Search Travel Market Report

NCL
ncl mobile
NCL TEST
NCL Right TEST
mainlogo
header
test
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training
  • Who We Are
    • Andrew Sheivachman
    • Michele McDonald
    • Daniel Levine
    • Harvey Chipkin
    • Marilee Crocker
Sponsored By NCL
Sponsored By NCL

First Travel Agency In-House Video Production Studio Opens in Toronto

by Lynn Elmhirst
First Travel Agency In-House Video Production Studio Opens in Toronto

Advisors (left to right) Vivien Rethazy, Liz King, Alla Weintraub, and Janis Goldberg join EVP Leisure Michael Johnson (center) celebrating Travel Edge’s expansion. Photo: TMR


There’s a lot more to Travel Edge’s expanded Toronto digs than office space. 

The luxury Virtuoso travel agency now occupies three floors of an office tower in the heart of downtown, one of 10 offices in the U.S., Canada, and Bermuda. The expanded Toronto space allows company services including finance, technology, and marketing to work together to support its more than 150 Canadian and 400 U.S. advisors.

The expansion included space for the construction of a full, in-house media production studio, with professional-quality video, sound, and photography capabilities; and staff, including video editors. 

It’s a first in North America, according to VP Brand Marketing Christopher Sherman, and production services are provided at no cost to the company’s travel advisors.

“Our job is to connect our advisors to their clients,” says Sherman, who produces and directs productions. “Our advisors are the best storytellers - they see the world first-hand.”

Production has already begun on videos of advisors introducing themselves, their travel, and travel advisor philosophies. Once delivered, they can post the videos on their social media accounts, websites, and send in emails to their clients.

What travel advisors have to say
The first videos are being released this week. Travel Market Report spoke with the first advisor to use the studio, Liz King, who recorded a video for her clients about “Why You Should Use A Luxury Travel Advisor,” which you can see here on YouTube. 



King is happy with her videos, and agrees, “There’s a lot of value in video, if we market it right.” 

As for advisors who may be camera-shy, she says Sherman, “makes you feel at home. It’s easy to talk to him and not worry about the camera.”

The video marketing program for Travel Edge advisors is “really powerful,” according to the company’s U.S.-based VP Advisor Services Michelle Leal. “There’s nothing like one-on-one, when you can connect with someone face-to-face, and feel you know someone and your advisor’s character.”

Video is the digital version of face-to-face, and, “it only takes a few minutes to create a really unique marketing tool.”

Videos are not cookie cutters, according to Sherman. Instead, they are “a collaboration with each Travel Edge luxury advisor. We identify the needs of their business and create a marketing content plan to support it.”

Advisors who book the studio, “can do one or 20 videos, or whatever they need!”

For Travel Edge advisors outside the Toronto area, the company is planning a traveling studio twice a year to create video libraries for advisors’ business needs. 

In addition, “We have some exciting future plans around video production and content – including following our top performers as they travel so we can tell their stories in real and authentic ways, allowing them to bring their clients along for the experiences.”

“I’ve just come back from South Africa, says Liz King. “As an agent, I’m very fortunate to have these great experiences. I’d love to sell more Africa, so I love to talk about that. Not just the properties, but share experiences about the destination.”

Supporting advisors as storytellers
“Our advisors are top luxury producers,” says Karen Scott Caplice, director of advisor relationships, at Travel Edge. “Video is the best way for advisors to tell that story about themselves.”

She points out that Travel Edge has seen double-digit advisor growth in the last three years, and professional video production is the next support innovation the company provides to help advisors stay at the top of their game. 

Leal echoes that objective, saying, “That’s what we’re trying to do for our advisors, give them a dynamic tool – something they can’t get anywhere else.”

In that sense, the video production studio and program for advisors contributes to Travel Edge’s expansion strategy.

“Our footprint across North America continues to grow,” says Travel Edge’s EVP Leisure Michael Johnson. “We have the most incredible luxury advisors from east to west – New Orleans, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Vancouver, New York, and obviously Toronto. We are agile enough to be able to flex into markets at a moment’s notice as top talent continues to join the Travel Edge family. We have some exciting cities where we will be investing our attention – there’s more information to come!” 

