cta meaning travel

30 Dec Do You Need to be a Certified Travel Agent?

Do you need to be a certified travel agent.

This is probably one of the most confusing subjects to research on the internet.

The short answer is no.

I talk to dozens of people each month who are interested in learning about how to become a travel agent. I am sometimes asked whether we provide certification at the end of our travel agent training program, Travel Leaders of Tomorrow . The fact of the matter is we don’t, but this question led me to examine what is currently available in the U.S. travel agency industry.

Search the key words, “certified travel agent” and you get a link to The Travel Institute, which is one of the few organizations that provides recognized travel agent certifications. The very minimum professional certification a travel agent can attain is the Certified Travel Associate (CTA).  This can be earned after 18 months of travel industry experience. You cannot become “certified” with them until you have been on the job for at least a year and a half, studied for and passed a rigorous exam. This makes sense that to earn a certification you have to have both first-hand experience and proven knowledge in order to earn this professional designation.

For travel agents specializing in cruises, the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) offers another industry-recognized certification program. The minimum professional certification is the Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC). In addition to an intense training program, the travel counselor must have personally taken two cruises, inspected a minimum of five ships and sold at least 25 staterooms. With those types of requirements,  most consumers would be confident booking a cruise with a travel agent who had earned that certification.

Depending on where you live and if you are an employee, an independent travel agent or affiliated with a host agency, there will be different requirements to sell travel. But before you start selling travel, you need knowledge. Attending a travel agent training program is a great foundation and step to becoming a travel agent, but don’t look for a training program or travel school that will certify you. Instead, look for one that will educate you.

clock This article was published more than  6 years ago

How to tell if you have a qualified travel agent

Yarisa Smith knows she has a good travel agent.

“He’s made cruises and European trips special,” says Smith, a manufacturer’s representative from Dallas. “His itineraries and attention to detail have made every trip flawless. He’s even managed to successfully intervene when acts of God have waylaid my plans.”

Yet you might not know by looking at Clark Mitchell, who works for Dallas-based Strong Travel, whether he’s the real deal. Yes, his agency is cited as a source for its travel expertise by mainstream news outlets. It also prominently lists its membership in Virtuoso, an exclusive travel agency consortium.

But until now, there’s been no instantly recognized certification that says an agent is legit. That may be about to change.

At its annual convention in San Diego this summer, the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), a trade organization, introduced a new certification called the Verified Travel Advisor (VTA) program. Agents must successfully complete courses in ethics, law, marketing, sales and negotiation, among others, to display the ASTA VTA check mark logo on their sites or business cards.

“The Verified Travel Advisor program is our standard for educational excellence,” says Zane Kerby, ASTA’s president. “Earning the VTA certification is another way to increase trust — to show the consumer that you’ve demonstrated your ability and willingness to put your customer first.”

In a world of confusing — and often meaningless — agent certifications, will VTA stand apart? It’s too soon to know, because the program is brand new. The key will be enforcement, industry observers say. Most of the current certifications are pay-for-play. In other words, an agency can purchase all the badges and memberships it needs. To become the travel equivalent of a “Good Housekeeping” seal of approval, ASTA will need to hold agents accountable to a high standard, which would mean removing the check mark from a bad agent, if necessary.

In the meantime, there are plenty of other signs that your agent is on the up-and-up.

A Travel Institute certification: This is the rough equivalent of having a degree in travel. The institute's most common designation, CTA, or Certified Travel Associate, requires at least 12 months of experience and builds sales and planning skills, such as creating travel itineraries, handling customer service requests, building destination knowledge and understanding business ethics. Another Travel Institute designation, Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) focuses on management skills such as conflict management, negotiation and behavior training. Keeping your certification means completing annual continuing education classes, but there's no formal, consumer-facing process for identifying and expelling agents who fail to meet institute standards. In other words, a CTA or CTC designation means agents are trained, but not necessarily competent.

An IATA number: The International Air Transport Association, a trade group, accredits travel agents by issuing them a numerical code. The code gives agents access to the group's billing settlement services and also acts as a kind of seal of approval for consumers. But all you have to do to get an IATA number is qualify and pay. The organization doesn't attempt to verify any of your agency skills. Instead, an IATA number is just a sign that you're a serious agent.

A consortium or franchise membership: Belonging to a major travel industry consortium, an organization of agencies that have joined to increase their buying power, can also be a sign that your agent means business. For example, Virtuoso bills itself as an "invitation only" consortium with "established criteria for sales minimums." Also, being part of a franchise such as Travel Leaders can be an indication that your agent is for real. These large travel companies have a valuable brand to protect, so they have a vested interest in making sure their employees and members provide quality service.

Is there a way to know for sure? No, at least not yet. Consider an agent’s membership in ASTA. The logo may mean the agent is serious enough to spend $330 a year on membership and that he or she has agreed to abide by the organization’s code of ethics. But there’s a vast gray area between extraordinary customer service and unethical practices. The ASTA logo doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve found a highly skilled agent, which is one reason the organization has developed the new program.

The real seal of approval is yours.

“The best credential you can have is a referral from a friend,” says Elaine Carey, a travel agent affiliated with Travel Experts, which is based in Whispering Pines, N.C. Indeed, a little due diligence can take you a long way. And once you’ve found someone you like, your word-of-mouth referral is worth more than any certification, seal or endorsement.

That’s what Ann Wolfer discovered when she decided to use a travel agent at a large international travel company for her vacation to Cozumel, Mexico.

The agent looked good on paper and had all the right credentials, but when it came time to book, the adviser simply ran a Web search for available hotels in Mexico.

Talking to the agent “changed nothing,” says Wolfer, who works for the military in Aberdeen, Md. Looking back, she wishes that she had found an expert on Mexico, perhaps someone recommended by one of her friends.

In the long run, no check mark is likely to replace word-of-mouth.

Read more from Travel :

Read past Navigator columns here

The Travel Copywriter

Tourism, Hospitality and Hotel Copywriting

Jun 27 2017

Travel Calls-to-Action (CTAs): 9 Best Practices and 6 Examples

Do your website and blog inspire travelers to trust , remember and interact with your brand?

If your answer is “I don’t know” (or worse, “no”), then Houston, we have a problem.

The good news: There’s an easy solution to that problem. And that solution is to deploy powerful, engaging travel calls-to-action throughout your website .

This post will walk you through the what, why, and how of the travel call-to-action, or travel CTA. Because, while they may sound like marketing-speak, in practice, calls-to-action are very straightforward: they simply guide travelers to whatever action they should take next . Think of a CTA as your final instruction to website visitors – an instruction you present in the form of a button or a link, such as Sign Up, Download Now, Leave a Comment, Contact Us, or Read More.

What is a Travel Call-to-Action?

