Jean Christophe Robles is a senior tourism marketing professional with over 20 years of experience in destination marketing and tourism operations in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. He has held director level positions at the Brunei Tourism Development Department and the Sarawak Tourism Board, where he developed and implemented strategic marketing plans and initiatives that significantly increased visitor arrivals, length of stay, tourism revenue, and destination branding. Robles has a proven track record of leading high-performing teams, managing multi-million dollar budgets, and delivering outstanding results through strategic thinking, effective communication, and skilled marketing.

1. UNITED KINGDOM
Jean Christophe M : +44 (0)7876 742 906 | Skype : chris.robles50
ROBLES ESPINOSA E : chrisrobles.pro@gmail.com
W : www.chrisrobles.webs.com
Senior Tourism Marketing Professional
Destination Marketing – Tour Operations – Frontline Client Relations
_________________________________________________________________
Accomplished management level marketing professional with wide travel industry background, works with tourism
organizations to develop and implement marketing and promotional plans that result in higher visitation numbers,
valuable media coverage and enhanced travel trade relations. Produces copious amounts of high quality written
materials and consistently delivers compelling presentations and marketing pitches. Resourceful, independent yet an
open minded and caring team leader, forthcoming with outcome facilitating concepts and ideas. Determined to be a
productive addition to a new organization, eager to contribute with skills and expertise to the realization of well
defined objectives and to the completion of exciting projects.
_________________________________________________________________
Professional Profile
_________________________________________________________________
Strategic Thinker Conceptualization, development and implementation of destination specific short and
long term integrated marketing, communication and media campaigns and plans
Planning and application of Blue Ocean inspired above and below the line marketing
strategies and activities, product positioning and market segmentation
Analysis and assessment of market trends, limiting and contributing factors, industry
performance, statistics and organizational KPI
Gifted Communicator Networking and interacting at all levels, relationship building with officials,
stakeholders, travel trade partners, media, suppliers and consumers
Media savvy and media friendly, comfortable with print, radio and TV interviews
Confident with public speaking, articulate when presenting ideas and marketing
messages, and effective when negotiating with clients and suppliers
Skilled Marketer Organizing, coordinating and leading participation in travel trade events, road shows,
sales missions; gracious and informative host to familiarization and media visits
Negotiating joint marketing and cross brand promotions with industry partners
Managing data bases and responding purposefully to client requests and inquiries
Prolific Writer Creating, writing and/or editing promotional materials, media kits, editorial features,
advertisement copy, press releases, speeches, welcome messages, tour itineraries,
reports, academic level position papers and analytical documents
Writing / editing website contents and providing input for site concept and lay out
Defining terms of reference, scope of work and job specifications for tender
documents / contracts for branding exercises, promotional materials production and
appointment of outsourced marketing representations and other service providers
Culturally Aware Of mixed French and Peruvian ancestry; lived and worked in various cultural
environments on four continents; multilingual and widely traveled

2. _________________________________________________________________
Latest Position
_________________________________________________________________
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & PROMOTION
Brunei Tourism Development Department , Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources
Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei Darussalam (2003 – 2012)
Government position reporting to Head of Department and Minister, with brief being to raise Brunei’s profile,
position and performance as a tourist destination, and to facilitate growth of the sector’s economic importance.
 Managed team of 8 colleagues, with a US$3.5 million yearly budget responsibility
 Led team efforts to achieve 11.7% yearly growth in tourist arrivals through personal participation in marketing and
promotion activities and through mentoring of colleagues and transferring of skills
 Increased destination’s market share by 69%, average length of stay by 25.2% and tourism revenue by 165%
 Drafted agency brief and coordinated Brunei’s 2005 branding exercise, suggested “The Green Heart of Borneo” tagline
and shaped content of brochures and website
 Developed “Treasures of Brunei”, “Wings of Borneo” and “Islamic Tourism” themed packages and promoted them in
partnership with airlines and travel agents’ consortia to trade and consumers in selected markets
 Wrote destination brochures, press information kits, travel features, advertisement materials, official speeches and
analytical documents, including the seminal “Assessment of Factors Affecting Tourism in Brunei” cabinet paper
 Managed Brunei’s Earth TV project, dot.Travel domain registration, acquisition of professional quality photo and video
material and development of an online photo library
 Developed B2B and B2C online banner, emailing and e-newsletters digital marketing campaigns
 Successfully coordinated the Travel Exchange (TRAVEX) portion of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2010 in Brunei,
with over 1,200 international tourism trade delegates in attendance
 Prepared appropriate briefs for interventions, and attended with senior Department and Ministry officials international
official meetings of the UNWTO, APEC and ASEAN organizations
_________________________________________________________________
Previous Position
_________________________________________________________________
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & PROMOTION
Sarawak Tourism Board , Ministry of Tourism (Sarawak)
Kuching , Sarawak – Malaysia (1995 – 2003)
Statutory body position reporting to CEO and Chairman, tasked to develop and draw terms of reference and
performance parameters for newly created state level tourism marketing organization, to enhance Sarawak’s position
as a destination within Malaysia, increase visitor numbers, length of stay and revenue, and to advise relevant
authorities and stakeholders on tourism related issues.
 Drove a team of 7 colleagues with an annual budget of US$2.0 million to achieve a yearly 7% average growth in
visitor numbers through implementation and active participation in wide range of B2B and B2C marketing actions
 Charted Board’s distinctive operating style, resulting in STB receiving 18 international awards for branding, marketing
and trade fair pavilion design
 Negotiated joint marketing activities and brochure support projects with key tour operators in target markets, resulting
in manifold increases in brochure presence and length of tour programs offered
 Coordinated “Destination Borneo” regional marketing initiatives with partner marketing organizations in Sabah
(Malaysia) and Brunei Darussalam
 Wrote first Sarawak destination brochure and press information kit, produced “Hornbill Trail” newsletter
 Chaired the Rainforest World Music Festival organizing committee in 2001, nudging the Festival towards its success
formula that has seen it become Malaysia’s premier annual cultural event
 Planned the organization of the PATA Board of Directors Meeting and International Ecotourism Colloquium held in
Kuching in 2002, as well as a number of other trade, sporting and cultural events