 

Advisors and partners at the opening come together to celebrate Travel Edge’s recent expansion. Photo: TMR

  0
  0
Cox & Kings

MOST VIEWED

Brought To You By
  1. U.S. Will Require Negative COVID-19 Tests for All International Visitors
  2. Reflecting on 2020: ‘Primed’ for Self-Reflection Heading into the New Year
  3. U.S. Congress Reaches Agreement on Stimulus, ASTA Says More Support 'Will Absolutely' Be Needed
  4. U.S. Will Require Negative COVID-19 Tests for All International Visitors
  5. ASTA: CDC Testing Requirement ‘Threatens to Create a Logistical Crisis’
  6. U.S. Will Require Negative COVID-19 Tests for All International Visitors

MOST EMAILED

Brought To You By
  1. U.S. Will Require Negative COVID-19 Tests for All International Visitors
  2. Caribbean Destinations, Hotels Work to Meet to New CDC Requirements
  3. U.S. Will Require Negative COVID-19 Tests for All International Visitors
  4. Study: Frequent Travelers Are Happier than People Who Don’t Travel At All
  5. Kauai Reopens to Tourists with New Travel Rules in Place
  6. Study: Frequent Travelers Are Happier than People Who Don’t Travel At All
Tip of the Day

I think being in contact with [my clients] gave them more confidence in me and the suggestions I offer.

Linda Kinsey, Custom Travel & Cruise

 Share...
Daily Top List

5 Things Every Travel Agency Should Do To Boost Business

1. Specialize
2. Give a personal touch
3. Find your niche and sell an experience
4. Maintain a high standard of quality
5. Become a salesman…but inspire trust

Source: Azavista.com

 Share...
Previous Daily Top List
cox
TMR Recommendations
Daniel Zim
Zim Travel Law, PLLC. Demystifying Complexity with Down to Earth Advice. Attorney Advertising.
hbar
Rodney Gould
Rodney E. Gould concentrates in travel and tour-operator litigation and regularly counsels travel-related entities worldwide.
hbar
Tom Carpenter
Carpenter Law Office - Representing clients in the travel and tourism industries. Attorney Advertising.
hbar
Top Stories
Op-ed: Surviving the Potential Challenges of The Upcoming Pent-Up Travel Demand Tsunami
Op-ed: Surviving the Potential Challenges of The Upcoming Pent-Up Travel Demand Tsunami

The travel restart can't happen soon enough. All good! Or is it?

Read...
ASTA Calls New COVID-19 Relief Proposal ‘Just the Beginning of the Process’
ASTA Calls New COVID-19 Relief Proposal ‘Just the Beginning of the Process’

The proposal still needs to pass through Congress. 

Read...
ASTA: CDC Testing Requirement ‘Threatens to Create a Logistical Crisis’
ASTA: CDC Testing Requirement ‘Threatens to Create a Logistical Crisis’

'The new testing regulation will not halt the virus’ spread due to lag time between test and flight, incubation period, and false positives.'

Read...
World Travel and Tourism Council Calls to Replace Travel Quarantines with Testing
World Travel and Tourism Council Calls to Replace Travel Quarantines with Testing

'To insist further all arriving travelers must isolate for ten days or undergo a further test five days later is an unnecessary precaution.'

Read...
Video: What Was It Like to Be the Travel Expert for the CBS Morning News?
Video: What Was It Like to Be the Travel Expert for the CBS Morning News?

During last week's MasterAdvisor session, Kathy Sudeikis spoke about what her first experience with TV was like. 

Read...
Boeing Settles 737 MAX Criminal Probe with U.S. Justice Department
Boeing Settles 737 MAX Criminal Probe with U.S. Justice Department

Boeing has agreed to pay more than $2.5 billion to settle its criminal probe with the U.S. Justice Department. 

Read...
News Briefs
  • Consumers Deterred by COVID-19 Are Banking on Traveling in Early 2021
  • ASTA Asks Advisors to Fill Out Survey on COVID Impact
  • Travel Edge Completes Two-Day Virtual Event
  • World Travel and Tourism Council to Host COVID-19 Summit
  • Travelport Launches COVID-19 Response Microsite
  • World Travel & Tourism Council Postpones Global Summit
TMR Outlooks
5987
11085
5929
View All
Advertiser's Voice
https://img.youtube.com/vi/9LEYlsgImf4/0.jpg
Video: What Was It Like to Be the Travel Expert for the CBS Morning News?
About Travel Market Report Mission Editorial Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
243 South Street, OysterBay, NY, 11771
News|Leisure Travel|Land Vacations|Cruise|Canada Retail Strategies|People|Luxury|Training
© 2005 - 2021 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy