Travel Weekly’s Business:am breakfast news alert reaches a landmark today with the 500th edition since its launch in January 2011.
The alert was specifically designed with the travel industry’s busy senior executives and management in mind, delivering into inboxes a complete news digest consistently at 9am each working day.
As well as all the most important travel news, the alert also provides an update on the share prices of the key firms in the sector and a roundup of general economic/market news from third party sites.
Sent to a targeted audience, the email has been a huge hit – consistently enjoying open rates above 30% and a click-through rate of more than 14%.
Since launching the daily alert on January 25, 2011, site traffic on travelweekly.co.uk has grown by 53%.
The first Business:am news alert, sent January 25, 2011
Figures show that 83% of recipients of the email who open it do so before 11am, underlying its position as the morning read for the industry. Four out of five recipients open it at least once over the course of a month.
The email is also being shared widely, with readers passing it on over a quarter of a million times since its launch.
This performance has supported Travel Weekly’s overall digital growth which has seen a 79% increase in mobile traffic volumes which now represent 11% of all traffic.
The Travel Weekly iPhone app has now been downloaded just short of 3,000 times and the group’s Twitter followers rose to 44,100 in 2012, up 57% on the previous year.
Lucy Huxley, Travel Weekly editor-in-chief, said: “Just like the travel industry itself the internet has had a huge impact on all news and traditional print media companies.
“A lot larger media organisations than Travel Weekly are still grappling with this challenge and Business:am was just a part, albeit a key part, of our response.
“I’m delighted with its success to date but as you can see it has already evolved in the two years we have been producing it and I know we will continue to innovate to deliver for our readers.”
Since the launch of the alert the Travel Weekly Business brand, which is showcased in the rear pages of the Travel Weekly magazine, has also been expanded to include face-to-face events.
Last year Travel Weekly held three invitation-only Business Breakfasts including an audience with Priceline’s Glenn Fogel at Google’s new London headquarters.
The brand also produces the monthly digest of travel and economic trends, Travel Weekly Insight, and in November produced the first Travel Weekly Insight Annual Report in conjunction with Deloitte, GFK and TNS.
Travel Weekly Business:am subscribers mark the 500th edition
Harriet Green, group chief executive, Thomas Cook
“When you’re on the move the Travel Weekly news alert is a great way to keep up-to-date with important industry news, research and issues – an easy way to stay connected, looking forward to the next 500!”
Hugh Morgan, managing director tour operations, Monarch Travel Group
“It’s my first ‘must-read’ of the day and supports the ongoing updates on twitter. Long may it reign over us. Congratulations on your 500th edition.”
John de Vial, head of financial protection, Abta
“Travel Weekly Business:am is an essential daily read; it helps keep me informed and on top of the issues that affect our members and their businesses.”
Nishma Robb, chief client officer, iProspect
“Insightful information and breaking news delivered at breakfast. It’s an indispensable, addictive read for anyone with an interest in the business of travel. As important to starting my day as my morning cup of tea.”
Andy Harmer, director, Association of Cruise Experts
“Travel Weekly Business:am is a great start to the day – the essential breakfast travel briefing that keeps you in the know, keeping you informed and up-to-date ahead of another working day.”
Julia Lo Bue-Said, leisure director, Advantage Travel Centres
“Travel Weekly Business:am has become an established and reliable source of daily news and comment which furnishes our business with key industry news just as the day begins.”
Jo Rzymowska, general manager UK, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
“Travel Weekly Business:am is the best way to be kept up to date on a daily basis with key travel industry activity. It is the first morning read for me.”
Andy Freeth, managing director, Travel2
“Travel Weekly Business:am has become a must read over morning coffee. Well done to the Travel Weekly Group on continuing to innovate the way in which we digest travel news.”
Simon Garrido, national sales manager, Monarch Travel Group
“In this age of needing relevant, accurate and most importantly up to date travel trade info the Travel Weekly Business:am alert has been a godsend. It has now become a vital read to start the day. Well done to the TW team.”
Lisa McAuley, EMEA head of leisure sales and partnerships, Avis Budget
“The Travel Weekly Business:am news alerts are a priority to me. Insightful and to the point, they’ve become invaluable and keep me up to speed and condense the need-to-know info in a time-poor day.”
Chris Roche, commercial director, Travel Republic
“Travel Weekly Business:am is essential reading as it ensures we’re up to date with industry developments, it’s a finger on the pulse of travel. Invaluable.”
Richard Singer, managing director, Travelzoo
“I don’t have time to read every email bulletin and news story out there so the specific, relevant news and opinion that the Business:am alerts provide is perfect for cutting through to the information I need most when I need it.”
Gary Lewis, group managing director, The Travel Network Group
“Tea, toast and Travel Weekly Business:am – essential to my business morning routine.”
If you’d like to receive our daily Business:am news alert, simply send an email to editorial@travelweekly.co.uk with ‘Please subscribe me to Travel Weekly Business:am’ as the subject line.