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ttglive.com
trade shows knowledge
The UK W
The Div
Showbusiness: agents’ tips
■ Think laterally – what non-travel shows
e Show
edding Show
cover your niche?
■ Where possible visit big shows the year
before you exhibit and quiz stall-holders
■ Know the habits of showgoers – do they
attend expecting to book?
■ Quiz organisers beforehand: what is their
“throughput”? Who else is exhibiting?
What advertising are they doing?
■Look for shows where you’ll have exclusivity,
either as a travel agent or with the niche
The Outdoor Show
you are selling. If there’s competition, push
your unique product or services.
■ Consider taking live bookings at national
events and advertise offers only available
during the show.
■ Capture email addresses by running a
competition
■ Mitigate costs with a supplier tie-up
Above: agents trading at the Wedding Show include Nick McKay ■ If you have exclusivity with a well-known
of Travel Designers and Travel 2’s Sarah-Jane Barnett supplier, consider using their name.
For example, Nick McKay has exhibited
as “Club Med at Travel Designers”.
multi-centre itineraries many and the Independent School ■ Think local: most areas have a county
operators aren’t keen on Show to fit in with its new show, and a school fete may give you a
handling. “It’s a big wide focus on family holidays. stall for a donation or prize. Martin Owens
world. If you have a fairly The agency mitigates show has even known a colleague to exhibit at
broad product you try to show costs by tying up with a car boot sales
what is unique to you. People supplier. Travel Designers
know you do other things director Nick McKay explains:
besides,” he says. “We ask their staff to come took £47,000 in gross sales over four days at
Though Lyons took more Bruce Lyons, Crusader Travel along and we ask for some the last Manchester show.
than £40,000 of business at exclusive special offers. In McKay and his team also exhibit at general
the show when it was less competitive, sales return they might want us to give them a interest events but focus more regionally,
no longer come in volume but he believes certain level of bookings. Operators will last year attending the Surrey County Show
there are other benefits to attending. sponsor these things if they know you’re plus local fairs, fetes and carnivals.
“Sometimes you’re working on a quote going to put your all into it.” “The big ski shows, they’re a couple of
and they’ll say ‘we’ll see you at the show’. McKay also aims for exclusivity of product. thousand pounds plus staff costs, staying
Some people research you before going to Travel Designers tied up with Club Med at nearby, eating out and so on,” says McKay.
the show or take your details and research last year’s Metro Ski & Snowboard Show at “For the county show I was gambling with
you after,” he says. London Olympia. It was the only exhibitor about £100 – it’s different. A local carnival
“It’s good to meet your suppliers, particu- promoting the all-inclusive operator and is about £20. It’s a no-brainer isn’t it? We
larly now tourist offices go, as they usually made more than 20 bookings. just look around at what is going on in the
sublet some of their space to local suppliers Homeworker Owens is not afraid to attend area and think how we can get a holiday
which you might not have had occasion to big shows either, and has exhibited at the aspect in with that.”
meet before.” Holiday & Travel Show in Manchester, where He admits not all events have worked:
Crusader has also exhibited in a far less he concentrates on his other specialism, “Sometimes it’s the wrong product, some-
competitive environment at The Outdoors cruising. He noticed that, unlike at wedding times the organisers haven’t advertised
Show and will this year be joining the Royal shows, visitors come to book, so he set up enough, sometimes you’re completely
Borough of Richmond in promoting this facility on his laptop. rained out.”
inbound travel at Best of Britain & Ireland. “If they think about it, they go away and But the agency has had enough success to
Clapham-based Travel Designers is a obviously shop around. You phone them on keep shows a key part of its business plan.
prolific showgoer, taking stands at between Monday morning and they’ve already “You’ve got to go out and interact with the
50 and 60 events a year, large and small. booked it elsewhere,” he says. customers to get the bookings. I think the
Surprisingly it’s often the only agency at all “Now people will say ‘I’m interested in days of getting the customers walking in
but the biggest shows. that holiday on the board’ and I’ll say ‘do through your door have gone,” says McKay.
The team has attended golf and ski shows you want me to book it?’” “The next big decision here is whether we
and next year is considering the Baby Show It’s an approach that works well. Owens actually employ someone full-time to do it.”
22.01.2010 37
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