Tipto reports increasing trend for first-time travel agent attendees at roadshows

Tipto has reported an increasing trend for more first-time agent attendees at its ‘face2face’ roadshows.

The travel trade marketing body said nearly half (48%) of agents and homeworkers at its roadshows since the start of its 26th year in September last year have been first-time attendees to its events.

As well as nearly half being completely new to Tipto, 42% of attendees were homeworkers. This continues the trend of recent years for increasing numbers of homeworkers to join Tipto’s events as a way of picking up sales tips to convert sales into confirmed bookings.

In total Tipto has held 22 events with its supplier members meeting 1,202 agents in the last seven months.

Lorna Willis-Edwards, director of Spirit Marketing & Events, the appointed secretariat of Tipto, said the figures, which come at the mid-way point in Tipto’s year, suggested first-timers in its 26th year could now top the previous year.

She said: “Year 25 saw Tipto celebrate its milestone quarter century and at the close of the year the organisation and its 25 supplier members had engaged with 2,000 agents across 36 face2face events.

“Two-thirds of these agents were first time event attendees and almost half (47%) of them were homeworking agents. We’re delighted to see the current figures show Tipto is well on its way to surpassing its Year 25 results; and we hope to set some brand new records.”

During March alone, Tipto held seven roadshows across the north west and south west of England and Northern Ireland. Suppliers met 350 agents during the month, delivering more than 700 presentations and gave away prizes, including a fam trip at each event, holiday and shopping vouchers, spa hampers and stays on Ambassador Cruise Line and CroisiEurope Venice Cruise.

Agent feedback in March highlighted the value of Tipto in helping secure bookings, the organisation said.

Heidi Frith, a homeworker with Inteletravel, said: “I attended the Tipto event in Plymouth a few weeks ago and met the Cox & King rep, which inspired me to create some special posts about their tours.

“I specialise in solo travel and their solo supplements are really reasonable. I posted a Splendours of Central America tour and today confirmed my first ever booking with Cox & King for more than £5,000.”

Agent Laura Harvey, of Holiday Elite, confirmed a Belgian Grand Prix booking worth more than £3,000 after promoting operators she had met at the same Tipto roadshow event in Plymouth, saying the booking “would not have happened” had she not attended and met company representatives.

Travel consultant Charlotte Catterall, of Three Way Travel, said a meeting with Neil Sealey from Exoticca at the Stoke roadshow had led to enquiries and its first booking with the operator.

She said: “If I’m being completely honest, the three of us in our office had not heard of Exoticca. We were impressed with Neil’s presentation and the Exoticca website and after we’d signed up we used some of their marketing materials in our store window.

“We had several client enquiries on the back of that and have since confirmed our first booking, which is really exciting! We are looking forward to doing more business with Exoticca and have already been recommending them to our regular clients.”