Sales Manager - Leisure and Group Focus

About The First Group Hospitality

The First Group Hospitality is a leading hospitality management company pioneering a new era of excellence. With a rapidly expanding portfolio of award-winning upscale hotels, signature restaurants, and distinctive leisure destinations, we are committed to creating unforgettable experiences at every touchpoint.

Our team of seasoned professionals brings decades of experience from renowned hotel brands, combined with a deep understanding of the Dubai and GCC markets. With a comprehensive infrastructure spanning all key areas of hotel management, we offer tailored solutions to maximise efficiency, drive revenue growth, and enhance guest satisfaction.

At The First Group Hospitality, we are dedicated to building long-term partnerships with our clients. By leveraging our global insights, regional expertise, and strong operational foundation, we ensure that every aspect of your hotel is managed with precision and care. Our goal is to optimise performance, boost profitability, and deliver sustainable growth for your property.

The Sales Manager – Leisure & Groups (Cluster) is responsible for driving revenue across Leisure, FIT/Wholesale, OTA leisure, and Group segments for both The First Collection Business Bay and Waterfront Tribute Collection. The role focuses on proactively developing new business, managing existing leisure and group accounts, and ensuring seamless communication and coordination between sales, revenue, reservations, and operations teams. It is a performance-driven role requiring strong market connections, strategic selling skills, and the ability to represent two distinct hotels under The First Collection portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

1. Sales & Revenue Generation

• Develop and grow production from assigned leisure, wholesale, FIT, OTA leisure and group accounts for both properties.
• Source and secure new leisure and group business, including tour operators, travel agents, DMCs, online partners, and group organizers.
• Drive conversion of group inquiries, ensuring competitive proposals, up-selling, and timely follow-up to maximize revenue.
• Work closely with Revenue Management to implement rate strategies, manage account mix, and support need-period activation.

2. Account Management

• Maintain and grow strong relationships with key travel trade partners, group planners, and wholesale accounts.
• Conduct regular sales calls, client meetings, product updates, joint sales calls, and market visits.
• Manage contracting processes for FIT and group business; negotiate contracts based on cluster rate strategy and guidelines.
• Organize and host familiarization trips, site inspections, and client experiences across both properties.

3. Business Development & Market Intelligence

• Identify new leisure and group opportunities in local, regional, and international markets.
• Track competitor performance, promotions, and market shifts within Dubai and key feeder markets.
• Participate in trade shows, exhibitions, roadshows, and networking events to promote the cluster hotels.
• Provide insights to the Cluster DOS / ADOS on trends affecting leisure and group performance.

4. Coordination & Collaboration

• Work closely with Reservations, Revenue, Front Office, F&B, Events and Operations to ensure smooth delivery of group programs and leisure bookings.
• Ensure group resumes, rooming lists, billing instructions and special arrangements are communicated accurately and on time.
• Collaborate with Marketing to support leisure campaigns, tactical offers, and promotions.

5. Administration & Reporting

• Maintain accurate records and account production in the CRM / sales system.
• Prepare weekly and monthly production reports for leisure and group segments.
• Ensure all contracts, RFP responses, proposals, and rate loading are completed according to TFC and Tribute Collection standards.
• Track sales activities and maintain an updated pipeline for upcoming leisure and group business.

• Proven experience in hotel sales across Leisure, FIT/Wholesale, OTA leisure, and Groups segments.

• Strong market connections with travel agents, DMCs, tour operators, wholesalers, and OTAs.

• Demonstrated ability to source, secure, and grow new business for multiple properties.

• Strong negotiation, contracting, and strategic selling skills.

• Solid understanding of Dubai market trends, feeder markets, and competitor landscape.

• Experience conducting sales calls, client meetings, market visits, and familiarization trips.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with Revenue, Reservations, Operations, and Marketing teams.

• Strong skills in managing group requirements, including resumes, rooming lists, and billing details.

• Proficient in CRM/sales systems, reporting, rate loading, and handling RFPs/proposals.

• Highly organized, results-driven, with excellent communication, presentation, and networking skills.