The Travel Convention

ABTA’s Convention is the largest UK travel trade event to take place overseas each year. At the beginning of 2007, Dellar Davies was tasked with modernising the event to reflect the revolutionary changes taking place in the travel industry.

Extensive research resulted in the launch of a brand new-event: The Travel Convention. The launch was a multi-faceted project which involved development of a new brand, a new approach to the professional content, a new venue layout, as well as a new marketing strategy; combining weekly e-blasts with quarterly newsletters, a year-round interactive website and official media partnerships.

Branding

The new Travel Convention was given its own unique identity. Although it incorporates a globe from ABTA’s logo in the top left corner, it bares no other similarity to the ABTA brand, conveying the message that this event is industry-inclusive and open to everyone in the travel industry regardless of whether they’re ABTA members.

Convention Format

We have chosen to use ultra modern, high tech Convention Centres to stage the business elements of the new style event – deliberately moving away from traditional dark rooms and raked auditoria to lighter open spaces, where we are able to change the seating layout throughout the event to suit the numbers attending and style of the sessions. The business sessions have been redesigned to put the ‘travel’ back into travel events with more industry content than in the past and with sessions clearly linking from one issue to the next, rather than a disparate set of topics.

Marketing

In addition to weekly Convention E-Blasts, Newsletters are circulated to ABTA Members, travel industry partners and key industry suppliers on a quarterly basis. Rather than producing a stand-alone registration brochure, the quarterly newsletters allow ABTA to release information about the event throughout the year, raising the profile of the event.

Raising Revenue

Dellar Davies is actively involved in securing sponsors, exhibitors and advertisers. Not only do these companies support the event financially, they also add tremendous benefits fo delegates, increasing the networking opportunities which range from business speed-dating in the Talk Zone through to fun interaction at the sporting events, Convention supper club and late night bars.

Registration and Accommodation

Dellar Davies handles the registration and accommodation bookings for delegates attending the Convention via an interactive on-line booking system. Delegates can use the system to register, book their accommodation and secure their airport transfers, as well as booking excursions, sporting activities, master classes and speed-dating appointments. Our staff also travel onsite to deal with delegates’ queries in the lead up to and throughout the event.

Website

We designed a perpetual website with several interactive features including ‘Convention Twitter’ and ‘Convention TV’. The website has worked extremely well, with user numbers far exceeding expectations. Click here to view the website