rs, operators and OTAs, and hosted by Google. Lee Hayhurst reports
Andy Washington, Culture Trip
NEWS REPORT
Agents’ knowledge gives them edge over influencers
P Alistair
Rowland, The Midcounties Co-operative
rofessional agents’ detailed knowledge of their customers is their edge when faced with
the increasing threat of online influencers with no travel expertise. Andy Washington, senior travel
vice-president at Culture Trip, said there is a “shiſt towards influencers”. Web giants such as Facebook and
Instagram are creating “contextual commerce” purchasing opportunities at the click of a buton or voice command, he said, and tipped this to become the norm. But he said agents can be influencers on these platforms, as they have been in high street stores. “We are all influencers,” said
Washington, who has previously worked for dnata Travel, Expedia and
lastminute.com. “Telling stories works very well for top-of-the-
We are all
influencers. Telling stories works very well for top-of-the-funnel engagement
funnel engagement, then we get to this messy middle. Tink about the moment these people would come into a shop. You know about them – their history, their budget – and start telling their story with them. “A poor travel agent, who is
licensed and just takes an order – what’s the difference between them and an influencer?” InteleTravel’s James Ferrara
said recommendation from a human is preferable to a machine
and new models enabling this are emerging. But he said there was no point “railing against the heavens, fighting the change” as more “real people” get involved in making recommendations. “Tat’s what we do,” he said. Rowland said we are seeing the
birth of the “super-agent”, who is the influencer and “becomes the brand” by sharing video and other content. But he urged operators to give
accredited agents more support than so-called “referral agents” who pass on leads for direct bookings. Olympic Holidays chief executive
Clare Tobin said apprentice agents were “working completely differently to anyone else in their branches” and revealed the operator was looking to work with a new generation of high-end “concierge” lifestyle agents.
Olympic: We will use all channels for marketing
Destination specialist Olympic Holidays is diversifying its marketing mix to embrace celebrity influencers as it looks to move to higher-value travel and experiential product. Chief executive Clare Tobin
said the operator was targeting a 30-plus demographic with high disposable income, moving away from its traditional 45-plus market, and pushing niche areas such as weddings, honeymoons and island-hopping. She said this requires embracing channel
diversity, such as its recent campaign with former BBC Blue Peter presenter Katy Hill, and revealed plans to recruit a Love Island contestant as an influencer. “Gone are the days when consumers sit outside travel
agents on Boxing Day waiting for an offer,” she said. Tobin said that while Olympic has product with
travelweekly.co.uk Clare Tobin
inspirational imagery and video that lends itself to being promoted on Instagram, it also had to compete on price to stand out in search. Olympic’s sales are still 50% through
agents, but Tobin said: “I believe the consumer has moved on. We will look at all channels. We have to. “We have a fantastic relationship with
agents and I hope that will continue. But the consumer needs to have that choice.”
“Abta looked in every nook and cranny of our business and unanimously voted to grant us membership” – InteleTravel’s James Ferrara on the latest podcast.
Visit
go.travelweekly.co.uk/podcast
16 MAY 2019
11
PICTURES: Steve Dunlop
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