awareness, and identifying new B2B and B2C opportunities to support the wider sales strategy.
The Role
In this role, you will take ownership of B2B sales activity across the South UK, working four days per week in the field and one day from home.
- Identify key B2B growth markets, categories and prospects aligned with the wider sales strategy
- Develop, maintain and implement activity and business plans to maximise revenue growth
- Motivate retail agents through seminars, workshops, webinars and marketing collateral
- Host familiarisation trips for agents to build first-hand product knowledge
- Deliver presentations to large and small groups to promote the product range
- Monitor competitor and market activity, identifying new opportunities for growth
- Represent the brand at travel shows, trade events, product launches and promotions
- Attend national and international industry conferences when required
- Manage sales budgets and evaluate ROI on all sales spend
- Provide monthly market intelligence reports covering feedback, competitors and trends
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Experience Required
- Minimum 2 years’ experience in a Business Development or Account Management role
- Previous sales experience within travel, retail or wholesale
- Outgoing, confident and self-motivated with strong organisational skills
- Proven relationship management and negotiation skills
- Exceptional presentation and training skills
- Comfortable analysing and evaluating sales opportunities
- A collaborative approach, sharing information across teams and departments
- Proficient in MS Office, particularly PowerPoint, and confident with new technology
- Willing to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, with frequent travel and overnight stays during peak seasons
Benefits
- 4 days in the field, 1 day working from home
- Up to £40,000 DOE
- Monthly car allowance
- Uncapped bonus scheme
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Familiarisation trips to experience the product range firsthand
- Wellbeing programme and learning & development opportunities
- Work From Anywhere for up to 10 days per year
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary for a Business Development Manager in luxury travel?
This role offers up to £40,000 DOE, plus a monthly car allowance and an uncapped bonus scheme. Ambitions Travel Recruitment will confirm the full package in detail with shortlisted candidates.
What does the field-based working pattern look like in this role?
Four days per week are spent on the road across the South UK territory, with one day working from home. Frequent travel and occasional overnight stays are required, particularly during peak season.
Is travel industry experience required?
Previous sales experience within travel, retail or wholesale is required for this role. Ambitions Travel Recruitment will fully brief all shortlisted candidates before interview.
How do I apply through Ambitions Travel Recruitment?
Apply via this page. Ambitions Travel Recruitment reviews every application personally — no automated screening. Register at ambitionstravelrecruitment.com to be considered for future roles.
What does a Business Development Manager role in travel involve?
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A Business Development Manager in travel drives B2B and B2C growth by building relationships with retail agent partners, promoting products through events and training, and identifying new commercial opportunities across a defined territory.
Who are Ambitions Travel Recruitment?
Ambitions Travel Recruitment is a specialist leisure travel recruitment agency placing professionals across all areas of leisure travel — including, but not limited to, tour operators, tailor-made travel, safari companies, expedition and adventure travel, ocean and river cruise lines, ski operators, and UHNW concierge businesses — in the UK, South Africa, GCC, Asia, and North America. Founded by Fi Morrison-Arnthal with 35+ years’ experience.
Click here to apply for this Business Development Manager job, which is being recruited by Ambitions Travel Recruitment.
Ambitions Travel Recruitment places professionals across all areas of leisure travel, including tour operators, tailor-made travel, safari companies, expedition and adventure travel, ocean and river cruise lines, ski operators, and UHNW concierge businesses, in the UK, South Africa, GCC, Asia, and North America. With over 100 combined years of industry experience, we are trusted by global corporations, independent travel businesses, and growing operators to source hard-to-find specialists through a headhunting approach that reaches candidates who never appear on job boards.
IMPORTANT
- If this role ticks your boxes and you’ve got the relevant experience, then click and apply
- If this role isn’t for you but you’d be keen to receive suitable job alerts, then register with us now www.ambitionstravelrecruitment.com
- Due to the massive number of applications, we receive, we’re usually only able to reply to candidates whose requirements meet our customers’ needs. We’re super grateful that you take the time to apply, and we will save your CV and be in touch for other suitable roles
- Please visit our website www.ambitionstravelrecruitment.com for our full privacy policy which explains how we store and access your personal data and our candidate promise to never share your details with an employer without your prior consent etc.
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