3. _________________________________________________________________
Earlier Work Experiences
_________________________________________________________________
Marketing / Operations Marketing and Operations Manager at Interworld Travel in Sarawak (Malaysia), in
charge of trade and consumer marketing, data base management, client
communications, preparation of itineraries and design and writing of brochures.
Tour Guide / Leader Multilingual freelance tour guide and interpreter in Hong Kong and Malaysia and
tour leader for Club Med groups in Malaysia and Singapore, successfully guided
visitors from all countries and from all backgrounds, including VVIPs.
G.O. Excursions Tour Guide and Tour Leader (G.O. Excursions) for various Club Med resorts;
consistently achieved over 90% guest satisfaction returns. Promoted and sold
optional tours to resort guests, took part in stage performances and participated in
general PR and guest entertainment duties.
Tour Representative Tour Representative for Canadian Tour Operator Mirabelle Tours, cared after
vacationers’ wellbeing in all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Hotel Receptionist Ran the Front Desk at the Hotel Treviso in Jesolo Lido, Italy, as a receptionist
during the summer season.
Young Entrepreneur Created and co-managed Archeo Tours, a niche tour operation in Lima, Peru,
specializing in no-frills special interest tours to remote archaeological sites in the
Andes Mountains in the vicinity of Lima.
Sales Person Brief stints in several sales positions in retail sales, door-to-door publication sales
and telemarketing of advertisement space, in France, Italy and Spain.
_________________________________________________________________
Education & Skills
_________________________________________________________________
C.E.C.E.L.E. (Centre d’Études du Commerce Extérieur et des Langues Étrangères, Paris - France)
 Certificate sanctioning a course in External Commerce and Foreign Languages, followed by a practical
training in tour operations at the CTV–CEDRI Tour Operator and Incentive House, in Paris – France
WFTGA (World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations, Nicosia - Cyprus based)
 Certified Tour Guide and Trainer (Part I & Part II Train the Trainer Course, delivered in BSB – Brunei
Darussalam)
 Attended various continuous education courses, seminars and training exercises on marketing techniques,
computer use and work efficiency improvement
o Leadership and participation in various organizing committees for work related trade, sport and cultural
events, strategic planning, ISO certification, Tourism Satellite Account and Brunei Tourism Master Plan
o Organization of events (BIMP – EAGA Tourism Fair, Sarawak – 1995, Rainforest World Music Festival,
Sarawak – 1998 to 2003, ATF Travel Exchange, Brunei – 2010, etc) and of participation in trade events
o Proficient in use of Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), early user of Internet, social
networking sites and of e-marketing tools
o Fluent in spoken, read and written English, French, Spanish and Italian; conversant in Malay
o Full and clean car and motorbike driving license

4. ________________________________________________________________
Recognitions
_________________________________________________________________
 Winner of the 2006 IMEX Academy Award for the Asia - Pacific region
 Creative inspiration behind the multiple award winning Sarawak trade fair pavilion
____________________________________________________________________
Personal Qualities
_________________________________________________________________
 Dedicated, committed, pro-active, autonomous, objective oriented, high integrity
 Meticulous, responsible, thorough, perfectionist, grounded in reality, credible
 Excellent interpersonal skills, worldly, adaptable, leads by example, mentors
______________________________________________________________
Interests
_________________________________________________________________
 Passionate about travel, world cultures, exploring new horizons and living new experiences
 Geography, history, scientific news, current events, social issues, acquiring general knowledge
 Reading, music, movies, Scrabble, social networks and Internet surfing
 Motorcycle riding since teen years, owned 20 motorbikes over the years
 Swimming, nature walks
 Enjoying life pleasures, international culinary experiences and good company