Now that we have the basic definition down, let’s get a little more specific; let’s talk about tourism. In hospitality, a travel call-to-action provides direction to, well, travelers. (Shocking, right?)

But really, that’s as complicated as it gets. The sole purpose of a travel CTA is to help travelers do what they already want to mecidiyeköy escort do.

They’re already interested in your destination, your inn, your itinerary, your vacation rental, your fill-in-the-blank.  So, if they’re looking for more information about your bed & breakfast, then your CTA should direct them to more information about your bed & breakfast. If they’re hunting down great travel advice for your area, then your travel call-to-action should link to your downloadable travel guide. Etc. etc.

From there, it’s up to your messaging and travel bookings funnel  (aka “the buyer journey”) to do the rest: How does interest in your destination, become interest in your inn, become a confirmed booking? Your calls-to-action are an important part of the equation.

So, back to the topic at hand. Common travel industry CTAs include Book Now, Check Availability, Reserve, Inquire, and similar terminology. (More on that later.) For now, my point is simple: Strong, well-planned travel calls-to-action are your direct path to converting website visitors into booked travelers .

Want to get started?

Book a Free Consult

☝ Oh hey… what’s that? ☝

Why Do Travel Calls-to-Action Matter?

Pulling numbers out of the air here – your analytics will reveal your true stats – but I’d hazard a guess that 95% (or more) of visitors to your blog and/or website aren’t yet ready to book .

They came for the info you offer. They searched Google for the best restaurants in Orlando, or the most romantic wedding spots in the Turks and Caicos, or the best hiking trails in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The truth: They’re not here for you.

And that means, once they’ve absorbed the information you offer, they’re gone. They’ve clicked over to a new browser tab, or hit the back button, or returned to Google.

And they’ll probably never think of you again.

Whoosh! <– That the sound of a booking, disappearing into the Land of Lost Opportunity.

That is, unless you have effective calls-to-action in place. If you don’t, well, you’ve already missed your chance. You’ve failed to direct interest to other parts of your site, or to get a new Facebook Like, or to earn your way into a traveler’s email inbox.

Worse, you’ve lost your opportunity to convert this I-might-someday-be-interested-but-right-now-I’m-still-in-the-planning-phase traveler into an eventual okay-I’ve-made-my-decision-and-I’m-ready-to-book traveler.

All because you failed to implement strong, well thought-out travel calls-to-action. It could have been simple, if you had just asked:

Sign up for our newsletter for more Orlando travel tips.

Download our free guide to weddings in the Turks and Caicos.

Follow us on Facebook for more outdoor inspiration from the gaziantep escort bayan Blue Ridge Mountains.

Whatever feels right. Whatever your site visitors are most likely looking for, after they’ve finished reading your page or blog post.

Go on, get inside their heads. Know your personas.

You’ll quickly realize travelers aren’t after your Big Ask (aka the hard sell –the ultimate conversion-to-booking). They aren’t ready to book with you. And that means, your CTA should not be the “Book” button : At best, it’s simply not an effective travel call-to action; at worst, it feels snake-oily – a total turnoff.

So, instead of ending your blog post about Blue Ridge Mountains hiking trails with, “Start your all your hikes at my Blue Ridge View Vacation Rental – book today!”, try something along the lines of, “Planning a Blue Ridge getaway? Sign up for our free newsletter for more great tips, deals, and insider information on the Blue Ridge Mountains.”

And don’t stop with just the one CTA. In addition to your primary call-to-action, secondary travel CTAs should be peppered throughout your site : in your top menu, your sidebar, and your site footer.

This is about engagement and trust-building , not the ultimate conversion. That will happen naturally, once you’ve engaged those travelers and built that trust.

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(☝ Subtle, Erin, subtle. ☝)

Best Practices for Travel Calls-to-Action (Travel CTAs)

I know this looks like a long list – nine (NINE?!) best practices for something as small as a single button?

Yep, nine. And I’ll tell you why: Your travel call-to-action is the most important element on any given webpage. Yes, stellar copy and amazing photos do all the heavy lifting, but your CTA is what seals the deal. Without strong calls-to-action, it’s difficult (if not impossible) to convert interest into bookings. 

Now that you’re convinced, take a deep breath. This isn’t hard. We may be talking nine best practices, but they’re all simple and easy to implement. So let’s dive in:

• Use Action Language
• Think Benefits
• Reduce Risk
• Be Helpful (+ Persuasive)
• Keep Them Short & Sweet
• Make Them Clickable
• Location, Location, Location
• Test Regularly

1. Use Action Language (aka Tell Them What to Do Next)

Action language can mark the difference between a visitor clicking a CTA, and navigating away from your site. So,  begin your travel call-to-action  with action-oriented language: “ Book Your Trip”, “ Discover  Costa Rica”, “ Start Planning Your Vacation.”

2. Keep Them Short & Sweet

CTAs are most effective when they’re brief. Make your full offer as concise as possible. For your CTA buttons, shoot for no more than five words . Three and under is better.

3. Reduce Risk

No-obligation or low-obligation calls-to-action reduce risk . In other words, even if a traveler isn’t yet ready to “Book,” he is on your site so he’s probably interested in reading more about your area (CTA button: “Read More about Destination “) or poke around your hotel rooms (CTA button: “See the Suites”). These are both no-obligation calls-to-action.

👇 Oh, and here’s another no-risk CTA! 👇

Request a Free Consult

Once you’ve built a bit of rapport, this same traveler could be willing to exchange his email address for a free travel guide, or for your awesome newsletter, or for a free itinerary. These are low-obligation calls-to-action requiring only an email address (with option to unsubscribe anytime, of course), in exchange for your goods.

Bottom Line: Create low barrier-to-entry CTAs and offer high-quality offers in exchange , and you’ll build trust and ultimately give travelers the confidence they need to book with you.

4. Think Benefits

Copywriters and marketers are constantly harping on you to know the difference between features and benefits .

We have good reason, folks.

Travelers do not care about your features. No, they really don’t. They care about how your features benefit them . So, instead of highlighting the features of your offer (“free guide”), leverage your travel call-to-action – and by this, I mean the entire offer, and not just the button text – to highlight the full benefit of what you’re offering (“everything you need to plan your trip”).

One-word CTAs often fall into the feature pitfall: Book, Submit, Request, etc. Sure, those are all action verbs. And sure, they’re all short. But they don’t build any benefit into your offer. Instead, try  Download Your Free Guide ,  Reserve Your Getaway , or  Plan a Trip .

5. Be Helpful (Yet Also Persuasive)

Your website (blog, email newsletter, etc.) should appeal to every step in the booking journey .

By this, I mean that your website (for example) should have information for: 1) Travelers just starting to research a destination and its offerings; 2) Mid-stage planners who have decided on a destination, but haven’t yet settled on accommodations or activities; 3) Travelers who are ready to book; and 4) Guests who have already booked with you.

