Manaka Oommen
As Sālimīyah
Summary
Experienced travel industry professional with over 20 years of expertise in airline reservations, ticketing, GDS operations, and online travel portal management. Proven ability to develop and manage OTA systems from inception, coordinating with technical teams, suppliers, and GDS partners. Adept at product management, system workflow design, troubleshooting, and delivering seamless customer booking experiences.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
OTA Manager
Magicarpet
Kuwait City
12.2019 - Current
- Key Roles & Responsibilities
- Managed and optimized OTA platforms including Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, and other regional/global channels to maximize revenue and visibility.
- Oversaw rate parity, inventory allocation, stop-sell strategies, and promotions across all online channels.
- Developed and executed pricing and yield strategies based on market demand, seasonality, and competitor analysis.
- Monitored daily pick-up reports, occupancy trends, ADR, and RevPAR, taking corrective action to improve performance.
- Coordinated with hotels and internal teams to ensure accurate content, images, policies, and room descriptions on OTAs.
- Managed OTA contracts, commissions, and negotiations, ensuring favorable commercial terms.
- Handled channel manager systems to prevent overbookings and ensure real-time availability updates.
- Designed and implemented flash sales, last-minute deals, and targeted promotions to drive conversions.
- Analyzed OTA performance reports and prepared weekly/monthly revenue and sales presentations for management.
- Resolved OTA-related issues including booking discrepancies, payment issues, cancellations, and guest complaints.
- Worked closely with marketing teams on campaign planning, visibility boosters, and sponsored listings.
- Trained and guided junior team members on OTA operations and best practices.
- Skills Highlight (Optional CV Section)
- OTA Channel Management
- Revenue & Yield Management
- Rate Parity & Inventory Control
- Market & Competitor Analysis
- Contract Negotiation
- Channel Manager Systems
- Performance Reporting & Forecasting
Reservation Supervisor
Oman Air
Kuwait
12.2012 - 12.2019
- Supervised the reservation and ticketing team for Oman Air GSA operations.
- Managed complex PNR issues, reissues, refunds, involuntary changes, and schedule disruptions.
- Trained staff and ensured compliance with airline procedures.
- Coordinated with airline head office for escalations and operational clarity.
Senior Reservations & Ticketing Officer
SriLankan Airlines
Muscat
07.2007 - 04.2012
- Managed reservations, ticketing, reissues, cancellations, and customer support.
- Handled group bookings, corporate accounts, and fare calculations.
- Maintained service quality in line with airline standards.
Senior Reservations & Ticketing Officer
Oman Air
Trivandrum
06.2003 - 06.2007
- Managed reservations, ticketing, fare quotations, and passenger assistance.
- Coordinated airport cases, revalidations, and DGCA complaints.
Education
Bachelor of Commerce - Travel & Tourism Management
IATA/UFTAA Standard Diploma Course -
Geneva, SwitzerlandSkills
- Sabre GDS Expertise
- Airline Reservations & Ticketing
- Online Travel Portal Management (OTA)
- Product Development & System Design
- Supplier & GDS Coordination
- Fare Filing & PNR Management
- Customer Service & Operations Support
- Training & Team Supervision
- UAT & System Testing
- Product Strategy & Planning
- User Experience & Booking Optimization
- Supplier & Inventory Management
- Marketing & Promotions Support
- Data Analysis & Performance Monitoring
- Technology & Platform Enhancement
- Customer Support & Quality Assurance
- Compliance & Risk Management
- Continuous Innovation
- CRS/GDS Operations
- OTA System Operations
- MS Office Suite
Hobbies and Interests
- Music
- Travelling
- Cooking
- Reading
Tools And Systems
- CRS/GDS Operations
- OTA System Operations
- MS Office Suite
Timeline
OTA Manager
Magicarpet
12.2019 - Current
Reservation Supervisor
Oman Air
12.2012 - 12.2019
Senior Reservations & Ticketing Officer
SriLankan Airlines
07.2007 - 04.2012
Senior Reservations & Ticketing Officer
Oman Air
06.2003 - 06.2007