The Advantage Travel Partnership has unveiled plans to roll out up to 100 artificial intelligence window screens across its national network by the end of this year.
The in-store, digital signage, known as The Advantage Travel TV Network, follows a successful three-month pilot as a result of an exclusive partnership with sales and marketing specialist Flexi-Reps.
The technology is currently used in other industries, such as estate agency, but Advantage said its rollout would be an industry-first for the travel sector.
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The first wave of the rollout will involve 30 Advantage agencies adopting the digital AI screens in their store windows, with a further 20 planned for installation over coming months.
The consortium said the new technology, developed by software specialist Halo Nomadix, would enable members to boost bookings by showing destination videos and offers in store windows while also tracking how many customers are stopping to watch the screens, what they are watching and for how long, through the installation of a small data box.
The provision of real-time data will allow agents to have information to steer their marketing propositions, said chief commercial officer Kelly Cookes, as well as giving useful analysis for members’ commercial partners.
She said: “This exciting initiative is part of our work to ensure that members are fully modernising their in-store environment and becoming an omnichannel offering.
“Members have been involved with the project since its inception though our Members Steering Group, and the feedback has been extremely positive.”
Flexi Reps managing director Craig Davidson, who is leading The Advantage Travel TV Network project, said: “These commercial grade screens allow Advantage members to transform every single A4 window card offer into a TV commercial in a very easy to use format and template, whilst also allowing them to share their own brand identity.”
He described the viewership data collected by the data box as a ‘game changer’ from what agents have had in the past and different to current, conventional video screens in travel agencies.
Advantage will provide two thirds of the content with each member able to control a third of the content. Content will include videos, commercial messages and offers from key suppliers and tourist board partners.
Members will be able to add local messages and offers or information on local events and agencies which already have screens can ‘bolt on’ the data box.
Advantage member Horizon Holidays is currently using multiple screens to display offers, videos and QR codes to attract customers.
Chief executive Hamza Waris said: “These screens and the digital platform are now playing an integral role in our business as we are based in Morrisons supermarkets.
“We use the new screens to bring offers and destinations to life, which attract customers who then engage with the rich content we display.”
Scott McCabe, project director at Advantage member Oasis Travel, is also using the screens.
He said: “With a substantial investment from ‘The Royal Pitch’, we are now developing a dedicated Royal Caribbean Window that will showcase a selection of the brand’s most captivating content.
“With plans to roll out more digital screens to all our offices, customers will be able to envision themselves enjoying their ideal travel experience, whether it’s a beach holiday, a cruise, luxury travel, or a UK break. The immersive and captivating content offers us a new way to engage and interact with potential customers, hopefully sparking interest in what we have to offer.”
Davidson said he had chosen Advantage as an exclusive partner for the technology rollout after working with the consortium successfully for 20 years for other projects.
He said: “I am delighted to say it’s been brilliantly received by their members and screens are now in place in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. By the end of the year, we will have 50 to 100 screens installed across the Advantage network.”