Financing plans have taken the travel industry by storm this year. Why now? What’s driving this trend and are all the programs the same?

We spoke to Brad Miron, Founder and CEO, Travel Lab, who developed the launch and marketing campaign for the latest entry in the financing your trip field -- Z.I.P. -- only available from his client The Travel Agent Next Door. Travel Lab was also the brains behind the original branding of The Travel Agent Next Door.

Why are financing plans suddenly becoming popular….why not use a credit card?

Canadians have a big appetite for financing almost anything, and travel is the obvious next big market as it can be one of the largest annual household purchases. But paying their travel off slowly on a credit card at rates as high as 26 percent or through various recently- announced programs adds cost.

But there’s another reason you are seeing this trend, travel companies are trying to differentiate themselves in the market—plus giving their client options in addition to credit cards.

What’s different about the Travel Agent Next Door program?

The Travel Agent Next Door saw an opportunity and created a program --in partnership with Flexiti-- that addresses giving clients financing options with Z.I.P., a Zero Interest Program --a better way for consumers to finance their travel. Consumers pay a set financing fee that is much lower than the interest rate on financing or credit cards.

How did Travel Lab came up with the Z.I.P. logo and tag line?

First and foremost, I saw the Zero Percent Interest angle as being a complete game changer, plus the core strength of the offer’s value proposition over all other options for clients in market. Hence, Z.I.P. was born, not only as an acronym for Zero Interest Program, but it’s the amount of interest a client will ever pay post their transaction—zero! It also speaks to the quickness of clients to get approval for the offer. The tag-line is ‘A better way to finance travel’, which, when you compare the different programs, it truly is.

Is this a trade campaign and a consumer campaign?

Yes. We have designed a B2B program for agents with the value proposition of their ability to increase sales and commissions by having access to this phenomenal sales tool and program. The consumer facing program allows The Travel Agent Next Door agents and agencies exclusively to push the program through their marketing and communication channels to consumers.

*This is part of a series of articles by travel industry veteran Jill Wykes about the home based agent and host agency trend that is changing how travel is sold in Canada. The articles are sponsored by The Travel Agent Next Door.