THE LATIN ROUTES TRAINEE PROGRAMME

Your First Step To An Amazing Career in Travel

If you are looking to launch an amazing career in the travel industry, then the Latin Routes Trainee Programme could offer you the first step you need! We are looking for the next generation of fantastic Travel Specialists to join our team and the programme is ideal for someone coming out of college / university or someone looking for a change of career. It doesn't matter if you've not had any experience, or if you haven't travelled to any of our destinations - if you have got the passion and personality, then we will teach you the know how!

The Role - Latin Routes Travel Specialist

As a Latin Routes Travel Specialist, you'll become the face of the company. The role is a varied one, but involves looking after our client’s right from their initial enquiry, up until they return from their holiday. You will be the single point of contact for each of your clients travel needs. It is vital that you are passionate about travel, are excited by Latin America and are ready to give first class customer service.

Key Responsibilities

• Creation and sale of high quality, tailormade holidays to Latin America,
• Make the most of every single genuine sales enquiry received,
• Ensure the products sold, and the supporting information, is of the highest standard.
• A total commitment to customer service. It's your goal to ensure we exceed all client’s expectations.
• Interacting with our clients, mostly over the telephone - with some face to face meetings, either in the office or at events.
• Continual training to ensure that you remain a true Travel Specialist with up to date commercial knowledge and understanding of hotels / flights / infrastructure in Latin America.
• Exceed sales targets and KPI’s set by the company,
• Flexibility to meet the needs of the developing business.

The Training Programme

We have set up an exciting and intensive training programme to give you all the skills you'll need to grow into the role of being a Latin Routes Travel Specialist. You will join an intake of typically 3 - 4 people who will all share in the same journey. The programme lasts for 12-months and after successful completion of the first 6-months, you'll get to go on an exciting 2-week fam trip to at least one of our destinations! Upon successful completion of the whole programme you'll be promoted to a permanent role of Junior Travel Specialist and then work on a plan for developing your overall travel career. The details of the trainee programme are;

First 4-Weeks: Learning the Basics

For the first 4-weeks you will be mainly classroom based where we'll teach you all the necessary skills to enable you to fulfil the role. We will start with training on the company, the role, our responsibilities as a Tour Opeartor and our systems. After that we will pick out 2 of our key destinations to initially train you on - that way you aren't having to learn the whole of Latin America in one go! During the second half of this period we will immerse you into a world of inspiration about those destinations, so you'll get to know them like you've been yourself! 

Months 2 - 3: Turning the Theory into Practice

During the next couple of months we will put all the theory into practice as we begin to develop your skills. You will be assigned a buddy from within the existing sales team who will help with your development on a day-to-day basis, all overseen by our Senior Sales Manager. You'll begin interacting with our clients and agent partners on general queries and post booking administration before moving on to answering new sales queries about the destinations you have been intensively learning.

Months 3 - 6: Development of your Confidence and Overall Skills

During the next 3 months we will aim to raise your confidence and for you to become a fully rounded Travel Specialist! Training will include how to look after clients from booking to travel, managing clients while they are travelling and following up with all the post travel management too. You should also be making a number of  sales by this point, which of course will also attract a commission for you! We will also begin introducing you to sales targets.

Fam Trip!

Upon successful completion of the initial 6-months, its time to get out there and see one or more of our incredible destinations for yourself! We will put together an epic 2-week trip so you can experience the amazing sights and sounds of Latin America, and firm up all of your destination knowledge! 

Months 6 - 12: Hone Your Skills and Develop Your Destinations

For the next 6-months you'll work with your buddy and begin to fly as a Travel Specialist. We will work with you to hone your skills and regularly hit your sales targets. We will also develop your destinations further to open up more areas for you to work with. In the second half of this period we will aim to get everything ready to promote you to a permanent role of Junior Travel Specialist and the programme will finish with a final assesment followed by an in-depth appraisal where we will sit down and work on your development over the next 12-months and where you want to see your career go beyond that. 

About You

The number 1 thing we are looking for is passion, energy and enthusiasm. We want someone who will embrace the opportunity to forge ahead with their career in travel and embrace what we are trying to achieve as a company. You will find an ideal candidate list below and hopefully it relates to you;

• Clear enthusiasm and passion for Travel
• A good geographical awareness of Latin America
• Experience of working in a service or hospitality environment
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Excellent written and spoken communication
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Good attention to detail
• Keen to progress and develop a career within the travel industry.
• Pride in themselves and the company

The Details

The initial 4-week basic training will require you to be present at our head office for most days. After that the role is generally a hybrid one which includes 2 set days at our head office in Kingston Upon Thames, currently Tuesdays and Thursdays. This enables the team to be together for collaboration and support. For the other days you are welcome to choose whether you work from the office or at home and currently the majority of the team choose to work from home on those days. Your flexibility may be required to work additional days in the office, particuarly when necessary or supportive to the execution of the training programme.

The hours are 42.5 per week, predominantly Monday-Friday. Shifts during the week will normally be 9am – 5:30pm, with 45 minutes for lunch. In some circumstances, you may need to flex your hours to make yourself available to clients outside of core hours, for example to close a booking. There may be the occasional requirement to work an additional ad-hoc Saturday, Sunday, evening and public holidays, time for this is given back in lieu.

In return you will receive a competitive basic salary, as well as a commission on all of your sales. A realistic OTE for someone who stays on track with the training programme would be £26k+. After the programme, a realistic OTE for a Junior Travel Specialist would be £35k+. All commissions are uncapped offering an unlimited earning potential. Employees will also receive holiday, a generous company discount for personal trips, as well as the opportunity for company fam trips to our destinations.

There is a bright and vibrant atmosphere in our office and the team regularly socialise both at company events and informally. We are looking for someone who would be looking to be involved with this side of company life. Our office is located within a 5-minute walk of the shops, bars and restaurants of Kingston Town Centre.

Apply

We are taking applications for an intake starting at the begining of September 2023! If you like the sound of the above and would like to apply then please send your CV with a nice introductory covering email to paul.nolan@latinroutes.co.uk

 

To go back to our recruitment page please click here