EDINBURGH, Scotland -- The Scottish Tourist Board -- although a
year behind its Irish and English counterparts in putting a
destination specialist program for U.S. agents on line -- now is
doing competitors one better with the $100,000 launch of two new
retailer Web sites.
The first site, www.scotsagent.com, will debut its initial three
course modules on Sept. 15 and focus on the free on-line education
and certification of both SCOTSagent and SCOTSmaster specialists.
SCOTSmasters are program graduates who have paid for enhanced
benefits. The remaining two modules will go on line Oct. 6.
The site was developed by Northstar Travel Media's Electronic
Products Group. Northstar is TravelWeekly.com's parent company.
Meanwhile, www.bookingscotland.com -- also to launch by early
October -- will offer practical travel information, bookable travel
product and enhanced commission specials (with even higher pay for
SCOTSmasters) from as many as 100 operator partners.
Visit Scotland hopes to certify 1,000 SCOTSmasters by the end of
2004, said Melanie Angus, trade promotions manager. Current
membership stands at 400 SCOTSagents, of whom 200 are SCOTSmasters.
For more, visit www.scotsagent.com.
To contact reporter Kenneth Kiesnoski, send e-mail to [email protected].