Once you’ve shown them where to go next, be persuasive! Make them an offer they can’t refuse. (Free is pretty hard to refuse, by the way, which is why the “free travel guide” is such a strong offer. Just be sure your free guide is AWESOME. It should be packed chock full of great information, use lots of sharp photography, and be designed well. Travelers should feel like they’ve received something of real value.) The offer of a discount, or of special offers, or of other value-adds can also be a strong pull.

Use a travel call-to-action to provide direction. Help. Engage. Lead travelers on a journey through your booking funnel. And use the right persuasive language along the way. (Ex. Don’t invite a first-stage planner to “Book Now!” if they haven’t even decided on a destination. Instead, invite them to “Download a Free Destination Guide.”)

Effective calls-to-action are visually striking. This means:

• They Use Contrast:  Your CTA button or link text should contrast with the rest of your page. The most common way to do this is with a contrasting color that still fits within your site’s overall color palette.
• They’re Big Enough:  A travel call-to-action should be large enough to stand out, but not so large that it looks like a circa 2001 banner advertisement. Your CTA should call attention but never distract.
• They’re Clear:  Now’s not the time to be wishy-washy. Back up your high-contrast, big-enough CTA with clear wording.

7. Make Them Clickable

No explanation necessary: Your CTA should be clickable, and it should click-through (link) to a highly relevant, laser-focused offer . (Ex. “Download Your Free Guide” should link to a free guide.)

8. Location, Location, Location

We all know how important location is to the travel industry. Your website (blog, newsletter, etc.) real estate is no different: Location is key.

Travel calls-to-action can live anywhere on your site – in the middle of your homepage, at the bottom of a blog post, in your sidebar, as a scroll-triggered pop-up or slide-in, etc. – but do  choose CTA location wisely . Place them organically and logically. Always ask yourself two questions:

• When would a traveler be interested in this offer? In other words, don’t serve your offer too soon. A vacation rental website guest probably isn’t ready to “Book Now” from your homepage, but she might be ready to “Explore the Villa.” (Note: A “Book Now” or similar hotel call-to-action button should be available on every page of a hotel, B&B, inn, vacation rental, etc. website. [ex. In the header.] It just might not be your  primary CTA for any given page.)
• What path would lead a traveler to this offer?  For lower-level pages – for example, a blog post about area hiking trails – think about how travelers arrive at your page. (Psst, check your analytics!) Then, serve up a fitting travel call-to-action. (Ex. On that hiking page, offer “Interested in more hiking trails, outdoor activities, and  Area advice? Download our FREE  Area travel guide!” [CTA Button: Start Planning].)

9. Test Regularly

CTAs are not a fix-it-and-forget-it kind of deal, unfortunately. Test them!

For example, if you’re wondering whether “Download the FREE Guide” or “Get Planning!” is the better travel call-to-action, then set up a simple A/B test. Send the exact same content to your entire email list – but with one difference: Half your list gets a “Download the FREE Guide” button, while the other half gets your “Get Planning!” button. See which gets the most clicks.

6 Examples of Effective CTAs for the Travel Industry

There are lots of great travel call-to-action examples out there. Here are a few.

Note: I’ve circled primary CTAs in green; secondary CTAs are in blue.

1. Costa Rican Vacations

(Full disclosure: A client of mine.)

I love Costa Rican Vacations’ approach to their homepage: They don’t go straight for the jugular. They don’t hit you with buttons to BOOK BOOK BOOK!

Instead, their primary CTA doesn’t ask you to buy anything. It doesn’t even try to snag your contact information. CRV knows that they have to build value before travelers will trust them. They also know that  most visitors to their homepage don’t have enough information to make a buying decision . Yet. And so, their primary homepage call-to-action gets you dreaming: What kind of traveler are you? They reel you in first, and then they go for the ask. And it works.

Bottom Line: Your CTAs should always align your goals with a traveler’s goals. And sometimes, that’s just to dig deeper into the information you offer.

2. Hotel Boutique at Grand Central

Let’s get this out of the way first: For most hotels, a Book (or similar) button is going to exist on every page. And that’s because hotels are in a slightly different category than many other travel businesses: Their presence is scattered across the web and guidebooks, so it’s conceivable that website visitors come to their site simply to book.

That said, “Book” should not be the only call-to-action on a hotel website. In fact, I’d argue it shouldn’t be the primary CTA on many sections of the site. And that’s why I like the Hotel Boutique at Grand Central: Their above-the-fold homepage real estate (and CTA) highlights their best deals , accompanied by illustrative photos.

Bottom Line: You may have planned to stay 5 or 6 nights, but this CTA makes you consider staying 7+. And that’s an effective call-to-action.

3. Luxury Villas Orlando

Luxury Villas Orlando is another site that does homepage CTAs right: They don’t ask you to book right away , because they know you’re not ready. You need more information first.

Instead, LVO invites you explore their vacation rentals. They match photography with copy, and then top it off with a logical, unintimidating travel call-to-action. Notice I said unintimidating: Again, there’s no barrier to entry here. They’re not asking for your email address. They’re not asking you to do anything but look a little deeper. And so, you’re likely to do just that. They’ll make the ask (“Check Availability”) later, after you’ve already fallen in love with their villas.

Bottom Line:  Your CTAs are somewhat location dependent. By this, I mean that someone who’s five levels-deep in your site, and has just finished reading your blog post on the 10 Best Hiking Trails in  Your Area , may be willing to exchange her email address for a travel guide, but someone who has come across your homepage and knows nothing about you isn’t ready yet.

4. Sun Cliff Casita

Hello, simplicity, oh how I love you. Above-the-fold, homepage real estate for Sun Cliff Casita has but one call-to-action: Discover.

“Discover” is a great word for a travel call-to-action , because it makes us all feel a little bit like explorers. And who doesn’t want to discover  something on our travels, be it a new food or a new place to do absolutely nothing? That’s why this works so well: Sun Cliff Casita has stunning photography that really does make you want to discover. If the view’s that good, what else does this vacation home have in store for me?

Bottom Line:  Simple can be more than good; it can be great. Don’t be afraid to test out clean, uncluttered homepage calls-to-action, to see if they work for you. Remember, your CTAs will get more targeted as a visitor digs deeper into your site.

5. The Outer Banks

The Outer Banks Official Tourism Authority website starts off with some great CTAs: buttons to Dream, Plan, or Discover. But we’re going to focus on what happens when you click one of those initial calls-to-action.

When you choose Dream, for example, you’re taken to a page that encourages you to dream about your upcoming trip. Scroll down, and the OBX will fuel that dream with videos, articles, and other information. And then, when you’ve scrolled all the way down and are now emotionally invested in your Outer Banks travel planning, only then do they hit you with the Big Ask : What’s your contact information?

