Overview
Country Manager – Southern Africa (DMC) Jobs in City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa at Magic Travels
Title: Country Manager – Southern Africa (DMC)
Company: Magic Travels
Location: City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
About the company
Magic Travels is a Destination Management Company specializing in premium and tailor-made travel experiences for international tour operators and travel agencies. As part of our expansion, we are opening a brand-new DMC operation in Southern Africa — starting in South Africa and growing into Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and the wider region — and we are looking for the person who will build and lead it.
Who should apply (please read carefully)
This role is exclusively for experienced travel-industry professionals. You must have held a senior role in a DMC or inbound tour operator. Applications from candidates without prior experience in a DMC / the inbound travel industry, from junior profiles, or from candidates with a history of frequent short job changes, will not be considered — we are looking for senior, stable operators.
About the role
This is a founder-style leadership role. As Country Manager, you will set up our Southern Africa operation from the ground up — entity, team, supplier network and product — starting in South Africa and then expanding the model across the region. You will run it as a profit center. We are looking for a senior DMC professional who knows the destination inside out and has a deep command of contracting, production, supplier relationships and the premium/luxury and safari travel market.
What you’ll do
- Build the South Africa DMC office from scratch, then replicate it across Southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, etc.)
- Negotiate and secure contracts with lodges, hotels, safari camps, transport and air providers, guides and other suppliers across multiple countries
- Develop a portfolio of premium, safari and tailor-made travel products and experiences
- Own the commercial relationship with our international source markets (Europe, UK, North America and beyond)
- Manage cross-border operations, logistics and the regional P&L
- Recruit, train and lead the local and regional teams
- Embed responsible-tourism and conservation standards into the product
What we’re looking for
- Non-negotiable: proven senior/leadership experience within a DMC or inbound tour operator, with a minimum of 5 years in the travel/tourism industry
- A stable career track — long tenures at quality houses, not frequent 1-2 year moves
- Deep knowledge of Southern Africa as a destination and an established network of suppliers and partners (lodges, camps, transport, air)
- Strong contracting and production experience in South Africa; experience operating across more than one country in the region (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe) is a strong plus, not a requirement — the regional expansion is something you will help build over time
- Expertise in safari, luxury lodges and high-end / tailor-made travel
- MICE experience (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Events) is a big plus — a real differentiator for this role
- Experience working with European, UK and/or North American source markets
- Entrepreneurial mindset: comfortable building something from the ground up, hands-on and business-driven
- Awareness of conservation and responsible-tourism practices
- Fluent in English (essential). French, Italian, German or other languages are a strong advantage
- Based in South Africa (Cape Town or Johannesburg) or willing to relocate
What we offer
- The opportunity to launch and own a whole new region for an established DMC
- Full ownership and autonomy over the Southern Africa operation
- Direct collaboration with company leadership
- A competitive package aligned with your seniority and experience
Location: South Africa — On-site (Cape Town, or Johannesburg)