Annual election for the Dutch 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. www.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 visits, consultations by a professional jury following a final judgement, the winners will be chosen.
Previous years The election Travel Agency of the Year 2018-2019 will be the 20th 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. Instead of 1 national winner we now have 12 winners in their own province. A lasting impression throughout the years‌
Reas Reizen, winner 2009
VX Wijchen, winner 2010
Reas Reizen & Klooster Reizen, winners 2013
TUI Terneuzen, winner 2017
Goal The election Travel Agency of the Year is the only example of benchmarking within the Dutch travel branch. 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 already has shown the importance 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 the provincial winners are known, press releases about the election are sent to local media outlets in the area of the companies by the travel agencies, sometimes with the help of their professional PR-companies. During the election there are some instructional training exercises which is also a very important aspect for participants. A lot of entrepreneurs like to hear answer on questions like “How is the internal management structure in the company” and “How can we improve our results together”.
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 branch. The election is divided in a regional selection with 36 province nominees. Per province, the top 3 will be announced. These 2 travel agencies will battle for a place in the final 2. Then the final battle is between these 2 travel agencies, to see who will be the Best Travel Agency of their 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.
Reas Reizen & Klooster Reizen, winners
Participants statistics Here you will find a number of indicators of the election Travel Agency of the Year. Characteristics of Participants The number of participants strongly increased in 2008. Since then the number of participants is fairly constant. 2017 • 65% of the participating agencies have participated for the fist time. •35% of the participating agencies have competed at least once before.
Friesland Groningen Drenthe Noord-Holland Flevoland Overijssel Zuid-Holland Utrecht Gelderland Brabant
deelnemers 2006 deelnemers 2007 deelnemers 2008 deelnemers 2009 deelnemers 2010
40% of the participants of 2018 participated in 2017 as well. These participants came from; - TUI - D-reizen - VakantieXperts - Independent travel agencies - Veluwegroep - Travel XL
Zeeland Limburg
•56% of the participating agencies belong to a chain •44% of the participating agencies are independent or franchise travel agencies
Program The program of the competition is made up of several rounds, from September/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)
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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)
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Travel agent Gala night where the winners will be announced (May)
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Fam trip with the sponsors of the elections & all the winners
Judging The adjudication of the entire process is handled by a number of known and experienced people from within and outside the travel industry which together form the jury of the election. The primary tasks of the election are provided by a coaching and consulting firm specialized in the travel industry. That company is responsible for the criteria that the jury will use and is at certain points assisted by a company that specializes in the field of mystery visits (Mystery Shopper Surveys). The ultimate decision of who is going to win the election for the Travel Agency of the Year is taken by a professional jury, which consists of sponsor representatives, acquaintances of the travel industry and external experts in the field of retail marketing. During the annual Travel Agency of the Year-event the winners will be announced.
Contents sponsorship 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.
Specials
Reisbureau vanhetjaar.nl
News letters
Events
Magazine
Trav Magazine.nl
Events Various events will be organised during the election. The sponsor will be involved in the organisation of all events.
Specials
Events
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 Travel Agent Gala
Reisbureau vanhetjaar.nl
News letters
Magazine
Trav Magazine.nl
Magazine 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
Specials
Reisbureau vanhetjaar.nl
News letters
Events
Magazine
Trav Magazine.nl
TravMagazine.nl 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 placement of interviews and reports from various events Regular column with Travel Agency of the Year theme Possibility to make your own column Social media channel of the election on Facebook Regular updates Possible postings on your product/destination
Specials
Reisbureau vanhetjaar.nl
News letters
Events
Magazine
Trav Magazine.nl
News letters There are Travel Agency of the Year news letters 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 news letters 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.
Specials
Reisbureau vanhetjaar.nl
Events
Magazine
The sponsor logos are always part of the newsletter. News letters
Trav Magazine.nl
Reisbureauvanhetjaar.nl Besides the online activities on TravMagazine.nl and several news letters by mail there is also a dedicated website called reisbureauvanhetjaar.nl. 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 widespread details about the sponsors of the election. On this website there is also a Facebook page about the election.
Specials
Reisbureau vanhetjaar.nl
News letters
Events
Magazine
Trav Magazine.nl
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; •
• • • •
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
Specials
Reisbureau vanhetjaar.nl
News letters
Events
Magazine
Trav Magazine.nl
Contact Dennis Ebbers t +31 356728852 e dennis.ebbers@travmedia.nl
T.J. van Apeldoorn t +31 356728852 e tj@travmedia.nl
Websites: www.travmedia.nl -www.reisbureauvanhetjaar.nl - www.travmagazine.nl www.travecademy.nl - www.micetravel.nl - www.businesstraveller.nl www.reismanagementclub.nl
Djordy Giesbers t +31 356728855 e djordy.giesbers@travmedia.nl