Our philosophy is
The Art of Intelligent Travel Organising
Expressions Holidays is a luxury tour operator which has been organising luxury, tailor-made holidays and travel experiences around the world since 1989. The company is now based in Exeter, Devon, after having been in Belsize Park, NW3, for about 20 years.
We have carefully selected a range of elegant and prestigious hotels and resorts in countries and regions such as Italy, France, Spain, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and Sri Lanka. We also offer specialist programmes including Rail Holidays where we use our knowledge of destinations to create a bespoke holiday which suits clients with special interests or requirements.
We have an excellent client base of customers who appreciate our attention to detail and efficient, professional service. We also have an appealing and extensive website that attracts new clients to us. We specialise in matching the requirements of our clients in an accurate and commercially viable way.
We use our expert knowledge to offer the best solution to our clients, ensuring that we provide excellent customer service from start to finish. Many of our employees speak foreign languages, have lived abroad or have travelled extensively, and are eager to pass on their passion and love of other countries to our clients.
Expressions Holidays is owned and run by Marcelle Hoff and Martin Garland, who head up a committed and dynamic team, passionate about travel. We provide in-company training, regular travel and work in an international environment as well as plenty of opportunities for progression within the company.
The company is based in light and spacious offices in a business park on the eastern edge of the city of Exeter and is just a few minutes’ drive from the M5 yet easily accessible from the city centre by car, train, bus or bicycle. Exeter has an excellent network of cycle paths and regular buses serve the area from the University and the city centre. Exeter is a vibrant and charming city, surrounded by beautiful countryside, within easy reach of the stunning beaches of the south Devon coast and Dartmoor National Park. Road and rail connections to other parts of the country are good, whilst the city’s airport is just outside the city centre (only 10 minutes’ drive from our office).
Exeter has a large population of young professionals and offers plenty of accommodation options including house shares, making it ideal for recent graduates.
CURRENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Here are the details of current employment opportunities
Personal Travel Specialist – Rail holidays
We are recruiting personal travel specialists to work in a sales capacity on our tailor-made, luxury, rail holidays programme. A key part of this job is to understand rail travel in Europe and you will be sent on trips as soon as you join. This would suit someone graduating summer 2024 with an immediate starting date in June or July 2024.
Rail holiday destinations:
France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
Our rail holidays are one of several destination specialist and theme-specialist holiday programmes we operate including to the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, and Sri Lanka.
What does this role entail?
You are responsible primarily for interpreting the requirements of the clients, creating appropriate holidays (including pricing using our contracted rates with rail operators, hotels and so on according to our company margin schemes), tailoring the holiday details to fit the client brief, working out the best timetable options, ensuring all the elements are in place and delivering outstanding customer service. It is a sales role but driven by the need for high-quality personal service and integrity of product delivery to our customers.
In support of this front-line sales activity (and driven by financial targets) you will be involved, (according to the season), in product updating, itinerary and copy writing, pricing, contract loading and product development and planning.
You will also be involved in meeting and training travel agents.
The role will be based at our offices in Exeter.
What are we looking for?
We want people who are passionate about rail travel in Europe but at a luxury level and want to communicate that and the knowledge of European destinations to our clients on a commercial and practical basis. You should be and have:
• Energetic and highly motivated individual with a desire to succeed.
• A passion for travel plus an understanding of what luxury rail travel is.
• An understanding of our client base and what we have to do to deliver exceptional and honest holidays to them.
• A desire to maximise margins and work to generously-remunerated financial targets.
Skills required
• You may have previous experience with a tailor-made tour operator and a proven track record in luxury holiday sales. However, if not specific experience, then knowledge of our destinations, rail travel in Europe and our suppliers is an advantage as is a clear understanding of our clients (their background and purchasing habits).
• An ability to understand and memorise European rail timetables and connections.
• An ability to communicate with our clients is essential. Absolutely correct spoken and written English is required.
• You should also have a commercial aptitude and be very numerate.
• You should be at ease with high sales values (£10K to £20k per holiday).
• A competitiveness and eagerness to 'close the sale' is important as is a resilience and tenacity in the current competitive market place.
