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The Travel Network Group will encourage members to create their own social media campaigns after an “overwhelming” response to its first pre-conference push on Twitter and Facebook.
The group has had 50 videos uploaded by staff in the travel industry since launching its light-hearted social media competition under the Twitter handle #ttngconf2016 last month.
The initiative invites industry members to post a video on Facebook or Twitter of themselves giving an Oscars-style acceptance speech for an award of their choice after being nominated by an industry colleague. The one judged the best will be presented with £500 at the conference, which starts on Sunday.
The conference will see 455 delegates, including 320 Worldchoice and Travel Trust Association agents and Independent Travel Experts homeworkers, board Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Eclipse for a mini‑cruise between May 8-10.
Si Prentice, the group’s marketing director, anticipated the number of entries would hit 100. Clips will be shown during the conference and members will learn how to engage with clients on social media at a workshop.
Prentice said: “We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the response to this campaign to bring members and business partners together and get them into the spirit of the conference. We have had some really funny clips, from someone in a Jacuzzi to someone dressed up as a birdwatcher.”
The group aims to share tips and ideas at the conference and to create templates to help agents launch similar campaigns to build brand awareness and improve communication with clients.
“Part of it is about members changing behaviour so it becomes a natural part of the way they do business,” Prentice said.
Rival consortium Advantage launched a lip-synch social media campaign ahead of its conference last month.