Travel MarketPlace: Exceeding Expectations

Travel professionals who attended the recent Travel MarketPlace conference in Toronto said they came away with renewed energy and fresh ideas for jumpstarting their businesses.

“It was very uplifting in terms of rekindling a passion,” said LoraLee McLean, a travel consultant for YYZ Travel Group in Thornhill, Ontario.

Co-hosted by Travel Market Report and sister company Acclaim Meetings, the inaugural Travel MarketPlace included a day and a half of back-to-back educational sessions and panels, as well as a trade show, networking events, food and beverage, and entertainment.

Presentations, panel discussions and breakout sessions focused on topics ranging from Canada’s new anti-spam law (CASL) to the role of travel trade associations to marketing and social media, among others.

Inspired to act
Afterwards, several agents said they were inspired to do a better job of staying in touch with clients, re-connecting with past clients and becoming more consistent in their social media efforts.

Linda Gaborko, CTC, an independent home-based agent with TravelOnly from Brantford, Ontario, called the presentations on multichannel engagement “eye-opening.”

She has already acted on some of what she learned. “I started a Twitter account, and I did some work on my Facebook business page,” Gaborko said several days after the conference.

Gaborko, who has been selling travel since 2004, was one of many attendees who said they also benefitted from a presentation on Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) by Toronto lawyer Doug Crozier.

“I went back through my database to make sure I conformed to all the CASL rules. There were rules and regulations I didn’t know,” Gaborko said.

Fills a need
Attending a first-time conference is a bit of a “gamble,” according to agency owner Gordon Mackey, CTC. But he will probably attend again, especially if next year’s agenda includes more advanced content, he added.

“I’m very much an advocate of training and development,” said Mackey, president of Trent Travel, a Whitby, Ontario, leisure agency with five offices.

Asked about the quality of agent education currently offered in Canada, Mackey said it “depends where you belong.”

His agency is part of Transat Distribution Canada, which offers lots of online training and webinars, especially on product development and, “to a certain degree,” frontline and customer service, he said.

Even so, “It’s always good to have somebody else’s perspective too,” said Mackey. “If you can get one or two tidbits out of it, that’s important.”

Well-run and professional
Tony Fragapane, general manager of Voyages Concierge Deluxe Travel in Montreal, said, “Those attendees that I talked to unanimously thought the conference was well-run, on time and professional.”

Fragapane co-moderated a panel with Anne Marie Moebes, co-publisher of Travel Market Report, on Sales and Marketing Tips from the Experts.

“The conference was very informative with modern issues that were addressed adequately,” said Fragapane, whose agency is a member of TRAVELSAVERS-Canada.

Supplier view
One supplier who participated in the Travel MarketPlace trade show was Colleen LesSard, business development manager, Canada, for the Aruba Tourism Authority.

LesSard attended because, “I could tell from the conference schedule that it would attract agents who are serious about growing their business, and I am always looking for exposure to that type of professional travel agent.

“The conference absolutely fulfilled my expectations, and in some areas exceeded them,” she told Travel Market Report.

Above and beyond
YYZ Travel Group’s McLean, who has been in the travel industry for 31 years, said Travel MarketPlace went above and beyond other offerings currently available to Canadian agents.

“It was different. It wasn’t, ‘Here’s a travel presentation, here’s some roast beef sandwiches, go home and sell this. It was a variety. It was social media. It was up to date. It was needed.”

A highlight for McLean was a panel discussion with David McCaig, president and COO of the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA), and Zane Kerby, president and CEO of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA).

McCaig and Kerby encouraged agents to become active in their respective associations. “We are the voice, representing you at every level,” McCaig said. “We are your badge of quality and credibility.”

Business perspective
McCaig also spoke of the business imperative in today’s sales and distribution environment, emphasizing that it’s not enough to be good at selling travel.

“If you’re an owner and you’re not a good businessperson, then you need to sell or change or go with an organization,” McCaig said.
 
That’s especially true when it comes to working with suppliers. “You’ve got to have enough power behind you to deal with them to make sure you’re treated fairly,” McCaig said.
 
Plans for 2015
The 2014 Travel MarketPlace took place at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites, June 26 to 27. An estimated 250 people attended, including agents and suppliers.

Moebes said the conference will be offered again in 2015, though not on the same dates, which this year was just prior to a long holiday weekend in Canada.

“We are surveying all agents and suppliers who attended about content, speakers, preferred dates and location preference. We are open to all feedback,” Moebes said.