Travel Agency of the Year Election

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Mediakit 2020 TRAVEL AGENCY OF THE YEAR

reisbureauverkiezing

reisbureauvanhetjaar.nl

Introduction

The election for the Travel Agency of the Year is an initiative from TravMagazine. Its main purpose is to realize a constructive contribution that has been made through the continuous process of quality improvement in the Dutch travel retail.

By means of a balanced program from October until May the business operations of all participants will be judged on various aspects. After several case rounds, personal interviews, mystery shopper visits, consultations by a professional jury following a final judgement, the winners will be chosen.

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Previous years

Vice Versa Venray, winner 2013

TUI Terneuzen, winner 2017

Klooster Reizen, winner 2018

The election Travel Agency of the Year 2020 will be the 21th edition of this popular competition. The first edition was in 1998 and started with an ANVR Travel agent symposia and a Travel agents night. Since then the election developed into the leading competition within the Dutch travel industry. At the end of the competitions we have 12 winners. Each in their own province.

A lasting impression throughout the years‌

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Goal The election Travel Agency of the Year is the example of benchmarking within the Dutch travel industry. The achievements of the participating companies will be compared with their competitors (in their province).

The benchmark is a great advantage for participants of the election. The results show which aspects they can improve on and which aspects they score above average.

The election shows his importance. For example of measuring/managing conversion, cross and upselling, and the need for multi-channel selling.

Benchmarking, PR and publicity is an important contributing factor for the travel agencies to join the election. Throughout the entire project, news about the election is published in various print and online publications in TravMagazine. When travel agencies become winners it’s interesting news in their region for local media and their own social media. This price has high PR value and a perfect tool for communications to customers and new customers.

During the election there are some training modules which gives interesting feed back on for example knowledge about destinations or products and important financial matters. They are faced with important facts by their own team, other travel agencies and professional partners of the Election.

Next to winning the final goal is: how can we improve our business together.

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Participants in general Annually 100 – 120 travel agencies participate in the election. These agencies are partly selected by the head offices of the big retail companies, as well as a lot of independent travel agencies. The playing field is representative for the whole Dutch travel retail industry. The election is divided in travel agencies per province. Before the Battle, per province, the top 3 will be announced. The final round will be between the top 2 travel agencies of the province, which will lead to the Best Travel Agency per province.

Winning the province title will result in a lot of publicity, especially in the local media which will enhance the reputation of the agency.

Winning the title of Travel Agency of the Year will result in local, regional and nationwide publicity, both in travel trade media like TravMagazine as well in newspapers and other media.

The effect of this publicity is enormous and will result in a significant increase of clients (both in store and online) which will lead to a higher market share.

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Participants statistics Distribution travel agency chains

Characteristics of participants The number of participants strongly increased since 2008. Since then the number of participants is fairly constant, Âą 80, and this number changes with the number of travel agencies in the Netherlands.

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50% of the participating agencies have participated for the fist time.

45% of the participating agencies have competed at least once before.

25% of the participants of the previous election participated in another edition as well.

These participants came from: - TUI - D-reizen - VakantieXperts - DTA - Travel XL - Other 44% of the participating agencies are independent or franchise travel agencies.

56% of the participating agencies belong to a chain.

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2019-2020

Program The program of the competition is made up of several rounds, from October until May. Possible set-up as follows (may change based on recent experiences): 1st round: Registration and judging recent proposal (October-November) 2nd round: Questionnaire regarding travel agency (December) 3rd round: Mystery Mail & Call research (December).

Announcement of the top 3 travel agencies per province (February) 4th round: Questionnaire with marketing cases (February) 5th round: ’Battle’ on an inspiring location (March) 6th round: Mystery Shopper research at the top 3 travel agencies (March) 7th round: Jury visits of all remaining travel agencies (April) 8th round: Meeting if jury to discuss winners (April) Travel agent Gala night where the winners will be announced (May).

High qualified fam trip for all the winners (period May-July). Make them your ambassadors!

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Judging & Experts The primary tasks of the election are provided by a leading coaching and consulting company specialized in the travel industry: Solution Trainingen. This professional partner is responsible for the criteria that the jury will use and is at several points assisted by a company that specializes in the field of mystery visits (Mystery Shopper Surveys).

The decision as to which of the travel agencies will ultimately become the Travel Agency of the Year is taken by a professional jury, consisting of representatives of the sponsors, Solution Trainingen and external experts in the field of retail marketing. TRAVel Media is the head of this jury.

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Solution Trainingen Soluton Trainingen is the official training company guiding the election. Further on they play an important role in the judging.

During the master classes and the events they will give training sessions.

Subjects: - Service or Discount: Consumers are more and more asking for discount. How to avoid this?

- Sales calls to well known relatives: This is sometimes difficult especially when you know they book somewhere else‌ How to deal with this?

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Content sponsorship Specials

The communication around the election Travel Agency of the Year is a very comprehensive cross-media plan.

The sponsor will also be involved in all activities surrounding the election, by means of attending various sponsor meetings in which decisions about the election are made and discussed.

