BranchUp, the Canadian company offering free turnkey marketing solutions for travel advisors, has announced the appointment of Doug Patterson as National Director -- Sales and Travel Advisor Engagement.

Created by Expedia Cruises founder Michael Drever, BranchUp delivers a mix of editorial content and special offers, posted daily to travel advisors’ Facebook Business pages. The posts enable agents to avoid spending countless hours sourcing relevant content to share with their page, friends and followers.

BranchUp’s marketing solutions drive leads -- and ultimately sales -- directly to the inbox of travel advisors, all at no charge.

“Adding a well-known and respected industry veteran like Doug Patterson reflects our commitment to Canadian travel advisors,” Drever said.

“With travel expected to see a strong rebound later this year, it’s going to be more important than ever for travel advisors to use social media tools to market, strengthen their reputation and drive bookings,” Drever added.

“I’m excited to join a group who believe passionately in the value that travel advisors provide,” said Patterson. “BranchUp offers a simple, no-cost tool that leverages the power of social media. For suppliers, it’s a cost-effective way to get their message out with unique offers. And after a very difficult period, travel advisors couldn’t ask for a better partner to drive revenue and relevance.”

A thirty plus year veteran of the Canadian travel industry, Patterson spent the bulk of his career with The Travel Corporation (Canada) including several years as President of Trafalgar Tours. In his new role he will report directly to Drever.

Patterson can be reached via e-mail at DPatterson@BranchUp.com.

How BranchUp Works:

-- BranchUp is the only turnkey marketing tool of its kind, developed specifically for Travel Advisors in French, English and Spanish. It is 100% free for Travel Advisors and takes just minutes to access to and start using.

-- Agents can edit posts to include their own wording or recommendations as well as the ability to control the posts, ensuring content is always on point with their business.

-- When a friend or follower clicks on a post they are taken to a dynamic, co-branded landing page featuring all of the travel advisor’s contact information.

-- The friend or follower then deals directly with the travel advisor via an automatic email that contacts the advisor to learn more about the particular offer, allowing the advisor to engage the client.

-- All bookings are made directly with the supplier by the agent.

Agents are invited to sign up for free at today at BranchUp.com.