Vacation Planner

Welcome to the world of Canadian train travel. Are you ready to share your love of travel and the Canadian Rockies with the world?

Canada Rail Vacations is looking for a travel-savvy individual to join our small team as a Vacation Planner to primarily communicate with clients on the telephone and via email. You must have excellent English language telephone and written skills and be able to communicate that to us in your application for the position.

Our team thrives in a tight-knit environment where customer service is our first priority, quick-thinking is necessary, and consistency is critical. As individuals, we are diverse, and our various backgrounds contribute a range of skills to support the company and each other. Together, we are ambitious and dedicated to providing extraordinary service to our guests and committed to creating a positive and supportive community within our office. If that sounds like a good fit for you, keep reading

Vacation Planners are responsible for curating the most memorable Canadian train and tour experiences in the industry, and you will be doing so for some of the most demanding and discerning travellers out there. While planning bucket list trips for our guests, we spare no detail or careful attention while ensuring everything happens smoothly. Tools, training, and preferred partner relationships will be provided to ensure your success.

Our office is based in Kensington, Calgary. We are looking for someone with a flexible schedule; candidates must be available to work evenings and weekends year round as we operate seven days per week and outside of typical office hours.

Responsibilities:

• Prospect, pitch and develop tour quotes for new and existing clients;
• Confirm all aspects of the trip with clients and suppliers over the telephone;
• Provide travel assistance and concierge-like service to clients, including booking trains, hotels, tours, transportation, reservations, etc.
• Confirm availability and pricing in a prompt and organized manner;
• Leverage preferred partners to ensure the best rates and amenities for clients;
• Continually study and learn about new destinations and suppliers, including attending educational events and webinars;
• Process bookings and create documentation for travel, including itineraries, vouchers, and invoices;
• Maintain a consistent, professional, and warm line of communication with clients before, during, and after travel to ensure quality delivery of their dream vacation;
• Work collaboratively in a team environment;

Requirements:

• Experience working in the travel or hospitality industry or post-secondary degree/diploma in Tourism, Hospitality Management, or a related field;
• Exceptional customer service and excellent oral and written communication skills in English;
• Extensive personal travel experience within Canada;
• Strong organizational skills for maintaining complex records and itineraries;
• Self-motivation with the ability to work independently;
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel;
• Positive, tenacious attitude and a willingness to continually learn in a team environment;
• Must like dogs

What Canada Rail Vacations is offering you:

• Competitive compensation plan (not commission), based on level of experience;
• Opportunities to experience the Rocky Mountaineer and VIA Rail trains;
• Discounts on other tour products we offer;
• Extended Health Benefits for full-time, permanent employees;
• Paid Time Off: includes Flex Time and Extended Medical after three months, as well as 3 weeks paid holidays after your first year

This role is perfect for you if you love Canada, have a deep local knowledge, and wish to showcase Canada to the world. Proven success in managing and exceeding customer expectations will be a major asset for candidates applying for this position.

To apply please send your CV as a PDF attachment to this ad. Separately, please send a cover letter as a Word Doc attachment to jobs at canadarail dot ca.

Only those who follow the instructions will be contacted.

We respectfully ask for no phone calls. Thank you

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $28.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Extended health care
• Paid time off

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Calgary, AB T2N 3P9: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Experience:

• Tourism: 1 year (required)

Work Location: In person