Bottom Line:  If the OBX had asked for your address as soon as you had hit the homepage, you probably would have said no. Instead, they placed their offer at the bottom of a secondary page, effectively waiting until you have shown sufficient interest (via clicking + scrolling) and are more likely to take the requested action.

( Note:  “Next” as call-to-action is not the strongest choice. Better options: “Get My Guide” or “Start Planning”)

6. Visit Idaho

Like the Outer Banks, Visit Idaho has an inviting homepage CTA that doesn’t ask for anything more than a click: Plan Your Adventure.

Click through, and the excellent messaging – and Visit Idaho has truly  excellent messaging  – continues, with great photographs, lots of good planning info, and copy that really tugs at the heartstrings . Even better, every page of their site ends with a primary call-to-action: Order their free travel guide. (Or swap your email address for adventures in your inbox.)

Bottom Line:  I keep saying it because it’s true: Don’t place high barrier-to-entry calls-to-action (e.g. give us your money!) too early in your site journey; instead, wait until you’ve earned some trust and emotional investment.

( Note:  “Order” is a psychological stop-word, since it implies purchase. If you offer a free guide, choose action words like “Download Your Guide,” “Get It FREE,” or “Grab Your Guide.”)

5 Ways to Use This Information Right Now

• Do a website audit : Head over to your website (your email newsletter, your drip campaign, your everything) and identify your various calls-to-action. Compare them to the above list of best practices. If your travel CTAs don’t meet all nine points, tweak them.
• Ask around : Talk with your peers. Form a mini-mastermind group, and talk about your various calls-to-action (and their associated offers). What works best?
• Test your calls-to-action : One of the best and easiest ways to test new CTAs is to run an A/B test. This can be as simple as changing the action verb on a button, and tracking whether it yields better results.
• Ask questions (or comment) below : Comment below (or email me) with your questions. Share your findings. Let’s start a conversation about better, more powerful travel calls-to-action.
• Take the next step : Ready to take your copy and CTAs to the next level? Request a free consult and let’s chat.

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June 27, 2017 at 8:41 am

Hi Erin! Just discovered your site. Copywriting is not extended in Spain as much as in the USA, so everything sounds new for me. I’m building a tourism & gastronomy copy site and these advices are simply wonderful. Thanks!

June 27, 2017 at 8:46 am

Hi Joan, and welcome! I’m so glad to hear you’re finding some good info here. Happy writing and please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. (Also, travel and gastronomy throughout Spain – yum! Nom nom, tapas. 🙂 )

June 27, 2017 at 9:09 am

Haha! I hope this to be just the beginning.

I will, be sure.

Tapas, tapas… Pitty I cannot create copy in English for spanish restaurants, job would be half-done before writing everything.

Looking forward your next post!

June 27, 2017 at 9:12 am

Haha, right? Spain and Spanish cuisine almost sell themselves! 9 a.m. and I’m hungry for tortilla…

July 4, 2017 at 7:35 am

Excellent article Erin! I’m tweeting it out to my followers as there is such great advice here for vacation rental owners.

July 4, 2017 at 8:49 am

Thanks so much, Heather! Much appreciated.

April 9, 2018 at 10:16 am

Excellent article, picked a few things for my travel website.

June 7, 2018 at 5:53 am

Wow Erin….I love this article..

I just started interning as a social media and digital manager for a travelling and tour company. I needed to know how to covert with my content and this was of great help… Thanks,

I hope i can reach out if i need more help?

June 8, 2018 at 6:42 am

Of course! Anytime.

November 30, 2018 at 12:23 pm

Thank you for your advices! They’re helping us a lot in designing our own CTA’s

December 2, 2018 at 1:00 pm

My pleasure, Ramiro! What kind of CTAs did you implement?

[…] The question is, whether you’re updating your hotel’s website, brainstorming your latest blog post, or penning a new itinerary for your travel agency, is your copywriting word choice as important as spelling out your amenities, getting in a few SEO keywords, and inserting your travel calls-to-action? […]

[…] you think that your simple travel calls-to-action – Contact Us, Book Now, Inquire – aren’t the hard stuff, then think again: taking that […]

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• Common Travel Area: rights of UK and Irish citizens
• Cabinet Office
• Home Office

Common Travel Area guidance

Updated 23 December 2022

© Crown copyright 2022

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/common-travel-area-guidance/common-travel-area-guidance

The Common Travel Area ( CTA ) is a long-standing arrangement between the UK, the Crown Dependencies (Bailiwick of Jersey, Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Isle of Man) and Ireland that pre-dates both British and Irish membership of the EU and is not dependent on it.

Under the CTA , British and Irish citizens can move freely and reside in either jurisdiction and enjoy associated rights and privileges, including the right to work, study and vote in certain elections, as well as to access social welfare benefits and health services.

The UK and Irish governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU ) in May 2019 reaffirming our commitment to maintain the CTA , and the associated rights and privileges, in all circumstances. On signing the MoU , both governments released a Joint Statement .

1. Travelling and residing in the CTA

If you’re an Irish citizen living in the UK or a British citizen living in Ireland the Common Travel Area ( CTA ) arrangements allow you to travel freely within the CTA .

British citizens in Ireland and Irish citizens in the UK hold a unique status under each country’s national law. You do not need permission to enter or remain in the UK, including a visa, any form of residence permit or employment permit.

Because you do not need permission to come and live in the UK under CTA arrangements, you cannot apply under the new points-based immigration system.

You cannot travel freely within the CTA if you’re subject to either:

• a deportation order
• an exclusion decision
• an international travel ban

You’ll need to apply for permission to come to the UK if any one of these apply to you.

You can continue to use an Irish passport card to travel to the UK.

Crossing the border

There are different document requirements if you are an Irish citizen and are  travelling to the UK from Ireland or the Crown Dependencies compared to if you are travelling from another destination.

Family members

If you have family members who are not Irish or British citizens, they’re not covered by CTA arrangements. You can bring family members to the UK on a family visa in the same way as a British citizen, or they may be eligible to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme .

Your family members may also be able to come to the UK if you’re:

• visiting the UK as an S2 healthcare visitor
• a frontier worker

Other nationalities travelling within the CTA remain subject to national immigration requirements. You need to check if you need a UK visa if you’re not British or Irish and are travelling to the UK from Ireland.

EU, EEA or Swiss citizen family members cannot use an EU, EEA or Swiss national ID card to enter the UK unless they:

• have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme , or Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man’s settlement schemes
• have an EU Settlement Scheme family permit , or the equivalent from Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man
• have a frontier worker permit
• are an S2 Healthcare Visitor
• are a Swiss national and have a Service Provider from Switzerland visa

In these cases, they can continue to use their national ID card to enter the UK until at least 31 December 2025.

There are different document requirements for family members travelling from the Crown Dependencies.

