Central Reservations Manager

Minor Hotels is a global hospitality leader with over 560 hotels and resorts across six continents, a diverse portfolio of F&B businesses and a selection of luxury transportation services. With over four decades of experience, we build stronger brands, foster lasting partnerships, and drive business success by staying focused on what matters most to our guests, team members and partners.

Wherever your journey leads, Minor Hotels delivers exceptional experiences around the globe. Explore our history, meet the people behind our success and discover the values that shape who we are today.

The Central Reservations Manager is responsible for overseeing and optimizing the reservations function for Minor Hotels properties across the African region. The role ensures efficient management of all reservation channels, maximizes revenue opportunities, and delivers exceptional guest service through effective leadership of the central reservations team.

The position works closely with Revenue Management, Sales, Distribution, and property-level teams to ensure accurate inventory management, strong conversion rates, and seamless guest booking experiences across all channels.

Key Responsibilities

Reservations Operations

• Lead and manage the Central Reservations Team servicing multiple hotels within the African region.
• Ensure all reservation requests (email, phone, OTA, website, GDS) are handled accurately, efficiently, and in line with brand standards.
• Maintain high standards of service quality and response times.
• Monitor daily arrivals, booking accuracy, and guest requests to ensure all reservations are honored.

Revenue & Distribution

• Collaborate with Regional Revenue Management to optimize room inventory, rate codes, and booking conditions.
• Support revenue strategies by driving upselling, cross-selling, and conversion optimization.
• Manage and monitor inventory across all distribution channels including:• Brand website / IBE
• GDS
• OTA partners
• Tour operators
• Corporate contracts.

Team Leadership

• Recruit, train, coach, and develop the Central Reservations team.
• Monitor team performance through KPIs such as:• Conversion rate
• Response time
• Upsell revenue
• Booking accuracy

• Foster a culture of service excellence, accountability, and collaboration.

Systems & Reporting

• Manage reservations systems and tools including:• PMS (e.g., Opera, Protel or similar)
• CRS
• Channel Manager

• Ensure accurate maintenance of:• Rate codes
• Packages
• Allotments
• Group blocks.

• Prepare regular reports including:• Booking trends
• Market segmentation
• Forecasting support
• Channel performance.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work closely with:• Regional Sales teams for group bookings
• Front Office and Revenue teams

• Ensure alignment of reservation procedures across all hotels.

Key Performance Indicators

• Reservation conversion rate
• Upsell and cross-sell revenue
• Response time to enquiries
• Booking accuracy
• Channel performance
• Guest satisfaction scores relating to booking experience

 

• Degree or diploma in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in hotel reservations
• Experience in multi-property or cluster reservations operations preferred.
• Strong knowledge of:• PMS and CRS systems
• Hotel distribution channels
• Revenue management principles.

Key Competencies

• Leadership and team development
• Revenue awareness and commercial acumen
• Attention to detail and operational excellence
• Strong communication and stakeholder management
• Analytical and reporting skills
• Ability to manage high-volume reservation environments

What We Offer

• Opportunity to work across a diverse and growing multi-property portfolio

• Exposure to regional and international best-practice revenue strategies

• Competitive remuneration and benefits

• A collaborative, high-performance culture focused on ownership and accountability