At TMA, it’s our on-going ambition as a specialist tourism marketing agency (it’s in the name) to innovate in our field, but also to share our expertise with the wider tourism community. It’s why we put a lot of work into running the Glasgow Chapter of Travel Massive, and it’s why our founder, Chris Torres, has been giving workshops and lectures in colleges and organisations around the world. Recently, Chris gave a workshop in Barcelona, and he gave a similar workshop this week closer to home, at City of Glasgow College. Speaking to 17 and 18-year-old students studying various disciplines relating to tourism, Chris discussed the important of video to the tourism marketing sphere.
Looking at how to use video in tourism marketing
At the talk, Chris explored the importance of using video effectively in tourism marketing. He showed examples from various different sources and of people using several different kinds of hardware. Showing footage captured on iPhones and professional cameras alike, Chris explored why different kinds of videos can be successful marketing tools for the tourism industry, and that it’s not always about 4K, ultra-crisp visuals.
Chris also looked at footage captured by customers on tours and experiences; this kind of video has its own marketing purposes and can be a very powerful tool if leveraged correctly. While a room full of young, aspiring marketers no doubt appreciated the importance of video marketing on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it was a good opportunity for them to learn from someone who has been working in the industry for almost 20 years.
How to create content ideas from skills within a business
Chris also acknowledged that the quality of the video means very little if you don’t have a good concept to back it up. Drawing from some of the lessons in his book, Lookers into Bookers, Chris taught the students how they can generate a powerful list of content ideas from the skills you already have within your business. In fact, in his book, Chris explains how you can create 100 different content opportunities from one video and he covered this topic in his workshop with the City of Glasgow College students.
So, how did the lecture go?
The students seemed engaged throughout, and there were plenty of questions at the end. Chris said it was a pleasure to be able to give a talk in his home town of Glasgow, and that he was pleased to see a lot of very promising talent that will be moving into Glasgow’s tourism marketing sphere within the next few years. But perhaps the best metric for judging the success of the lecture is to look at the number of people who signed up to the Glasgow Chapter of Travel Massive! Chris suggested, in passing, that they should sign up, and over 20 students had joined within an hour! We’ll be glad for the fresh faces at the next Travel Massive event in January at the Radisson Red on Finnieston Quay. It’s completely free to sign up and attend the event, so please come along if you’re interested.
If you’d like to invite Chris to give a lecture at your organisation, or if you’d like to work with Chris and the rest of the team here at the Tourism Marketing Agency, then please feel free to get in touch. The new year could be the start of your new marketing campaign, and we can help ensure 2020 gets off to a flying start!
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Chris and his team will send you a weekly email offering high-value insight and advice about a variety of marketing and business development topics related to the tourism industry. We address specific destinations, tours and activities, and the hotel industry. We also provide important travel industry news and updates.