If your family member is waiting for a decision on their application for settled or pre-settled status

EU, EEA or Swiss citizen family members can still use their EEA or Swiss national identity card to enter the UK if all of the following are true:

• they’ve applied for settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man’s settlement schemes
• they’ve been issued with confirmation your application is valid
• they’re not applying as a joining family member

2. Working in the CTA

If you are a British or Irish citizen, you can work in either country, including on a self-employed basis, without needing any permission from the authorities.

In support of this, the UK government is committed to ensuring that appropriate and comprehensive provisions continue to be in place for the recognition of professional qualifications obtained in Ireland. The Irish government has also committed to working to ensure the provision of arrangements with the UK to recognise professional qualifications.

The UK Government is encouraging regulatory authorities in the UK to engage with their counterparts in Ireland to ensure that arrangements are in place to ensure the recognition of professional qualifications.

3. Accessing education in the CTA

If you are a British or Irish citizen you have the right to access all levels of education in either state on terms no less favourable than those available to the citizens of that state. Both governments have committed to taking steps to ensure that this continues.

Both governments have also committed to taking steps to ensure that British and Irish citizens pursuing further and higher education in the other state will continue to have the right to qualify for student loans and support under applicable schemes and eligibility conditions.

4. Accessing social security benefits in the CTA

If you are a British or Irish citizen residing or working in the other’s state, working in both states or working across the border you are subject to only one state’s social security legislation at a time. You can access social security benefits and entitlements, including pensions, from whichever state you are subject to the social security legislation of, regardless of where you are living.

When working in the CTA , you pay into only one state’s social security scheme at a time and are entitled, when in the other state, to the same social security rights, and are subject to the same obligations, as citizens of that state.

You also have the right to access social security benefits on the same basis as citizens of the state you are in. The UK and Irish governments have concluded a bilateral agreement to ensure that these rights will continue to be protected. Further information about that agreement can be found here .

5. Accessing healthcare in the CTA

If you are a British or Irish citizen you have the right to access healthcare in either state. When visiting you also have the right to access needs-arising healthcare during your stay. If you are an eligible cross-border worker or are exporting a state pension or eligible benefit to either state, you may also be able to have some or all of your healthcare paid for by the state where you pay or have paid social security contributions (National Insurance (NI) or Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI)). You may also be able to access planned healthcare in the other state paid for by your state of residence.

If you are a resident of the UK or any of the Crown Dependencies, you have the right to access needs-arising healthcare during your stay when visiting either territory. Crown Dependency residents are also able to access planned healthcare in the UK when arranged by their local healthcare authority.

6. Accessing social housing support in the CTA

If you are a British or Irish citizen residing in the other state you have the right to access social housing, including supported housing and homeless assistance, on the same basis as citizens of that state. Both governments have committed to taking steps to ensure that this will continue.

7. Voting rights in the CTA

If you are a British or Irish citizen living in the other state you are entitled to register to vote with the relevant authorities for local and national parliamentary elections in that state on the same basis as citizens of that state. Upon reaching voting age, you are entitled to vote in those elections on the same basis as citizens of that state. Both governments have committed to ensuring that these arrangements will continue.

More detailed guidance on elections in the UK can be found here .

8.a. Irish citizens and the EU Settlement Scheme

You do not need to do anything to protect your status in the UK now that free movement has ended. You can still enter and reside in the UK and enjoy your existing rights as provided for by the CTA arrangements.

If you’re an Irish citizen in the UK you do not need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme but you may do so if you wish, if you were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 or you are the close family member of an Irish or other EU, EEA or Swiss citizen who was.

You may apply after the deadline of 30 June 2021 if you have reasonable grounds for making a late application.

If you choose to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, the application process is the same as for any other EU citizen applicant.

If you are an Irish citizen and you were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020, you can still be joined by close non-Irish and non-UK family members. If they were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020, they may apply to the EU Settlement Scheme if they have reasonable grounds for making a late application after the deadline of 30 June 2021.

If you wish to be joined by a close non-Irish and non-UK family member who was not resident in the UK by 31 December 2020, they may apply to the EU Settlement Scheme from outside the UK. Alternatively, they may apply for, and enter the UK, using an EU Settlement Scheme family permit and then apply to the EU Settlement Scheme from within the UK.

If you want to support an application from non-Irish and non-UK family members or future children, you will need to be able to prove that you were continuously resident in the UK prior to 31 December 2020. There will be many ways to do this without you applying to the EU Settlement Scheme, but a grant of status under the Scheme would constitute such evidence. Alternatively, you might wish to consider retaining documents such as payslips, bank statements, utility bills, tenancy agreements or other dated documents which display your UK address.

Where you are an Irish citizen and do not choose to apply for status, your family member simply needs to provide evidence of your identity and nationality, of their relationship to you and of your continuous residence in the UK.

Further information on the EU Settlement Scheme and how to make an application can be found on GOV.UK.

8.b. Irish citizens and the Service Providers from Switzerland route

The Service Providers from Switzerland route is expected to run until 31 December 2025. The route allows eligible service providers to travel to the UK to execute an eligible contract(s) for a maximum of 90 days per calendar year.

To be eligible:

• the contract must have been signed and commenced before 11pm on 31 December 2020
• if they are an employee, the service provider’s employer must be based in Switzerland

The route does not allow for dependants or family members. All service providers from Switzerland wishing to use this route must hold status under it before they come to the UK.

If you’re an Irish citizen who does not need permission to come to the UK under CTA arrangements, you will not need to apply for entry clearance as a service provider from Switzerland but you can do so if you wish.

Further information about the Service Providers from Switzerland route can be found on GOV.UK

8.c. Irish citizens and the S2 Healthcare Visitor route

The S2 Healthcare Visitor route provides a route to enter the UK from 1 January to allow eligible persons to undertake, or accompany a person undertaking, scheduled treatment authorised under the ‘ S2 route ’, where authorisation was requested before 11pm on 31 December 2020.

If you’re an Irish citizen with rights provided for under the CTA arrangements you will not be required to apply for permission to enter the UK as an S2 Healthcare Visitor.

Non-Irish citizens accompanying an eligible Irish citizen can apply to enter as an S2 Healthcare Visitor without the Irish citizen having to make an application of their own. They will need to provide certain evidence about the eligible Irish citizen to do so.

Further information about the S2 Healthcare Visitor route, including the evidence that will need to be provided, can be found on GOV.UK

8.d. Irish citizens and the Frontier Worker Permit Scheme

The Withdrawal Agreement protects the rights of EU citizen frontier workers (people who work in the UK but reside elsewhere) who have begun working in the UK by the 31 December 2020 . You can come to the UK and work once free movement ends, for as long as you continue to be a frontier worker.