• You will have an ability to communicate with suppliers in different countries and knowledge of Italian, French, German and/or Spanish is an advantage.
• Personal interest in and knowledge of skiing may be an advantage.
Starting salary
£22,000 to £26,000 per annum depending on experience plus targeted bonus of up to £10,000.
Benefits
Regular trips by train in Europe to test routes and trains and to experience and visit the hotels and activities we offer.
Attendance at overseas workshops in different regions as experience grows.
How to apply
If you are interested in this role then please send your CV and a covering letter explaining why you want to work for Expressions Holidays to recruitment@expressionsholidays.co.uk
Personal Travel Specialists
We are recruiting for personal travel specialists to work in a sales capacity on both our European and Long-haul luxury holiday programmes. Our programmes include:
• Luxury hotel holidays to France, Italy, Spain, other Mediterranean countries, the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean
• Tailor-made touring holidays for individuals to Italy, France, Spain, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and New Zealand
• Special interest holidays such as cookery and opera
• Cultural and sporting holidays for families
What does this role entail?
You are responsible primarily for putting together appropriate holidays (including pricing them from scratch), tailoring the holiday details to fit the client brief, ensuring all the elements are in place and delivering outstanding customer service. It is a sales role but driven by the need for high-quality personal service and integrity of product delivery to our customers.
In support of this front-line sales activity (and driven by financial targets) you will be involved, (according to the season), in product updating, itinerary and copy writing, pricing, contract loading and product development and planning.
The role will be based at our offices in Exeter.
What are we looking for?
• Energetic and highly motivated people.
• You need to have drive and passion for travel plus an understanding of what luxury travel is.
• You will understand our client base and what we have to do to deliver exceptional and honest holidays to them.
• You will be also be driven by a desire to maximise margins and work to generously-remunerated financial targets.
Skills required
• Previous luxury travel experience with a tour operator and proven track record in luxury sales is not essential. However, knowledge of our destinations and suppliers is an advantage as is a clear understanding of our clients (their background and purchasing habits).
• An ability to communicate with our clients is essential. Absolutely correct spoken and written English is required.
• You should also have a commercial aptitude and be very numerate.
• You should be at ease with high sales values (£10K to £20k per holiday).
• A competitiveness and eagerness to 'close the sale' is important as is a resilience and tenacity in the current competitive market place.
• You will have an ability to communicate with suppliers in different countries and knowledge of Italian, French, German and/or Spanish is a requirement.
Starting salary
£22,500 per annum plus targeted bonus of up to £10,000.
How to apply
If you are interested in this role then please send your CV and a covering letter explaining why you want to work for Expressions Holidays to recruitment@expressionsholidays.co.uk
Graduate trainee - product and marketing
Introduction
We are looking to recruit a Graduate Trainee to work on the marketing and product development of the business. This is an extremely exciting opportunity for a graduate to gain experience of the travel industry, to take ownership of projects, to work independently within a team and to contribute.
The role involves:
• Special offer communications
• Maintain photo library for web and print
• Create web pages for new web content
• Web content updating
• PR communications
• Update hotel helpful hints for client documentation
• Travel agency contracts
• Brochure and database management
• E-marketing
Skills and requirements:
• Good organisational skills
• Multi-tasker
• Analytical
• Problem solver
• Eye for detail – accurate numbers and use of English
• Work with keen intelligence and accuracy
• Use logic and creativity
• Appreciate the detail but see the big picture
• Communication skills – external and internal
You will be educated to UK degree level, ideally from a Russell Group university. You should have very good Microsoft Office skills and experience.
You will be joining a team of other graduates, some from Exeter, others from other UK universities, who work across the company in holiday sales, marketing, product, admin and accounts, based in our attractive and spacious offices with parking in Exeter. Training will be provided on the job, in-house and externally.
Please note: this role could be split between two post-graduates working part-time.
Starting salary
£22,500 per annum
How to apply
If you are interested in this role then please send your CV and a covering letter explaining why you want to work for Expressions Holidays to recruitment@expressionsholidays.co.uk
OR send details by post to:
The Managing Director (recruitment)
Expressions Holidays
Lynx House
Pynes Hill
Exeter
Devon
EX2 5JL