Director of Sports Travel & Group Sales

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Sports Travel and Group Sales is responsible for driving occupancy and revenue growth by attracting travel sports teams, high school and collegiate athletic programs to our resort's private villa accommodations. This role leads all sales efforts targeting coaches, athletic directors, tournament organizers, and team travel coordinators whose athletes are competing at local, regional, and national competitions. This individual will develop strategic partnerships, manage the full group sales cycle, and ensure an exceptional stay experience tailored to the unique needs of competitive athletes and their teams.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

Sales Strategy & Business Development

• Develop and execute a targeted sales strategy to attract traveling sports teams, high school and collegiate sports teams traveling to the Orlando area for competitions, tournaments, and championships
• Build a robust pipeline by prospecting athletic departments, sports governing bodies, tournament directors, and travel procurement contacts at schools and universities
• Identify and pursue relationships with sports event operators, tournament hosts, and multi-sport complexes in the greater Orlando area
• Stay current on the regional sports tournament calendar to proactively target incoming teams and events

Group & Team Booking Management

• Manage the full sales cycle from initial inquiry through contract execution, rooming list coordination, and post-stay follow-up
• Develop customized group packages that leverage the resort's private villa inventory to meet the specific needs of athletic teams (e.g., multi-bedroom configurations for team cohesion, athlete recovery amenities, coach/staff accommodations)
• Negotiate group rates, attrition terms, and added-value inclusions that remain competitive while protecting resort revenue
• Partner with Revenue Management to optimize villa inventory and pricing across peak tournament seasons

Client & Partner Relationships

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for athletic departments, team travel coordinators, and group accounts

• Cultivate partnerships with local and regional sports venues, sports tourism organizations (e.g., Sports ETA members, Visit Orlando), and tournament management companies
• Attend sports tourism trade shows, athletic director conferences, and event bid presentations to build brand visibility and generate leads
• Maintain a high level of service and responsiveness to coaches and administrators managing complex travel logistics

On-Property Experience & Coordination

• Collaborate with resort operations, food & beverage, and guest services teams to design athlete-friendly programming and amenities (e.g., early breakfast hours, training meal packages, recovery pool access, team meeting spaces)
• Ensure seamless group arrival, villa assignment, and departure processes for team bookings
• Serve as an on-site liaison during key group stays to address any team needs and ensure satisfaction
• Gather post-stay feedback to continuously improve the team travel product and drive repeat bookings

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Sports Management, Hospitality, Business, or a related field
• 5+ years of sales experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership role
• Demonstrated success in hotel/resort group sales, sports tourism, or team travel sales
• Familiarity with the high school and/or collegiate athletics landscape, including how athletic departments make travel decisions
• Strong negotiation, contracting, and presentation skills
• Experience with group sales CRM and property management systems
• Ability to travel regionally and work evenings/weekends around tournament and event schedules

Villatel is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any legally protected status.