Protea Hotels National Sales Manager Dorcas Dlamini is the recipient of the Association of South African Travel Agents’ (ASATA) prestigious 2014 “Future Leader in Travel” award.
The ASATA/Diners Awards Gala dinner was held in Johannesburg over the weekend and this award is given to an individual who is under 35 years old, has been in the industry for 10 years or less and has grown through the ranks of their organisation, but has also contributed to inspiring other young people to grow and develop in this vibrant industry.
Dlamini, who originally hails from KwaZulu-Natal, describes her job as to control and implement the Protea Hospitality Group’s national sales strategy and work with the sales management TEAM to ensure the sales force achieves set revenue targets.
But the secret to success, she believes, is passion. “You must have passion for sales, for people and for the brand you’re representing. Without it this division of the hospitality industry would be extremely difficult, if not impossible.”
Dlamini joined Protea Hotels in 2003 as a junior sales co-ordinator. A year later she took over the position of National Sales Co-ordinator, then in 2008 she was promoted to Western Cape Regional Sales manager; fulfilling the role for the KZN and Eastern Cape regions as well. In July 2010 Dlamini became Sales Manager for Government.
She was then seconded to the team that managed the 2010 Soccer World Cup project for the Group, and in 2007 she was chosen as a member of the delegation that was sent by the Gauteng Provincial Government to represent South Africa in Zurich during the FIFA Congress.
Danny Bryer, Director of Sales, Marketing and Revenue for the Protea Hospitality Group, congratulated Dlamini on the award.
“Dorcas is passionate about her job and lives the brands she represents. She’s a worthy recipient and is without a doubt a hospitality leader of tomorrow.”
