BTA sponsor profile
The Avis Budget Group has supported the British Travel Awards since its conception. TravelMole spoke to Avis head of leisure sales, international region, Mark Cornock about the company’s long-term involvement with the awards.
Q: What are the main benefits of supporting the BTAs? What do you hope to get out of the sponsorship?
The Avis Budget Group consists of two very strong global brands and part of the appeal of the BTAs is that they are consumer voted. More than a million votes were cast in the programme last year – and that’s just by people who actually voted, the awareness is spread across a much higher number when you take into account those that meant to vote but never got round to it! We’re pleased to support an awards scheme that offers brand awareness opportunities and reinforces consumer recognition and with it confidence in our brands and global positioning
I feel the BTA’s are a recognised accolade due to the consumer voting process and because the winners are not decided by a select-few experts judges.
Q: Are you pleased with the level of exposure received as part of your sponsorship deal?
During the voting campaign Avis received great media exposure from ads in the BTAs media partner Trinity Mirror’s national publications, both in print and online and new this year the BTA partnership with city TV operator Made Televsion means there’s been TV coverage across their network; in addition our ads are placed in BTA Connect, the newsletter that goes out to everyone who has ever voted. Our logo and corporate message are rotated on the BTA website home page from March through to December and with the high volume of visitors to the site it’s a good place to be.
Q: Tell us about the actual Awards night – what are you looking forward to?
It’s exciting to hear that Made TV will be filming the Awards this year and broadcasting a two-hour special programme on November 24, and as a sponsor one of the Avis team will be interviewed and included in that show! Really looking forward to being a part of that.
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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