Senior Director - Travel Trade

The Role
Be the change. Join the world’s most visionary developer. Red Sea Global (RSG) is showing that there is a better way to positively shape the places we live, work and travel. We are purpose-driven and committed to people and planet. Our transformative programs are a driving force to achieving Vision 2030, as well as leading the world towards regenerative tourism. Join RSG and be part of the positive change for Saudi Arabia and the world. Job Purpose • The Travel Trade Senior Director will be responsible for establishing, leading, and scaling the travel trade function within the Global Brand Development and Marketing division. • This role will drive the development and execution of the global, regional, and local Travel Trade & Distribution strategy, ensuring alignment with the destination’s commercial objectives, hotel operators, and strategic partners. • The position holder will act as the key architect of trade relationships across global markets, positioning both destinations (The Red Sea and Amaala) as premier luxury tourism offerings, while enabling operators to maximize demand generation and distribution opportunities. Job Responsibilities Strategic Leadership: • Develop and implement a comprehensive global, regional, and local Travel Trade strategy to unlock demand across priority markets. • Build and maintain strong partnerships with global tour operators, travel agents, OTAs, bed banks, wholesalers, and DMCs. • Ensure alignment of trade initiatives with the destination’s overall marketing, sales, and commercial strategies. • Act as the key spokesperson and thought leader for the destination in the global trade ecosystem. Execution & Delivery: • Lead participation in international trade shows, roadshows, and B2B marketing activations and sales mission. • Oversee the design and execution of trade training programs, FAM trips, and partner engagement platforms. • Develop standardized toolkits and partner onboarding frameworks for consistent trade engagement. • Monitor global distribution trends, competitor destinations, and market shifts to refine strategy continuously. Stakeholder Engagement: • Collaborate closely with destinations hotel operators to align trade initiatives and support their individual sales networks. • Establish a governance model to coordinate with internal functions (Destination Marketing, Comms, Events, Online Experience, Customer Care, MICE, Partnerships) and external stakeholders (Saudia, STA, MoT). • Provide operators with structured opportunities to participate in destination-led activations and sales missions. • Ensure open communication with Sales Directors and commercial teams across all hotel operators. Performance & ROI: • Define and implement KPIs to measure the impact of trade activities on awareness, distribution, and bookings. • Regularly report performance metrics to the Group Head of Marketing and executive leadership. • Optimize budgets and resource allocation to ensure cost-effective, high-impact activations. Managerial Responsibilities • Contribute to the Marketing and Commercial strategy and business plans from the Department’s perspective in alignment with RSG’s vision and mission. • Develop the Travel Trade business plans, objectives, KPIs, and operational plans, ensuring successful implementation. • Prepare and manage the Travel trade function annual budget, aligning resources with planned activities and monitoring financial performance. • Oversee development and adherence to Department policies and procedures; ensure departmental KPIs are developed, cascaded, and monitored. • Ensure effective staffing, professional development, and deployment of Department staff in coordination with the Group Head of Marketing. • Manage the Travel Trade function relationship with internal and external customers to ensure needs are addressed efficiently. Key Processes / Workflows • Trade Strategy Development & Execution • Partner Engagement & Management • Events & Activations Workflow • Training & FAM Trip Programs • Stakeholder Governance & Alignment • Performance Measurement & Reporting • Budgeting & Resource Allocation

Requirements
Job Requirements: • Academic Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, Tourism, or related field. • Years of Experience: 20+ years of proven experience in travel trade, distribution, or B2B sales within the tourism, hospitality, or airline industries. • Other Requirements: o Demonstrated track record in developing and executing global trade strategies for luxury destinations or brands. o Strong knowledge of international, regional, and local travel trade networks, distribution systems, and market dynamics. o Prior leadership experience in managing multi-regional teams and large-scale projects. Technical Competencies: • Deep expertise in global travel trade distribution channels (OTAs, TOs, DMCs, wholesalers, GDS) - Expert • Proficiency in CRM systems, trade partner portals, and digital distribution platforms - Expert • Knowledge of market intelligence tools and data analytics for performance measurement - Expert • Strong grasp of destination marketing strategies and trade engagement best practices - Expert • Familiarity with airline partnerships, joint marketing campaigns, and co-op activations - Expert • Financial planning and budget management for large-scale trade activations - Expert Disclaimer • This job description outlines the core responsibilities of the role but is not exhaustive. Additional tasks related to the broader department may be assigned as required. • This document does not represent an employment contract.

About the company
Red Sea Global (RSG) has been incorporated as a closed joint stock company, wholly owned by Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund (PIF). The company has been established to develop and promote a new international luxury tourism destination that will set new standards for sustainable development and bring about the next-generation of luxury travel. The project was announced in July 2017 and is one of the three Giga Projects aimed at diversifying the Saudi economy in keeping with the Kingdoms 2030 Vision. The development will offer unprecedented investment options and provide visitors with the opportunity to explore the five untouched treasures of the west coast of Saudi Arabia; the archipelago of over 90 islands with stunning coral reefs, dormant volcanoes and untouched nature reserves.