Mariska Wolmarans
About Mariska Wolmarans
Mariska Wolmarans is the Market Manager for East and Southern Africa at Expedia Group, with extensive experience in marketing and business development in the travel industry.
Current Position at Expedia Group
Mariska Wolmarans currently holds the position of Market Manager for East and Southern Africa at Expedia Group, a role she has been in since 2020. Based in South Africa, she is responsible for managing and expanding Expedia's presence in this region. Her work involves acquiring new properties in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda, adding them to Expedia's listings to enhance the company's portfolio.
Professional Experience with Expedia Group
Before her current role, Mariska Wolmarans has held several key positions at Expedia Group. She worked as a Market Manager in the Johannesburg Area in 2020 for 1 month and as an Associate Market Manager from 2019 to 2020 in the Benoni Area. Additionally, she served as a Lodging Content Associate from 2018 to 2019 in the same region. Her varied roles at Expedia have equipped her with comprehensive expertise in market management and content curation.
Previous Roles in Marketing and Sales
Before joining Expedia Group, Mariska Wolmarans worked in multiple marketing and sales positions. She was the Independent Consultant at Travel Marketing Solutions from 2015 to 2018, and she served as the Commercial & Travel Trade Sales/Marketing Manager at Skywise Airline in 2015. Earlier roles include serving as New Business Development - Online Advertising and Sales Executive at Now Media from 2013 to 2015 and Marketing Manager at Holiday Aviation from 2009 to 2013. These jobs allowed her to develop a strong background in sales, marketing, and business development.
Educational Background
Mariska Wolmarans has an extensive educational background in hotel management and finance. She studied Hotel/Motel Administration/Management at the American Hotel & Motel Association, earning a certificate in 1999. She also completed a Diploma in Bookkeeping from Damelin, studying Finance, General from 2000 to 2001. Her foundational education was completed at Dr Malan High School, where she achieved her Matric Certificate from 1988 to 1992.
Skills and Contributions at Expedia Group
In her role as Market Manager at Expedia Group, Mariska Wolmarans has strengthened relationships with key partners and hotel chains through market insights and promotional strategies. She makes use of Expedia tools such as TravelAds and Egencia to drive additional business for partner hotels. Furthermore, she participates in internal market review meetings and analyzes weekly reports to optimize Expedia's market strategies. Establishing relationships with local tourism agencies and organizations has been pivotal in enhancing Expedia's presence in East and Southern Africa.