| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 07/08/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 8 |
| Copyright: Other |
Comment
Agents not adverts will influence sales
HAVE you noticed how tour operators’ advertising is becoming more bizarre in an attempt toinfluence holidaymakers?Last week I suggested tour operators were largely wasting their money with expensive campaigns because figures show travel agents can switch them on and off like a tap.
Perhaps mindful of this, operators are now pushing the boat out to try to get through to consumers.
For example, what’s going on with those people dressed in Victorian garb, wittering on about ‘Fanny’ and dreaming about a company called Thomson?
Then JMC is throwing a few numbers at us like three, four, seven and 12, telling people their holidays can be of a flexible duration. If you work in the industry you can guess what it’s all about, if you don’t, you won’t have a clue. Of course the operators will tell you that research shows people want flexibility and quality. They say that in focus groups and then they go into travel agents and ask for ‘the cheapest deal anywhere that’s hot’.
I wish the tour operators the best of luck in trying to get people to be more discerning in their choice of holiday. But they face an uphill struggle.
The power base clearly lies with travel agents when it comes to influencing holidaymakers.
Anyone who thinks they can slash commissions on a whim would do well to remember that fact.
Jeremy Skidmore – editor