BA asks for trade support for ad campaign
British Airways has called on its old friends, the travel trade, to support its new leisure advertising campaign launching on November 3.
The airline, which scrapped travel agents commission in 2001, is now relying on agents to back its marketing campaign in the economic downturn.
It says the campaign was launched after independent research by Mintel shows consumers won’t sacrifice their holidays despite the credit crunch.
The campaign aims to promote authentic travel and inspire people to explore new cultures and local experiences when they travel.
BA head of leisure sales Adam Daniels, said: “This research from Mintel shows that people aren’t prepared to sacrifice their holiday.
“In fact, anecdotal evidence that we are receiving from the travel trade suggests that travellers want to be more involved with every step of their holiday experience. For example, we know that they are increasingly asking their agents to ensure that they’re booked with a name they trust.
“The research also shows that although travellers may not be going as frequently as before, they are looking to get more out of their travel investment both in terms of experience and value.
“They want to get off the beaten track and discover a different side to destinations that travellers are already familiar with. Who better to help with this campaign and really encourage travellers to explore a destination than the travel trade who already have that expert knowledge?â€
The campaign will run in the press, online, outdoor and on the radio.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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