If you’re an Irish citizen with rights provided for by the CTA arrangements, you do not need to hold a frontier worker permit in order to travel to the UK to work but you can apply for a permit if you wish.

If you have family members you want to bring to the UK who are not Irish or British citizens, they can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). You do not need to hold a permit in order for your family member to apply to the EUSS but the application may be easier if you have a frontier worker permit.

Your family member will need to show: evidence of the family relationship, and evidence that the family member meets the definition of frontier worker under the relevant regulations.

Further information about frontier workers and the permit scheme can be found on GOV.UK .

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48 Call-to-Action Examples You Can't Help But Click

Published: September 07, 2023

Think about all the times you‘ve signed up for things in your life. Did you once download Evernote? Dropbox? Spotify? Maybe you’ve even taken a class on General Assembly.

Each one of these signups is likely a result of an effective call-to-action (CTA).

hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(53, '400cd460-b98f-401b-a565-0dc8cd51719c', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"});

Think about it: If you hadn't been drawn in by the copy or design of the CTA or been guided so eloquently through your sign-up process, you would probably use a lot fewer apps and websites than you do now.

In this post, we'll explain how using strategic CTAs can guide your visitors through the buying journey and highlight our favorite examples.

What is a call-to-action (CTA)?

CTA stands for call-to-action, and it's the part of a webpage, advertisement, or piece of content that encourages the audience to do something. In marketing, CTAs help a business convert a visitor or reader into a lead for the sales team. CTAs can drive a variety of different actions depending on the content's goal.

28 Free Call-to-Action Templates

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• Bottom-of-Post CTAs
• Form Button CTAs
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What is a CTA in Marketing?

As a marketer, CTAs are relevant because they encourage your audience to take action on a marketing campaign.

Ultimately, the goal of any marketing campaign is to guide your audience in the buyer's journey so they eventually make a purchase.

Types of CTAs

Not all marketing campaigns use the same types of CTAs since there are several tactics you can use to guide your audience in their journey. For instance, a marketing campaign with the goal of gaining more newsletter subscribers might utilize a form submission while a campaign enticing users to “learn more” may include a button.

Below are common types of CTAs that are used in marketing. Keep in mind that every brand and audience is different so it may be beneficial to A/B test CTA types and designs in order to figure out which ones work best for you.

By far the most common type of CTA, buttons are icons with an actionable phrase written in them that entices users to click and take further action. Button designs can vary based on the brand style and goal of the campaign, but generally, your button should have a high-contrast color so it can stand out on the page.

Form submission CTAs convert site visitors into leads by offering visitors something in exchange for their contact information. Offers can include downloadable content, product quotes, service sign ups, subscriptions, and more.

A CTA banner can be located along the top, bottom, or side of a webpage. Banners typically include some type of captivating copy and design that encourages visitors to click on them to take action.

Contextual Links

Usually located within the body copy of a blog post, contextual links contain clickable text that directs users to a related landing page.

A pop-up is a CTA in a small window that suddenly appears on the page. Since users often tune out static CTA buttons and forms, pop-ups can be a great way to communicate an offer or entice users to sign up for your service. Many websites also use exit intent pop-ups, which are triggered when users are about to leave the site.

Similar to pop-ups, slide-in CTAs are meant to capture the user's attention by “sliding in” from the bottom or the sidebar. Slide-ins are a good alternative to pop-ups since they are less disruptive to the user experience.

How to Write a CTA

• Keep it simple
• Use action verbs.
• Create a sense of urgency.
• Be creative.

Use clever phrasing and imagery that makes your brand more relatable and entices people to take action. Glossier‘s CTA, for example, includes an image of a model wearing the brand’s makeup which makes it even more appealing.

4. 310 Creative

Cta: book free assessment.

Use urgency to get visitors to check items in your online store and clearly communicate where the visitor is heading when they click the CTA button.

11. Evernote

Cta: sign up.

Negative space can work in your favor if used correctly. Use it to your advantage by allowing your CTA to stand out using your bold, brand colors

13. OfficeVibe

Not only can you get a visitor's attention with a stark contrast in color, but you can use language in your CTA that entices them to click. Consider using “Try for Free,” or something similar in your CTA that removes the risk for potential customers.

CTA: Get Started

20. Aquaspresso

Cta: send me specials now.

Adding that the specials are for today only is a great example of a psychological tactic called scarcity , which causes us to assign more value to things we think are scarce. The fear that today‘s specials are better than tomorrow’s might make people want to fill it out and claim their offer while they can.

The call-to-action above was created using HubSpot's templates . Consider introducing a sense of urgency for website visitors by using scarcity in your CTA. You can use phrases like “limited time offer” or “get today's deals” to motivate visitors to take the desired action.

21. QuickSprout

Cta: are you doing your seo wrong enter your url to find out.

CTA: Launch (Do Not Press)

When you click on the blue CTA button depicted below, Brooks directs you to a page with a simple code you can text the company. This code prompts Brooks to automatically alert the visitor when the shoe they want is available again.

For ecommerce businesses, sending customers to a page that states the item is out of stock can be a turn off for customers and cause them to bounce. Consider adding a CTA that says “notify me when restocked,” or “find out when we have more” to keep them engaged and gain their email information.

29. Humboldt County

Cta: follow the magic.

Targeting two types of customers? You can create CTAs for each of their personas similarly to Uber.

31. Spotify

Cta: go premium | play free.

Exit intent CTAs are extremely useful for ecommerce. You can offer a discount on services or something else of value to entice visitors to convert.

33. Pinterest

Cta: continue with facebook | sign up.

This gamification is a great way to make your site more interesting for users who come across it without having a specific idea of where they want to look.

Use gamification in your CTA to persuade visitors to explore your site further. They may not know specifically what they are looking for or how your company can help. Creating fun prompts can help visitors find what they are looking for.

35. Instagram

Cta: download on the app store | get it on google play.

If you have an app, consider adding a CTA for each platform visitors can download it from. This removes friction and makes it easier for visitors to download your app without having to search.

36. Barkbox

Cta: get started | give a gift.

I also like how the “no” option uses polite language. I find brands that don‘t guilt-trip users who don’t want to take action to be much, much more lovable.

Being friendly shouldn‘t just be for getting visitors to take the desired action. Using friendly language is just as important in CTAs for those who would like to opt out. Consider using a phrase like "no thanks" or something similar to what MakeMyPersona used to keep it cordial even if customers aren’t ready to make a purchase yet.

42. TeuxDeux

Cta: get started for free | try for free.

This is a great example of serving two audiences with your CTAs on your homepage.

Serve two audiences with separate CTAs on the same landing page. You can make them distinct using color to contrast the two buttons or draw more attention to the desired choice.

48. Nintendo

Cta: compare features.

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UPDATED 50 Free Call-to-Action Templates to Design Clickable CTAs in PowerPoint [Free Download]

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What Does Cta Mean? – Meaning, Uses and More

What Does Cta Mean?

