Ovation Portugal DMC has the pleasure present you Pedro Ribeiro, Sales and Marketing Director at Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection Portugal and Brazil. With a huge experience in Sales and Marketing Management in three big hotel chains, Pedro shares with us a bit of his professional life in Portugal, experiences and preferences.
What is your professional background?
I’ve been for 4 years Sales Manager at the Praia Mar Hotel in Lisbon Coast, for 8 Years Sales and Marketing Director at the Alexandre de Almeida Hotels, while for the last 16 years I’ve been Sales and Marketing Director at the Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection Portugal and Brazil.
How did you get into the business/the role you’re in today?
I’ve started by doing a practical training at the end of university at the Hotel Praia Mar in Lisbon Coast. At the the end of this period I was invited to stay as a Sales Manager at this hotel that is part of an hotel chain – Alexandre de Almeida Hotels (oldest hotel chain in Portugal with 100 years old). Three years later Alexandre de Almeida, the owner of the company, came with the idea of creating a central sales department and invited me to structure it, that’s how I became sales director for the group. In 2002 I was invited from the Dom Pedro hotels to be the leader of the sales and marketing department for the group. In 2011 we started our Brazilian operation and in 2017 we bought the Vilamoura golf courses. Since that year, I’ve been in charge of Portugal, Brazil and the golf courses.
And now…walk us through your “typical” day!
It’s really difficult to have a typical day and that’s the good thing of this industry. It depends if I’m abroad on a sales mission or if I’m visiting one of our Portuguese properties or if I’m in our Lisbon office. If I’m in our Lisbon office, I wake up and start giving a look at the night reports and year forecasts. Once I reach the office i check emails and start looking at trends in terms of occupancy and Yield management for each destination. At midday I usually have a meeting with the Operations GM and have guests for lunch. During the afternoon I try to have meeting with each manager of our sales and marketing department. Most of them are located in Lisbon except for the sales managers who are in each destination with whom I have daily conferences calls.
Did you have any mentors or people who deeply influenced your career?
Regarding Hotel management culture, Alexandre de Almeida was a big teacher for me, counting with a strong carrier in the Portuguese hotel culture.
What are the challenges faced by professionals from your industry today?
Being always up-to-date with new technologies and new trends in terms of distribution and rates policy. Regarding sales, the main challenge is trying to find new ways of promoting our hotels being always different and finding new tools.
What is the best thing about working for your company/organisation?
Being part of a group founded by Stefano Saviotti, one of the most respected Hoteliers in Portugal with a respectable background and being one of the most stables Portuguese Hotel groups.
What are the best attributes of Portugal?
The welcoming people. Portugueses are very special people. Also the diversity of our landscape, wines and food, the historical cities and the beautiful beaches.
What is your favourite destination in Portugal and why?
Lisbon. It’s vibrant, exotic, historical and a city resort with beaches just 10 minutes away from the city centre. A great city for MICE with very good venues and lots of activities to do. The proximity to Sintra, Estoril and Cascais (all 15 minutes away by car) gives a world of opportunities for tourists to discover.
Proudest moments in your career to date?
Dom Pedro Lisboa welcoming the American and Russian Presidential visits to Portugal. The same hotel being Official hotel of some of the biggest events that happened in Lisbon in the last years. From a personal point of view, a special moment in my career was to be considered the best Sales and marketing director in Portugal (for 2014 and 2017) by the Portuguese Hotel Directors Association
Favourite book?
Equador – Miguel Sousa Tavares.
Favourite destination?
Brazil.
What did you want to become when you were a kid?
Archeologist.
What do you think about when you’re alone in your car?
About hotels forecast and sales strategies.
Favourite band?
Meat Loaf and Pink Floyd.
Favourite brand?
Hugo Boss.
Thank you Pedro for letting us know a little more about you. See you in Lisbon!