ABTA is launching a pilot scheme in three regional areas to raise the profile of independent travel agents.
The trade organisation will be focusing on regions in the North West, Eastern England and South Wales to encourage consumers to use their local travel agent.
ABTA is using PR company Paratus to promote agents through three main stories in the local press:
- Profiles of family travel agencies
- Profiles of young agents entering the travel industry
- Stories about interesting customers agents have dealt with
ABTA is also hoping it can set up some regular editorial columns for agents in their local newspapers.
Work starts on the new intiative this week and ABTA expects there to be some results over the next couple of weeks.