The Advantage Travel Partnership has created a marketing toolkit for members ahead of the announcement about ‘traffic light’ categories for international travel.
The consortium has partnered with several destinations to launch a series of country campaigns as part of its wider ‘Say hello again to…’ initiative.
Working with Italy, Madeira, Morocco, Tenerife and Gran Canaria, Advantage has created a range of B2C and B2B assets to generate enquiries.
The consortium is in discussions with other tourist boards to incorporate them in the campaign too.
Marketing material includes customer magazines and ‘bookazines’; email opportunities; ready-made blog content and digital assets; and video content that can be used on in-store televisions and on travel agents’ websites and social media channels.
Videos featuring interviews with country representatives can be used as a training tool for members.
All the activity features the strapline “Count on Us”, to highlight how a customer can count on their travel agency.
Advantage will also host ‘supplier buzz sessions’ to help expand agent product knowledge.
Furthermore, Advantage has produced a checklist for its members so that they can provide accurate advice to their customers about entry requirements, testing, quarantine and vaccinations.
More: Advantage launches campaign in bid to drive holiday positivity
Kelly Cookes, leisure director at Advantage, said: “As we await the details of the country classifications and green list announcement, we want to ensure our members have all the tools needed to handle any travel enquiries and bookings.
“There’s never been a better time to book with a travel agent, as they will be able to guide their clients through the booking process, testing requirements, travel and in-destination protocols and be on hand to answer any queries or handle necessary changes.
“As we saw last year, destinations can move on and off the green list, and we expect this will be the case this summer too, so flexibility is key from agents, suppliers and consumers alike.
“We would urge anyone thinking about booking a holiday to think about their requirements and start those conversations with their local travel agent now, so that they can provide a range of options.
“Ultimately, when planning a holiday, my recommendation would be to think about the criteria of what the client needs rather than the specific destination.”