A GROUP of travel agents are helping to revolutionise product training with the help of Travel Weekly and the Canadian states of Quebec and Ontario.
Half-a-dozen retailers are producing a home-made video from an educational trip which will be sent to 4,000 UK agents.
Armed with digital camcorders, the agents have taken footage of both states during a 10-day trip which will form the basis of a 30min video and written training package.
The trip was hosted by Destination Quebec and Ontario Tourism in association with Travel Weekly.
Around £100,000 has been invested in the project.
Ontario UK representative Sharon Bernstein said the video will be split into themes – younger activities, family touring and cultural touring for the over 50s.
“We wanted to produce a video that agents could relate to,” she said. “This is not someone pontificating from on high with pretty pictures of the destinations. It’s purely the personal viewpoint of agents for agents.”
The group were accompanied by a professional film crew whose footage will also be used on the video.
“The professional footage will help sell the destination with the agent’s film endorsing it,” she added.
The video will initially be distributed to Thomas Cook, ARTACWorldchoice, Advantage Travel Centres and the Global Travel Group along with independent Canadian specialists.
Along with the video, multiples will receive a written training module that takes 30mins to complete. Independents are being sent a longer manual which will take around 90min. “We are keen to support all types of agents,” added Bernstein.
The video package is set for release later this year.