Marketing campaign will focus on educating consumers about the benefits of booking with an ABTA Member

With the peak booking season approaching ABTA is launching a new marketing campaign with the aim of educating consumers about the benefits of booking with an ABTA Member and reminding them to look for the logo when they book.

The ABTA logo already enjoys 78% consumer recognition and 7 in 10 consumers regard ABTA Membership as essential or important when booking their travel arrangements. This campaign aims to build on this recognition and highlight the full range of ABTA’s work that benefits consumers: from the Code of Conduct and financial protection schemes to its complaints handling and arbitration service and its work in raising health and safety and sustainability standards at home and abroad.

To kick off the campaign, in January ABTA is launching a new leaflet “Why book with an ABTA Member” for Members to provide to consumers. To order copies. Members should email: membersinfo@abta.co.uk with the number of copies they want (please note requests for copies will be subject to availability) and their Membership number.

The campaign will include a series of initiatives including: a new video to support the consumer leaflet called “Why book with an ABTA Member” that will be promoted across a range of digital channels; a completely revamped consumer section on abta.com that will include a range of travel advice for before, during and after a holiday; plus social media promotion and media campaigns in the New Year to inform consumers about the benefits of booking with an ABTA Member.  Additionally, following the success of the 2012 “Love Travel” university road show, which reached over 100,000 students on and offline, ABTA will step up promotional activity among UK students with another road show programme in 2013.

To help Members ensure they get the most marketing value out of their Membership, ABTA has also today launched new guidance for Members on how to promote their ABTA Membership.

Victoria Bacon, Head of Communications, ABTA said: “Consumer awareness of ABTA is already high and has increased in the last year among younger people. This initiative aims to further strengthen levels of awareness as well as promoting a better understanding of the full range of benefits of booking with an ABTA Member. For instance our own research shows that consumers consider safe and secure accommodation their number one booking essential so it’s important they understand the role we play in setting health and safety standards as well as providing a course of redress if something goes wrong when they’re away. The greater the understanding of the full range of services ABTA provides, the more consumers will know to look for the logo when they book. We’d encourage all Members to ensure they display the logo clearly in time for the peak booking season when we’ll be going live with the initiative.”