The logo will be in all communications.

Reisbureauvanhetjaar.nl

Events

SPONSOR ACTIVITIES News letter

Magazine

Travmagazine.nl

!

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Interested in becoming a partner of the election?

Get in touch with us!

Events Specials

Various events will be organised during the election. The sponsor will be involved in the organisation of all events.

Reisbureauvanhetjaar.nl

The events to which this relates to are the following: - Kick-off symposium - Meet & Greets - Jury days - Battle - Mega fam trip with the 12 best agencies optionable.

- Travel Agent Gala.

Events

SPONSOR ACTIVITIES Newsletter

Magazine

Travmagazine.nl

!

Interested in becoming a partner of the election?

Get in touch with us!

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Magazine Specials

TravMagazine is the leading trade journal with 7.000+ professional subscribers and two weekly publications. Regular and substantial publicity (including logo) in TravMagazine during the entire process of the election, including: - Announcements and regular election update - Prominent presence of your quotes - Interview with director or country manager - Announcement galanight - Involvement of notification of provincial winners - Interviews provincial winners and statements from your company about the election, role and importance of the travel agents etc.

- Extended report provincial winners mega fam trip - Report night - Interview winners.

Reisbureauvanhetjaar.nl

SPONSOR ACTIVITIES Newsletter

Magazine

Travmagazine.nl

!

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Events

Interested in becoming a partner of the election?

Get in touch with us!

Travmagazine.nl Specials

Besides the coverage in TravMagazine in print there will be extensive attention for the election online at www.travmagazine.nl during the election. This includes: - Online placements and reports from various events/rounds - Regular column with Travel Agency of the Year theme - Social media channel of the election on Facebook - Regular updates - Possible postings on your product/ destination.

Reisbureauvanhetjaar.nl

Events

SPONSOR ACTIVITIES Newsletter

Magazine

Travmagazine.nl

!

Interested in becoming a partner of the election?

Get in touch with us!

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Newsletter Specials

There are Travel Agency of the Year newsletters on a regular base to inform the branch by mail.

These news letters give information about the process of the election or function, as an invitation for participation at events.

Besides these special newsletters there will be attention for the election in the weekly regular TravMagazine news letter. This can be done by means of a column, editorial reporting or expressed through commercial banners.

Reisbureauvanhetjaar.nl

SPONSOR ACTIVITIES Newsletter

The sponsor logos are always part of dedicated newsletters

Magazine

Travmagazine.nl

!

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Events

Interested in becoming a partner of the election?

Get in touch with us!

Reisbureauvanhetjaar.nl Specials

A comprehensive description of the election including an explanation about the different rounds and judging can be found at the site, which also attracts consumers. It also gives extensive details about the sponsors of the election.

There is also a special Facebook page about the election.

Reisbureauvanhetjaar.nl

Events

SPONSOR ACTIVITIES Newsletter

Magazine

Travmagazine.nl

!

Interested in becoming a partner of the election?

Get in touch with us!

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Specials Specials

The communication plan includes a lot of other components in addition to the print- and online communication. Of course the sponsor will be involved in all these parts.

This could include:

ALLE WINNAARS GEFELICITEERD! Met de bekroning tot 'Reisbureau van het jaar 2019'

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- Logo listing on stationery, on official invitations for the events, at the symposium invitation (sent to all ANVR travel companies), at menus at the prom night, at presentation sheets during the symposium/prom night and at all other exposure - Possibility to invite your own relations for various events - Information in advance about (possible) winners, so the sponsor can congratulate these in their own way - Company name in all press releases - Possibility to use the Travel Agency of the Year logo to communicate that you are sponsor of the election and that you are happy to cooperate with improving the quality of travel retail.

Reisbureauvanhetjaar.nl

Events

SPONSOR ACTIVITIES Newsletter

Magazine

Travmagazine.nl

!

Interested in becoming a partner of the election?

Get in touch with us!

Contact ANNUAL ELECTION FOR THE DUTCH TRAVEL TRAVEL AGENCY OF THE YEAR This election is organized by TravMagazine with the purpose of improving the quality and the image of the Dutch travel retail industry.

SALES: sales@travmedia.nl

Contact kim.kuijer@travmedia.nl

INFO: info@travmedia.nl

www.reisbureauverkiezing.nl

+31(0) 35 67 28 8 30

Arendstraat 19, Hilversum Netherlands

OWNER & PUBLISHER Tom van Apeldoorn COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR TJ van Apeldoorn EDITORS Sofie Smets, Theo de Reus & Belinda Meijers

SALES Dennis Ebbers, Dennis de Groot & Daniëlle van Ewijk ART DIRECTOR Iris Beenen & Seb van Apeldoorn

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WEBSITES www.travmedia.nl www.reisbureauverkiezing.nl www.travmagazine.nl www.travecademy.nl www.businesstraveller.nl www.micetravel.nl www.reismanagementclub.nl

VIDEO EDITOR Seb van Apeldoorn MARKETING Kim Kuijer & Daphne Gerritsma

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