Market activities of the Swiss Travel System Excellence Program
This page gives you an overview of how many activities are planned and how many have already been carried out. Further down you will also find an insight into the marketing activities that have been realized in connection with the Swiss Travel System Excellence Program.
Planned activities
Realized activities
Take a look at selected activities from the following markets
Canada
OpenJaw: Learn-o-matic
April 2021
Digital campaign with Canada’s leading travel industry media platform. Landing page with a personal recorded 7 minute video message about STS and the new E-learning. 3 e-mail blasts and online banner campaign in the weeks following the launch of the STS Excellence program. Incentivized the registration with a quiz prize for the participant with the highest score per April 30.
Conclusion from our Market Manager: Martin
The Learn-o-matic platform allows to publish a personalized video which remains on the platform beyond the campaign as a reference source. The communication period sadly happened to coincide with rather dire circumstrances. Canada was the middle of major Covid surge, lockdown-orders and widespread travel shaming. At least this resulted in some extended banner presence, for the lack of other travel industry news. Nevertheless it was a productive period to promote training. Canadian agents clearly outperformed US registrations for the STS E-learning (relative to market size).
Highlights:
India
GSA Whatsapp Campagin – Ottila & TBO
March 2021
GSA disseminated the STS Excellence Program link through Whatsapp to their agent networks across India in March 2021. TBO also shared an e-newsletter on the STS Excellence Program to their travel trade database from across India.
Conclusion from our Market Manager: Lyandra
We reached a large number of agents across India through the two RailEurope GSAs – Ottila & TBO. We were able to leverage the large agent network of these wholesalers to disseminate the message of the STS Excellence Program. This activity worked out well for us, and we should continue to use this.
Highlights:
Virtual STE 2021 India
March 2021
During the 2 days of the virtual STE India, the launch of the STS Excellence Program was shared with over 600 agents attending from across India. An advert on the STS Excellence Program was also included in the Supplier Booklet which was shared with all the trade attending the program. The activity was together with Switzerland Tourism India.
Conclusion from our Market Manager: Lyandra
The STE India activity worked well, because we were able to reach a large number of agents during the 2 days of the program. Additionally, the ‘Win a Bucherer’ campaign was in its final 2 days, and with this strong call-to-action, we had a good number of sign-ups as well. This activity was a good choice, and we will continue to go on with this.
Campaign TTG Asia
March and April 2021
Digital campaign on TTG, Asia-Pacific’s Leading Travel Trade Business Resource from March-April 2021. Including advertorial on ttgasia.com and ttgmice.com, dedicated EDM to over 8,000 agents in SEA and Facebook post.
Conclusion from our Market Manager: Melanie
Broad digital and social exposure on one of APAC’s leading travel trade platforms. We managed to reach both leisure and MICE agents through dedicated advertorials. The EDM targeting a large number of agents in all four active markets of SEA (TH, SG, MY, IN) worked very well. Next time, an additional exposure with an online competition might be a nice augmentation to attract more sign ups.
Highlights:
EDM / Newsletter ST
March 2021
Full Launch E-Learning Programme through EDM/ST Newsletter to all Trade partners in SEA on 16 March 2021.
Conclusion from our Market Manager: Melanie
We sent out a dedicated EDM to over 6,000 agents who are in ST’s trade database. With an opening rate of 24% and a Click Through Rate of 5% this activity was very effective. We will send out further newsletter pushes to the agents directly in the upcoming months.
Highlights:
Virtual STE
February 2021
Soft Launch of the Excellence Programme during the Virtual STE from 2-5 February 2021. Introduction of the programme contents and benefits with slides and promo video during a 20mins breakout session about STS. Strong encouragement to register given to 90 top agents from SEA who attended.
Conclusion from our Market Manager: Melanie
During the Virtual STE we managed to reach 90 top agents across SEA. Over four days, we held an STS breakout session and introduced the excellence programme. This worked really well, especially because we paired it with a contest to win attractive prizes. Additionally, during the individual sales calls we further encouraged each agent to sign up on the spot. This activity was ideal as a soft launch and generated 74 registrations in the first first week after launch.
Highlights:
USA
Insider Travel Report
March and April 2021
(Paid) Advertising campaign with 5 dedicated e-mailings, 3 of which sent right after launch in March and 2 more followed along with border opening news in June. Top listed news item on launch day on ITR daily newsletter and online banner campaign in the weeks following the launch of the STS Excellence program. Free editorial video interview from the editor with STS Market Manager, published on day 2 after the launch.
Conclusion from our Market Manager: Martin
Successful activity terms of circulation, qualified reach and customize advertising, relative to advertising cost. ITR publications deliver daily curated content to a 75K database and reach individual travel advisors based on their in-depth profile interest of selling destinations and travel specializing. ITR usually distributes Switzerland content very favorably beyond the paid advertising. Here again we received free editorial content with a top-listed news item plus a 20min. video interview.
Highlights:
Travel Agent University
April 2021
Affiliate listing page on the TAU explains the program, coursework and rewards. The STS Excellence Program remains highlighted for one year among the most relevant training platforms of destinations and suppliers for the North American travel advisors. 2 dedicated e-mailings to selected database of 145K agents.
Conclusion from our Market Manager: Martin
The TAU caters more to a ‘mass’ travel agent market. It just filters for travel agents ‘selling Europe’ in general. High cost compared to other platforms and relative to the reach. But TAU is the authority for all educational programs and Questex is a dominating player among US travel trade media. What’s unfortunate though, is that our paid advertising literally never results in some free editorial content on their platforms. The promotion also resulted in very few directly measurable registrations for the STS e-learning. But the content remains listed as a reference among e-learnings for one year.
Highlights:
