Travel Operations Coordinator / Itinerary Project Manager

Travel Operations Coordinator / Itinerary Project Manager

Job Description
We are looking for an exceptionally detail-oriented, highly organized, and meticulous Travel Operations Coordinator / Itinerary Project Manager to help execute high-end surf travel experiences for our clients.

This is not a general travel agent sales role. Our team sells and designs the overall trip concept, and this role helps bring those trips to life through detailed planning, research, coordination, fact-checking, vendor communication, and itinerary execution.

The ideal candidate is a planner and project manager at heart — someone who loves details, checklists, logistics, timelines, clear communication, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks.

You will help take a simple trip outline and turn it into a complete, polished, highly detailed itinerary with every important step accounted for. This includes gathering essential information, confirming details with clients and vendors, researching travel logistics, checking drive times and transfer flow, coordinating reservations and activities, tracking deadlines, and helping ensure each trip runs smoothly from start to finish.

We are a boutique surf travel company that plans elevated, highly customized trips for families, couples, groups, and corporate clients. Our clients expect thoughtful planning, accurate information, beautiful trip flow, and excellent service. This role is essential to delivering that experience.

This is a remote position. A strong internet connection, excellent written English, and comfort using remote work tools are required. We use Zoho CRM, Zoho Projects, Zoho Cliq, email, shared documents, spreadsheets, and online research tools.

Key Responsibilities

Trip Planning & Itinerary Execution
- Turn high-level trip outlines into detailed, step-by-step travel itineraries.
- Research and verify important trip details such as travel times, transfer logistics, activity timing, restaurant options, surf lesson schedules, check-in/check-out times, and destination-specific considerations.
- Help create smooth trip flow with realistic timing, appropriate buffers, and thoughtful sequencing of activities.
- Identify missing details, open questions, possible conflicts, and logistical issues before they become problems.
- Coordinate with hotels, villas, surf schools, guides, chefs, drivers, restaurants, wellness providers, and other travel partners.
- Gather and organize key information from vendors, including pricing, availability, inclusions, cancellation policies, payment terms, contact details, meeting points, and guest requirements.
- Assist with booking and confirming trip components such as transfers, surf lessons, activities, meals, spa appointments, restaurant reservations, and special requests.
- Maintain detailed trip notes, confirmations, deadlines, and task lists.
- Help prepare polished client-facing trip materials, including itineraries, proposals, booking documents, and travel guides.

Vendor & Partner Communication
- Communicate professionally with travel partners and vendors by email, WhatsApp, and other channels.
- Follow up consistently to collect missing information, confirmations, pricing, photos, menus, policies, and other required trip details.
- Track vendor responses and make sure all important information is documented clearly.
- Help compare vendor options and summarize findings for the team.
- Confirm all details before client travel, including dates, times, locations, inclusions, costs, contact information, and special requests.

Project Management & Operations
- Manage trip-related tasks inside Google Docs/Sheets, Zoho Projects, Zoho CRM and shared documents.
- Keep projects organized, updated, and moving forward.
- Create and maintain quality assurance and planning checklists, spreadsheets, timelines, and operational documents.
- Help ensure deadlines are met and no trip detail is missed.
- Support the team with administrative, research, and operational tasks as needed.
- Assist with improving internal systems, templates, SOPs, and planning processes over time.

The Type of Person We’re Looking For

You may be a great fit if you are:
- Extremely detail-oriented and naturally organized.
- A strong planner who enjoys logistics, structure, and checklists.
- Comfortable managing many moving parts at once.
- Proactive about spotting missing details, inconsistencies, and potential problems.
- Excellent at written English communication.
- Reliable, responsive, and consistent.
- Calm under pressure and able to work carefully without rushing.
- Comfortable asking thoughtful questions when something is unclear.
- Able to follow directions while also thinking critically and independently.
- Excited to help create exceptional travel experiences for clients.

This role requires someone who is meticulous. Small details matter. Dates, times, names, pricing, inclusions, policies, and logistics must be accurate.

Requirements & Skills
- Proven experience as a Virtual Assistant, Travel Planner, Project Coordinator, Event Planner, Executive Assistant, or similar role.
- Excellent written English communication skills.
- Strong research skills and ability to verify information from multiple sources.
- Strong organization and time management skills.
- Experience managing projects, timelines, checklists, or complex administrative workflows.
- Proficiency with Google Docs, Google Sheets, spreadsheets, and shared documents.
- Familiarity with online calendars and scheduling tools.
- Comfort using project management and CRM systems. Experience with Zoho CRM, Zoho Projects, or similar tools is a plus.
- Ability to work remotely with a reliable computer and strong internet connection.
- Experience in travel, hospitality, luxury service, events, or client-facing operations is a strong plus.

Nice-to-Have Experience
- Travel planning or itinerary creation.
- Hotel, villa, tour operator, or hospitality coordination.
- Event planning or wedding planning.
- Executive assistant work involving complex scheduling and logistics.
- Client service for premium or high-touch customers.
- Experience creating polished documents, proposals, or client-facing itineraries.
- Interest in travel, wellness, adventure, or boutique hospitality.

About Us

Lush Palm is a boutique surf travel company specializing in elevated, customized surf trips for families, couples, groups, and corporate retreats.

We combine real surf expertise with thoughtful travel planning, trusted local partners, and a high level of service. Our trips often include boutique hotels or private villas, surf lessons or guiding, private transfers, chefs, wellness, activities, and detailed destination planning.

Our goal is to make surf travel feel seamless, thoughtful, and special for our clients.

Application Instructions

This is a part time role to start (4-5 hours/day, with potential to grow into full-time ~8 hours a day)

To apply, please send your resume and a brief cover letter explaining why you would be a strong fit for this role.

In your cover letter, please answer the following questions:

1. Tell us about a time you had to manage many small details for a project, trip, event, or client.
2. What systems, checklists, or tools do you use to stay organized?
3. Why are you interested in helping plan and execute detailed travel experiences?
4. What is one example of a small detail that could cause a big problem in a travel itinerary?

In the subject line of your application, please use:

Travel Operations Coordinator | [Your First Name]

Example: Travel Operations Coordinator | Rachel