Natalie Grant-Atkinson

Maintain Customer and supplier connection, negotiating rates and packages for the target market. Managed to keep the company afloat during the pandemic by creating affordable packages and pushing Staycation as the international Market had declined drastically.
Additional duties included operating in full capacity when all staff members were laid off as they were on contract. Controlled room bookings and site inspections, networking with hotel and guest. Other duties include.

• Negotiating rooms contracts with hotels
• Captured and completed sales with customer-savvy quotes, proposals and contract management strategies.
• Worked diligently to resolve unique and recurring complaints, promoting loyalty and enhancing operations.
• Networking with hoteliers
• Monthly reports to executive team
• Created new offers for specific markets
• Managed and motivated sales team to increase revenue by 5% with future bookings during the pandemic

Leveraging the company expectations creating an agile and high-performing sales workforce fostering alignment of skills and organizational functions – all of which leads to greater efficiencies, collaboration/teamwork, and employee engagement. Handling all corporate affairs for a property with over one thousand rooms. Conceptualized and led two of the largest nationwide conferences in history of Grand Palladium Jamaica – with over 800 professionals in attendance. Strategic management of travel and training budget and unique corporate vision made the conference a resounding success. Saved the Department over $100K by consulting and collaborating with partners sharing the same interest. Identified and addressed competency gaps within the resort; and briefed senior-level executives, front-line managers and others regarding the efficiency and efficacy of training & development initiatives.

Additional duties included attending roadshows internationally, being a direct link with marketing and the commercial department, working directly with international travel agents on room bookings and events, conducting and organizing site inspections, networking with the Jamaica Tourist Board on new business opportunities. Other duties include:

• Hosted promotional dinners and events
• Created rooms contracts with international partners
• Produced Yearly analytical sales reports to corporate office on new ideas to increase revenue
• Networked with tour operators and wedding consultants
• Managed sales and hotel reservations department
• Created monthly sales reports to corporate and year over year sales reports
• Maintained the company standards and policies
• Implemented new training for staff continuously
• Negotiated with travel agents on new company contracts
• Created new promotional offers/room rates for specific markets
• Visited travel agencies checking that they have the tools to sell the brand
• Implemented new strategies for advertising of the brand
• Maintained the department budget
• Planned creative ideas to increase revenue on property/promotions
• Developed sales/event packages for meetings and incentive groups maximizing sales
• Created yearly budgets and targets for the sales department
• Selected promotional items for hotel branding to expand its marketing reach

In my role as Weddings and Group Sales Manager, I maintained the departmental budget, created strategies to improve wedding event sales, attending weekly sales forecast meetings, planning and executing group events, and creating wedding packages. Other duties included:

• Hosted travel agents and prospective guest
• Implemented new creative ideas to increase revenue
• Improved guest satisfaction based on reviews
• Managed all large room contracts
• Represented the company locally and internationally at sales events
• Managed all corporate site inspections

Launched the hotels One Love Package which spiked company revenue this maximized overall strategic goals. Provided critical support to specific government accounts influencing and promoting cross pollination from other government entities, encouraging further acquisition of key government accounts. Other duties entailed:

• Identified need periods and undertook comprehensive sales programs to secure new and adhoc business minimizing the impact of low activity periods
• Managed portfolio of 30+ Jamaican based conferences and exhibitions on a annual basis
• Created wedding packages for the company website
• Supervised group sales coordinators and assigned them to events
• Fostered and maintained contact with a wide array of vendors
• Managed the US Embassy Account

Significantly elevated the presence of Glamour Transport and Tours on public and private internet domain – including partnering with web design team to determine and apply criteria for high traffic, welcoming hospitality website and creating high-profile templates, banners and interactive graphics. Prepared marketing brochure of services offered inclusive of theme events which provided an overview of Destination Management Services offered. Other duties entailed:

• Coordinated all group programs
• Supervised the Transportation team
• Worked closely with attractions to create group packages
• Attended trade shows locally and overseas
• Supervised hotel tour desk and drivers
• Planned theme events
• Main core function was planning meetings and events for meetings and incentive groups
• Executed site inspections at hotels and attractions