AFTA gets "clean slate" to promote agents' value

AFTA gets "clean slate" to promote agents' value
By admin


A lack of consumer awareness about the Travel Compensation Fund will benefit the new accreditation scheme being developed by the Australian Federation of Travel Agents, according to its new marketing manager.

Although protecting the consumer was the aim of the TCF, research has shown that only 3% of consumers were aware of it, Joanne Tralaggan told Travel Today.

"That means 97% of consumers didn't even know why they should book through a travel agent in order to be protected," she said.

But rather than heightening the challenge that lies before AFTA, Tralaggan is confident that those statistics instead represent a "clean slate".

While the TCF did not have marketing within its remit, AFTA will actively promote the benefits of the new accreditation scheme to the public.

"This scheme will actually help to educate them and give them reasons to book through an accredited agent," Tralaggan said.

She highlighted the real challenge as creating a brand for the new scheme that resonates with both consumers and the trade.

The consumer-facing brand will "sit alongside" that of the agents in order to "give credibility" but the aim is that it should not overpower.

"The role the brand has to play is to make booking travel synonymous with booking with an accredited agent," Tralaggan said.

"The trade just has to be proud to wear the brand, and the consumer will create the demand to wear it."

AFTA has selected creative agency Added Value to devise the new concept, mainly because they specialise in strategic marketing.

But the potential for creativity is huge because travel is a "highly emotional space", Tralaggan added.

"We only get four weeks holiday a year, it's often a big investment financially, and we often do it with significant others which makes it even more important," she said.

"So the fact that consumers will want to protect that gives more scope for creativity."

Mobile apps and social media components are being considered among a number of other options.

The new brand will be introduced to the trade at the next round of consultation workshops to take place throughout November.

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