FAST-TRACK LIST FAQs
Q. What does the tourism organisation get?
A rather good open-ended advertising deal - except it is not 'advertising' it is 'editorial'. Once published, the list is always there being continuously updated and expanded. So, it is more cost effective than a normal advertisment because it is continuous, and it is more efficient than an article because it talks specifically about a much larger number of travel services/companies with contact information for all of them.
Q. How many people see it?
Travel-Lists gets very good coverage from the search engines and the site currently attracts around 500 unique visitors daily and growing. Last month (Nov 2006) we served 478,270 pages or 'impressions'. A tourist organisation can say to those it represents that it has bought a permanent targeted directory page aimed at UK travellers looking for companies who offer travel services to/in their destination.
Q. Why might a list in an online travel directory be a good thing?
The importance of the web to the travel industry is well known. Not only are travel products being sold online in such numbers that it is undermining traditional travel agencies, but also that's just the tip of the iceberg. For every one 'buyer' there are at least another five to ten 'lookers'. And reaching them is becoming a serious business with companies paying large sums to be well-placed in search engines and directories. (Eg. A Google official recently revealed that easyJet spend £18,000 per day on targeted advertising with them alone. src: Travelmole, 9 June 05).
Q. Who writes the new list?
We do, but nine times out of ten that means a mutually agreed professional travel writer. Typically a journalist or guidebook writer who has just been to the destination or written an article on the proposed topic, would be a good candidate. The important thing is that it has to be a 3rd party professional travel writer (not somebody from the press office or a pr company) because that is one of our validatory claims to visitors: Travel-Lists is compiled by professional travel journalists. Any member of the British Guild of Travel Writers or the Australian Society of Travel Writers is automatically acceptable.
Q. I'm a professional travel writer. What might I get out of it?
Half the Fast-Track fee (£250)
Q. And who would pay me, Travel-Lists or the tourism organisation?
Travel-Lists. We would be commissioning you, setting the editorial standards, and claiming future rights on the work. We would pay you as soon as we are paid.
Q. And is this a one-off job or would I be expected to update/maintain the list in the future?
No, you just create it. That's it.
Q. How long is a list? At birth?
A list on Travel-Lists can be anywhere between 10 - 150+ entries, each one with a link and description (and a phone number if based in the UK). But for the purpose of creating a 'fast-tracked' list we would expect it to be launched with more than 25 entries and less than 80, depending on the subject.
Q. Can the list be on any subject?
As long as we feel it is a comfortable fit with the ambitions of the site and it fits into the directory hierarchy without being isolated. We wouldn't be keen, for example, on a list of nightclubs in a secondary city if there wasn't already a similar list of nightclubs in the capital city and lists of operators to both cities and the country as a whole.
Q. So a tourism organisation could propose not one but a set of lists to fill in the gaps in the hierarchy?
Yes
Q. Any bulk discount?
No! (...well, talk to us!)
Q. Why can't a tourism organisation just give you its own list to work from?
It can. In fact we'd expect it, and we'd expect to include most, maybe all entries on it. But we won't guarantee inclusion for all. (Having said that, one subject in particular is likely to 100% acceptable; lists of tourist offices. Eg. lk1icetur.htm)
Q. And what about the description for each entry? Is that supplied or written by you?
Written by us.
Q. We are a local marketing association in the tourism sector. If we funded a new list, would new members joining our organisation at a later date have to pay your standard review fee to be considered for the list?
Yes. (Unless we had a separate deal on refunds)
Q. I'm interested. How do I get started?
Simple! Email or call us