AFTA says that it is throwing its support behind a social media initiative by Travel Agent and AFTA Member Linda Forster of TravLin Travel to encourage more Australians to get vaccinated more quickly.
AFTA said that Linda contacted them following a recent Member Update Webinar offering to lead the co-ordination of a call-out to travel agents and businesses getting vax ready to be travel-ready, because last year Linda created a video, which you can view below, around the impact of COVID on travel agents and probably much to her surprise her video went viral!
In the meantime, AFTA has also been including the need for vaccination rates to increase, in its media releases, interviews and government lobbying over the past several months using #GetTravelReady & #BeTravelReady.
Parallel to this AFTA says they have been having ongoing conversations with a major media partner around wider collaboration to increase the impact of the call and AFTA is also hoping to partner with all travel trade media to spread the word.
So, where does this take us and what does it mean for you!
Well, AFTA’s new campaign called #VaxReady and #BeTravelReady campaign allows you as an AFTA member to upload short videos to AFTA’s new vloggi site where your videos will be edited together to create a chorus of tailored videos for social, media and lobbying.
What do you have to do? Simple and dead easy, as you can become part of the campaign here by clicking on https://upload.vloggi.com/projects/EQQ-003
This is what you will see when you log in:-
How to participate:
To contribute, please upload a short video (20 seconds max) saying the line “We are vax ready, and we’re here to get you travel-ready” followed by your own personal statement!
Filming tips:
- Prop up your phone so the video is steady
- Ensure the video is horizontal
- Use good/natural lighting and show us your personality!
- This video is all about YOU!
Just in case you are wondering what vloggi is, vloggi is the Australian brainchild of former travel journalist and news editor, Justin Wastnage who has been very supportive of AFTA in providing access to the collaborative platform to make all this happen, but more than anything it needs you!
So back to Linda, pictured right, who said, “We need as many AFTA members as possible to get behind this #VaxReady & #BeTravelReady campaign”, adding, “All you need to do is follow the very simple instructions on AFTA’s vloggi site to add your voice and face and help us encourage as many Australians as possible to get vaccinated whilst also using the opportunity to remind them that we as travel industry professionals are keen to get them “travel-ready”.
Linda added, “I’m getting my second jab shortly and will be submitting my video contribution as a result”, saying, “It’s not only about helping keep our community and those we love safe as well as protecting ourselves, it’s also about getting Australia to that all important threshold of 80% vaccinated so that we can get back to travelling lockdown free and further afield outside our own country!”
AFTA Chair Tom Manwaring said, “As a member organisation, AFTA welcomes suggestions, ideas and feedback from all our members and Linda’s suggestion that she could co-ordinate and replicate her very impactful video from last year was a great one, especially as it fits so nicely with the work already underway here at AFTA.”
He added, “AFTA has also been working with a much smaller team for an extended period of time and we certainly appreciate Linda’s contribution”, adding, “Vloggi is a powerful platform which will allow us to create, and tailor our members’ videos to push home the need.”
You can also check out my interview last week with Tom Manwaring by clicking below.
So, what are you waiting for? Click on https://upload.vloggi.com/projects/EQQ-003 and get involved and not only support Linda and AFTA, but also yourself and all your travel industry friends and colleagues out there. What are you waiting for?
A report by John Alwyn-Jones, Special Correspondent Travel and Tourism, Global Travel Media
