Gianluca Ingrassia's path into the hospitality and tourism industry was already marked out by his childhood, as his parents are also active in the industry. We talked to our former student, who after his hotel management studies at the EHL Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality in Passugg (EHL SSTH), after more than 7 years of experience in the upscale luxury hotel industry, now holds the position of Sales Director at Bvlgari Hotel London.
Sales Director Job in Luxury Hospitality Industry
As Sales Director of Bvlgari Hotel London, Gianluca Ingrassia is currently responsible for the Middle East and Diplomatic markets, as well as the Northern Group market in the United Kingdom, selling three hotels. In this role, he manages a number of key accounts responsible for generating significant revenue for the UK properties.
As a proactive sales professional, my specialty is finding new potential clients through targeted acquisition. One of my greatest strengths is the ability to quickly build relationships with suppliers, decision makers and end customers, especially from the Middle East.
During his travels, Gianluca Ingrassia is able to make many interesting contacts; the customers and guests are diverse and international.
Trends in the luxury hotel industry
In the luxury hotel industry today, guests are looking for authentic experiences that can only be offered in certain hotels and destinations. Money can afford many material things, but time is not endlessly available and has become increasingly important to guests. They therefore want to invest their time in meaningful things with value. Feeling good and doing something good is a continuing trend, which includes spa and wellness offers.
Competencies of a Sales Director
The job of a sales director is not only about technical aspects, success comes primarily through personal competencies and soft skills.
The following competencies are key for a sales director:
- Resistance to stress when pressure arises
- Flexibility in challenging situations
- Professional and friendly appearance
- Customer orientation
- Communication skills
- Language skills
- Multitasking
- Networking
- Self-reliance
When you start a job as a sales manager in an international company and environment, you need international experience and good language skills:
My language skills - I speak fluent English, German, Italian, Spanish and have a good command of French - enable me to successfully navigate today's complex and international environment with both customers and colleagues.
But sales leaders shine thanks to their skills not only in the hospitality industry, other service industries are also looking for employees and leaders who can serve the customer and their needs and deliver appropriate services.
Learn about the top 10 soft skills for hospitality managers here.
Work abroad with a hospitality management degree
With a Dipl. Hôtelier-Restaurateur HF (new Dipl. Hotelier-Gastronom HF) degree from EHL Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality in Passugg, you can work and gain professional skills in many service-oriented jobs worldwide.
Gianluca Ingrassia can look back on experience in various markets in his current position as Sales Director. He has been responsible for the corporate, leisure and group sectors (both leisure and corporate) in different geographical areas such as MEA, UK, Europe, Russia, CIS as well as South America.
What is the salary of a sales director?
The salary of a Sales Director depends on age, work experience and industry. On average, a Sales Director earns between CHF 91,200 and CHF 300,000 gross per year. Performance-related bonuses often add to the attractiveness of a sales director's salary.
