Travel Impressions Drives Agent Sales Via Social Media

Travel Impressions is reporting impressive results from an innovative social media program that highlights the expertise and value of its travel agent partners.

Launched in October 2012, Travel Impressions’ Ambassadors Program harnesses social media to generate publicity, build client confidence and boost business for agents, the tour operator and its supplier partners. Travel Impressions gets 100% of its bookings through agents.

Under the program, 96 agent “Ambassadors”  were chosen to represent and promote eight of the tour operator’s leading resort and destination partners for one year. Each Ambassador is paired with one supplier. Ambassadors commit to posting at least three times a month on their own Facebook pages.

Agents: The ‘true experts’
The Ambassadors Program was conceived when Travel Impressions was building its own social media channels and considering what type of content to provide, said chief marketing officer Susan Black.

“So many times people just post promotions which don’t provoke a conversation. We were also seeing a lot of ‘expertise’ in the media – for example, lists like the ‘10 best things to do in Cancun.’

 “So we thought, this is what agents do for a living; let’s showcase the expertise of the true experts – travel agents,” Black said. “We want to make agents rock stars.”

Return on investment
In its first six months, the program is driving strong results, according to the tour firm. “The ROI is most definitely there,” Black said.

Posts by Ambassador agents on Travel Impressions’ Facebook page are reaching an average of 8,000 fans monthly. And nearly 50 million mentions have been recorded in ambassador agents’ local media and other news sources.

Travel Impressions said it sees evidence that sales for Ambassador agents are growing as a result of the program. “We have anecdotal information that business is increasing for the Ambassador agents,” Black said.

One soft result of the program is “fantastic relationship building,” she said.

Agents see mixed results
One agent in the program, Penny Sheldon of Penny Sheldon Travel in Boise, Idaho, said she had seen an increase in bookings for her Ambassadors supplier partner, Sandals & Beaches Resorts. “But it’s a little difficult to pinpoint,” said Sheldon, a longtime top producer for Sandals.

“I can say that my clients love the extra perks,” she said. Clients of Ambassador agents receive a $100 future travel credit with Travel Impressions that can only be redeemed through the ambassador agent.

Jim Hughel, CTC, president of Town Place Travel & Cruises in Marlton, N.J., is an Ambassador for Excellence Group Luxury Hotels & Resorts. He said the program is helping his agency sell the Excellence Group more, though he did not yet have measurable results.

But Kate Ficke, CTC, MCC, manager of Travel Gallery in Chicago, said she had yet to see an increase in sales for her partner, AMResorts. “I wish I could say yes. It’s not for lack of trying,” she said.

“The program is heavy on social media and that’s not necessarily everyone’s strong point,” she added. “Travel Gallery hasn’t been huge into social media, although we’re trying to do more.”

Ficke said that Travel Impressions has done a “phenomenal job” in its social media education for agents. “They’re supportive and pushing us to do more.

“The program might need some tweaking but I hope they keep it up,” she added.

Social media training
Education is a key component of the Ambassadors Program. While “Ambassadors are experts in a particular destination or property, they may not be expert in social media,” Black said. “They may just be getting into social media so they are invited to our Social U.”

Social U is a series of free educational webinars offered quarterly to all agents via a tab on Travel Impressions’ website. Agents who miss the live broadcasts can watch them on demand. http://www.facebook.com/TravelImpressions

For its Ambassador agents, the tour operator also offers more advanced, customized social media training, as well as individualized support.

Sets a high bar
Black said Travel Impressions is not concerned with whether other tour operators follow its lead by offering similar social media programs.

“This is not an easy program, so the bar is high,” she said. “It’s a huge investment in human resources. To do it well and deliver, you have to make some major structural commitments.

“If someone else does do it, we will already be onto 2.0 – the next bigger and better version,” she said.