Five hours ago, Ed Jones, East Coast sales manager for Europe Express, tweeted: “The #Internet is for looking! #TravelAgents are for booking!”
Seven hours ago, Melia Hotels offered this tweet: “10 Ways Travel Agents Add Value to Your Vacation.”
Before that, Dondra Ritzenthaler of Celebrity Cruises advertised a special offer: “#TravelAgents, upgrade your client’s Caribbean view! Save up to $300.”
And there’s this intriguing tweet: “What #travelagents should know about selling #Hawaii and #FrenchPolynesia combo trips.”
Okay, I admit, that last tweet was from TravelAge West, but the point is that there’s a conversation about travel taking place on social media right now — all the time — and this ongoing discussion can provide agents with tips, marketing messages, sales leads, special offers, education, inspiration, networking and so much more.
How can you afford not to be a part of this ecosystem?
In this issue’s cover story, “Just How Socially Savvy Are You?”, Associate Editor, Digital, Valerie Chen shares social media best practices for travel agents.
At TravelAge West, we’ve been encouraging travel agents to become more adept at social media for years now. One of the ways we support agents is through our Trendsetter Awards, which acknowledge top agents in a variety of categories. In addition to Best Use of Social Media (sponsored by the Globus Family of Brands), this year we have awards for Upward Bound Rock Star Agent Under 40 (sponsored by AMResorts), Best Group Booking Sales Effort (sponsored by Royal Caribbean International) and Best Targeted Marketing Idea (sponsored by Celebrity Cruises).
If you feel you deserve recognition in any of these categories, enter our Trendsetter Awards online at TravelAgeWest.com/WAVE/Trendsetters by March 11. Winners receive travel prizes and are recognized at our black-tie WAVE Awards dinner in Los Angeles on June 16.
Don’t miss out on the social media conversation — or on the recognition you deserve for all your hard work.