Online and social media will play a big role in TravelManagers’ development next year, according to the company’s chair, with a new online consumer competition designed to drive more Likes and build consultants’ databases.

Speaking to e-Travel Blackboard at the TravelManagers 2012 National Conference in Fiji last week, Barry Mayo said the online world has the potential to build up brand awareness to the public as well as drive more clients to book with the group’s team.

Hoping to capture some of that potential, the group’s Chrissy Tayfield unveiled a new campaign and website called ‘Upgrade on Us’, which will give travellers the chance to win a $400 gift voucher every two weeks in 2013.

The catch, travellers will need to be subscribed to a Travel Manager’s database.

With the first winner expected to be announced on 11 January, Ms Tayfield said the competition was better than others because it does not require consumers to do anything except subscribe to an agent in the Travel Managers network.

“We wanted to create something different to keep people engages and that’s what we’ve done,” she told agents at the conference.

Ms Tayfield added that the ‘Upgrade on Us’ concept was also a marketing initiative, which would help travellers understand what the voucher can buy them.

The fortnightly competition will run under strict timing, with all customers required to be on an agent’s database Monday, when the draw will close and the winner announced on Tuesday.

The relevant customer and personal travel manager will be contacted and notified of the win.

Winning clients will not be required to spend the voucher on an upcoming trip but will have a 12 month expiry date and cannot be used in exchange for cash.

As well as the new competition, TravelManagers also announced the appointment of a social media coordinator.

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The TravelManagers 2012 National Conference was held in Fiji over the weekend, with up to 120 consultants in attendance.

Over the three day annual event, agents has the opportunities to ‘work together to make a difference’ at a local school where they assisted in much-needed renovations.

Click here to see pictures from the inspirational day at Votualevu Public School.