Workstar

4 December 2006

4000 travel agents on a mission to catch a thief!
Trafalgar Tours uses innovative technology to carry out "The Great Travel Heist" across Italy.

Global travel organisation, Trafalgar Tours is leading the travel industry by using innovative technology to educate its worldwide travel agency network about Italy.

Developed by Asia Pacific's leading online learning, recruitment and communications company, TodayCorp, the highly interactive, educational program uses serious games technology which leverages the motivational aspects of entertaining game design to educate users.

Based on the classic concept of "To Catch a Thief", The Great Travel Heist solution enlists travel agents in a mission to track down a notorious art thief utilising a range of high tech devices and maps to pinpoint the art thief's location. The travel agents receive a range of text based emails and pictorial clues as the thief leads them on a chase throughout Italy. During the pursuit to capture the art thief, the travel agent is asked to direct police to his position whilst answering a range of questions about Trafalgar Tours offerings in Italy.

TodayCorp's Client Manager Garry Hargreaves said that TodayCorp's challenge was to design a solution to educate Trafalgar's travel agency network about popular Italian tour activities and locations. With 4000 agents having already completed previous eLearning modules, continuing to engage these agents, as well as attracting new participants to the online education program was vital for Trafalgar.

"We determined that serious games technology was the most effective way to educate users while engaging them in the business. The program allows users to better connect with the products and overall business, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to better serve their clients." said Mr Hargreaves.

Mr Hargreaves believes that the use of serious games technology is changing the way products are marketed to client-facing employees.

"Playing is a natural part of life and the commercial applications of this technology in a marketing, training and sales environment are extremely powerful."

"The interactive nature of the technology helps the user to absorb product information and learn more about the suppliers' organisation. This, of course, has an impact on how they interact with the customer because they have a deeper understanding of the products and the organisation," he explained.

Rae Townsend, eLearning Manager, Trafalgar Tours said that "The Great Travel Heist" is part of an overall interactive strategy which innovatively engages travel agents, providing them with both general travel-based knowledge that will improve their job performance, as well as building their capability to promote Trafalgar's products to their clients.

"We are continually looking for innovative ways to communicate with travel agents and educating them about our ever-evolving product range. As travel is such a diverse industry, with consultants ranging from home-based single operators through to large multinational agencies, it was important to produce a product that would successfully engage our diverse agency network.

"The solution was recently showcased at a worldwide Trafalgar Tours conference where we received an enthusiastic response and positive feedback from attendees. Early indications from agency networks are also very encouraging with increased sales activities expected for our Italy product range."

"The Great Travel Heist helps to build a bridge of familiarity between the travel agent and Trafalgar's travel portfolio and increases agents' skills through a brief and enjoyable encounter that achieves educational outcomes for Trafalgar," she said.

About TodayCorp

TodayCorp is Asia Pacific's leading integrated online learning, recruitment and communications company, providing web based interactive learning solutions for clients including McDonalds Australia, Pfizer, Nuance and Rebel Sport.

TodayCorp also provides learning consulting and learning systems integration to clients including Vodafone, Singapore Airlines, Rio Tinto and the Australian Defence Force, and is a registered training organisation (RTO) delivering accredited training and short courses in retail, business, hospitality, manufacturing and distribution.

TodayCorp has won multiple industry awards including Best e-Learning Strategy Award from Human Resources Magazine. This award recognised Rebel's 10-16% increase in sales and an 80% reduction in training costs. For more information, please visit www.todaycorp.com

For further information or interviews please contact: Kate Gratwicke or Caroline Speight, Growing Daily Communications. Tel: (02) 9949 9566.