Variety Cruises is a family-owned small ship cruise company founded in 1949. With a fleet of 8 fully owned ships, we are a 360° vertically integrated organisation building ships and creating, operating, distributing, and delivering our small ship cruises in over 13 destinations across 5 continents. Our Family at Sea is passionate about our mantra focused on providing authentic, sustainable, life-enriching small ship adventures delivering on our vision to create A Better World At Sea.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a self-driven and target-oriented Business Development Manager to join our Commercial team. This role is responsible for generating new B2B business and growing existing accounts in key international markets. It is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, takes full ownership of their pipeline, and consistently delivers results.

This is a hands-on sales role: you will be expected to prospect, pitch, follow up, and close deals. You will own your performance, working independently and with discipline, while being supported by the commercial team.

· Hunt, pitch, close: new B2B partnerships with travel agents, tour operators, universities, museums, special interest groups, and more.

· Manage and grow existing key accounts.

· Execute weekly sales outreach (calls, emails, meetings) and report activity and results regularly.

· Organize and attend sales trips in assigned markets.

· Represent Variety Cruises at international trade fairs.

· Host FAM trips and turn them into sales.

· Maintain and grow a high-quality database of B2B partners and prospects.

· Ensure all contracts are negotiated and signed in line with company procedures.

· Suggest and act on sales improvement initiatives based on performance insights.

· Develop and execute a Strategic Business Development plan for the assigned region of responsibility.

• Bachelor's degree in Tourism / Shipping / Business Studies or related.

• 5-7 years of experience in travel industry. Cruise line experience preferred.

• Comfortable with CRM systems (Salesforce or Zoho preferred) and usual digital tools.

• Demonstrated track record of b2b sales success. Preferably within the travel industry. Extensive Knowledge of trade sales and the hospitality industry

• Strong command of English, written and spoken.

• Results-oriented mindset with a proactive approach.

• Strong communication and negotiation skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and close sales effectively.

• Organized, self-motivated, and accountable.

• Ability to travel internationally every 1-2 months for approximately 30% of the time

WILL BE CONSIDERED A PLUS IF YOU ALSO HAVE...

• Existing travel industry sales relationships in assigned territory/region.

• Additional languages (Greek, German, French, Italian, or Spanish) are an asset.

WHAT WE OFFER:

· Competitive compensation package including sales bonus.

· Private medical insurance

· A free Variety cruise every year, plus generous discounts for families, and close friends

· 5 extra days of leave a year for going on your free cruise with Variety Cruises.

If you’re passionate about travel, confident in your sales ability, and ready to drive results, we’d love to hear from you. Join us at Variety Cruises and be part of a team shaping the future of small ship cruising!