The term CTA is an acronym for “Call to Action.” In the marketing context, a call-to-action refers to any phrase, advertisement, or clickable button that directs a consumer to perform a specific action, such as making a purchase or visiting a website. CTAs can vary in format depending on the medium and target audience. For instance, podcasters may include CTAs at the conclusion of their episodes, while marketing emails often feature eye-catching CTA buttons. The objective of a CTA is to generate a sense of urgency or FOMO (fear of missing out) to prompt immediate action.

What Does Cta Mean From a Girl?

When a girl uses the term cta , it is important to note that it does not have a specific meaning from a girl specifically. The slang term “cta” is commonly used across various platforms and by people of all genders. It stands for “Call to Action” and is primarily used in marketing contexts to prompt a specific action from the audience. However, girls may use “cta” similarly or differently compared to everyone else depending on the context. Here are some possible meanings and usage: * In marketing : Like everyone else, girls may use “cta” in marketing contexts to encourage their audience to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. For example, they might say “Click the link in my bio for more information! #cta” on social media. * In conversations : Girls may also use “cta” in conversations with their friends or online communities to prompt a specific action or response. For instance, they might say “CTA: Share your favorite meme in the comments!” to encourage engagement and participation. * In personal relationships : In personal relationships, girls may use “cta” as a playful way to prompt their partner or friends to do something specific. For example, they might say “CTA: Bring me ice cream after work!” as a lighthearted request. When replying to a girl who uses “cta,” it’s important to consider the context and understand what action or response she is expecting. If it’s a marketing context, you can follow the call-to-action if you’re interested. If it’s in a conversation, you can participate or respond accordingly. And if it’s in a personal relationship, you can play along or communicate your thoughts and intentions. Remember, slang terms like “cta” can have different meanings and usage depending on the individual and the situation. It’s always best to ask for clarification if you’re unsure about the specific meaning or intention behind it.

• Girl: Hey, I just posted a new blog! Check it out and leave a comment. #cta
• Friend: Sure thing! I’ll click the link and leave a comment. #support
• Girl A: I’m organizing a beach cleanup this weekend. Who’s in?
• Girl B: CTA: Count me in! I love helping the environment. #beachcleanup
• Girl A: I’m hosting a virtual game night tonight. Join us for some fun!
• Girl B: CTA: Send me the details. I’m always up for game night! #virtualgamenight
• Girl A: CTA: Let’s have a movie marathon this weekend. Any suggestions?
• Girl B: How about a Harry Potter marathon? Count me in! #moviemarathon
• Girl A: CTA: Help me choose an outfit for tonight’s party. Which dress should I wear?
• Girl B: Option 1 is stunning! Go for it and slay the party. #outfitoftheday

What Does Cta Mean From a Guy?

When a guy uses the term cta , it can have similar meanings and usage as when a girl uses it. The slang term “cta” stands for “Call to Action” and is commonly used in marketing contexts to prompt a specific action from the audience. However, guys may use “cta” in conversations or personal relationships similarly or differently compared to girls, depending on the context.

Here are some possible meanings and usage of “cta” from a guy:

In marketing : Like everyone else, guys may use “cta” in marketing contexts to encourage their audience to take a specific action. They might include CTAs in their social media posts, emails, or advertisements to prompt their target audience to make a purchase, sign up for a service, or visit a website.

In conversations : Guys may also use “cta” in conversations with their friends or online communities to prompt a specific action or response. For example, they might say “CTA: Share your favorite movie recommendation!” to encourage engagement and discussion.

In personal relationships : In personal relationships, guys may use “cta” as a playful way to prompt their partner or friends to do something specific. They might say “CTA: Let’s go grab pizza tonight!” as a lighthearted suggestion or invitation.

When replying to a guy who uses “cta,” it’s important to consider the context and understand what action or response he is expecting. If it’s a marketing context, you can follow the call-to-action if you’re interested. If it’s in a conversation, you can participate or respond accordingly. And if it’s in a personal relationship, you can play along or communicate your thoughts and intentions.

Overall, guys use “cta” similarly to girls in terms of its meaning and usage. It’s all about prompting specific actions or responses in various contexts. So, don’t be surprised if you come across a guy using “cta” in a conversation or on social media. Just go with the flow and respond accordingly!

• Guy 1: Hey, I just found this amazing new restaurant in town. You should check it out!
• Guy 2: Thanks for the recommendation! I’ll definitely cta and try it out.
• Guy 1: I’m thinking of starting a new workout routine. Any suggestions?
• Guy 2: You should cta and try HIIT workouts. They’re intense but really effective!
• Guy 1: I’m planning a road trip next month. Any must-visit destinations?
• Guy 2: You should cta and visit the Grand Canyon. It’s absolutely breathtaking!
• Guy 1: I’m looking for a new book to read. Any recommendations?
• Guy 2: You should cta and read “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. It’s a life-changing book!
• Guy: I’m thinking of taking up photography as a hobby. Any tips for beginners?
• Friend: Definitely! First, you should cta and invest in a good camera. It makes a huge difference in the quality of your photos.

Origin of Cta

The word/phrase “cta” stands for “Call to Action” in the marketing context. It is an acronym used to refer to any phrase, advertisement, or clickable button that directs a consumer to perform a specific action, such as making a purchase or visiting a website. The origins of the word/phrase are not clear, but it is commonly used in marketing and advertising to encourage consumers to take action. It is unlikely that “cta” is a derived word or a popular typo, as it is widely recognized and used in the industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Slangs similar to cta.

Appeal, entreaty, exhortation, instruction, demand, and petition are similar to CTA because they all refer to urging, requesting, or demanding action. These terms can be used interchangeably with CTA to describe different aspects of a call to action, such as emphasizing a plea, conveying strong urging, providing guidance, requiring immediate action, or making a formal request.

Is Cta A Bad Word?

No, the word “cta” is not a bad word or vulgar word. In this context, “cta” stands for “call-to-action,” which is a marketing term used to refer to a phrase or button that encourages consumers to take action. It does not have any negative or vulgar connotations.

Is Cta a Typo or Misspelling?

No, “cta” is not a misspelling or typo. It stands for “call-to-action” and refers to a phrase, ad, or clickable button that instructs a consumer to take action, such as making a purchase or visiting a website.

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Copywriting CTAs: 10 tips for Travel brands

A CTA, or call-to-action, is one of the most powerful tools in a copywriting toolbox. It’s a crucial element of a digital strategy and one that can mean the difference between a successful page that converts or one that bounces the customer away.

Over the past 6 years, I’ve created and written content for lots of clients across different sectors, including the travel industry. In this post, I’m going to share with you 10 tips for writing effective travel-specific CTAs that will help to increase your conversion rate.

There’s also a free smorgasbord of call-to-action examples you can request at the end of this article.

What is a CTA?

A call-to-action (CTA) is simply a nudge to the user to take the desired action. That nudge will take them further down the conversion funnel and lead them eventually to the conversion you want them to make, whether that’s a subscription sign up, buying a product or something else.

Why call-to-actions are important

A well-crafted CTA is a two-way street and can be helpful for both the business and the user. For a business, it’s your chance to persuade someone to do something advantageous. For example, buying a product, downloading gated content, sharing to social media, signing up for your newsletter, or reading more about your products or services.

It increases interaction with your site and the likelihood of a user coming back for more. You gain their trust and a certain level of loyalty, which, particularly when pitted against an oversaturated market, will make your business stand out.

For the user, a call-to-action tells them exactly what they need to do next and the benefits for them. These could be:

• More knowledge
• Perhaps a free download
• A simple checkout.

The fewer steps they have to take to get to the desired goal, the better. They’re more likely to remember their experience with you as being easy and fruitful.

How to write CTAs that convert

There are times when a simple “Buy Now”, or “Click here” are sufficient, but while people like knowing what to do, there’s something a little icky about being commanded to do it. Pushy sales are out and incentive-based direction is in. Leave your customers satisfied and confident in you as a business.

This set of questions can help you to discern what approach to take.

• What is the reader’s goal?
• What action do I want the reader to take?
• What information does the user need to know before they can take action?
• What questions or objections should I cover before the CTA?
• What is the competition – what other solution might they be considering?
• How can I remove any remaining resistance?

The CTA must prompt the reader to take action that fulfils their goal. For example, if they’re on a product page, they’re probably there to buy so directing them to sign up for a newsletter won’t give them what they need.

Once you’re clear on the elements needed on the page, there are lots of creative ways to make your CTAs attractive. Some will work better on certain types of pages.

With this content funnel that shows the user journey, we can also see what that means for the business goals and the type of CTAs at each stage.

10 ways to write compelling CTAs for the Travel sector

1) short and sweet.

Your CTA isn’t the time to woo someone or skip around what you really want. Don’t pose a question or give people time to think about all the reasons they shouldn’t click that button. Avoid lengthy text so that your message is able to stand out.

For example, Kayak’s private deals signup CTA simply states “Let’s do this”:

2) Make it personal

Writing in the first person, using ‘my’ instead of  ‘your’ helps to put your audience in the driving seat. Research has shown that clicks significantly improve just using this change in wording alone.  For travel companies it can be as simple as changing ‘Book your seat’ to ‘Book my seat’ or, like British Airways , having a ‘Manage my booking’ section.

3) Align with your audience

Contrary to the belief that you should hammer your audience with the opportunity to convert at every possible point, a good CTA works in tandem with great copy.

In fact, research shows that emails with a single CTA perform better than those with multiple ones. If this is a landing page with not a huge amount of copy, then your button will probably appear above the fold. But if it’s a guide or a how-to article, it should probably appear further down and below the fold, once you’ve given the user all the information they need.

In the case of Easyjet, as with a lot of holiday sites, a general search bar often appears at the top of most pages. But as this is a landing page specifically for the destination of Malta, there is information about the sun-splashed Mediterranean islands before any specific recommendations are made, bringing the ‘View holiday’ CTA below the fold.

4) Eye-catching design

Whether it’s bold copy, contrasting colours or larger font size, an eye-catching design that makes your CTA stand out can increase the click-through rate.

On The Beach certainly creates a sense of fun with these banners and cuts through the noise with vibrant colours and clear, large copy to draw us in. Working with your design and development teams to match your buttons with your brand, while also creating ones that stand out is key. A button that blends in will probably be ignored.

5) Use numbers or data points

There are various ways to include numbers or data points in your CTAs, including how many people have already downloaded a free resource, how much a user might save by signing up today or what benefit they might get once they do sign up, like 15% off their next order.

While a lot of businesses shy away from mentioning prices in CTAs, especially if it’s a high ticket item or if costs can vary depending on a number of factors, there can be real value in it. If a user sees your prices and still clicks through, then you know you have a very interested potential customer and a higher chance of a conversion.

If they click through without any indication of price and then get scared off, you may have lost some trust and sent people elsewhere. It’s one to test out, to see if it works for your goals.  This example from First Choice shares the benefits and savings with money off deals:

6) Use testimonials and reviews

Social proof is a very valuable tool and by placing it near your CTAs you build trust and increase the chances of converting your reader. Position reviews and testimonials directly below your CTAs to get better results. Just below a CTA for an Italian holiday on Trailfinders is a large Trustpilot validation. The social proof is front and centre.

7) Minimise the risk

There’s a reason so many businesses offer free trials. It works!

Being able to try before you buy is a great way to reduce the risk for customers, particularly for service-based businesses. But what if it’s a physical product? Free delivery, free returns and a clear and easy to access returns and refunds policy will help sway your customers. Virgin Holidays include this set of USPs that help them stand out from their competitors. A clear and risk-reducing set of benefits to help you ‘book your holiday with peace of mind:

8) Reinforce your value proposition

A value proposition is not a slogan, a catchphrase or a positioning statement. ‘Continue reading’ doesn’t really give anyone a compelling reason to take action. It should clarify the end benefit for the user, as TravelSupermarket has done here. What’s in it for the reader? Will they save money, get a freebie, or be inspired? What’s the promise behind the click?

9) Create a sense of urgency

The internet is a place of distraction, so limited-time deals and short discount windows can sometimes help urge people to take action quickly, instead of putting it off.

Last Minute shows offers of the week with a lightning bolt countdown in the top left corner, meaning it’s one of the first things you see and the limited time of the deal is instantly reinforced.

10) Be clear about where your link is headed

There’s nothing worse as a user than clicking through to a page that’s confusing and doesn’t match your intent or what you thought you were being directed to.

For example, if you say “click for a quote” but don’t then send the reader to a page that gathers info to arrange a quote, then you’ll frustrate them and lose their trust immediately. And if you were booking the hotels from the film Pretty Woman, you’d more than likely want to see pictures of them. Not just the cost or the details.

Here, Holiday Pirates does not disappoint, with instantly recognisable interior and exterior shots of movie magic:

Don’t know where to start?

Get yourself our free help sheet of over 50 CTA examples to help you on your way, by requesting a copy here . Our team of digital experts at Evolved Search can help change the way people interact with you online, so if you’re looking to optimise your website copy, increase conversions, and align with your customer needs, get in touch .

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Hotel Revenue Management Glossary - Terms beginning with 'C'

Hotel Revenue Management Glossary – Terms beginning with ‘C’

Need to know what a hotel term means? Below is a list of key Hotel Revenue Management Terms you may encounter when it comes to hotel revenue management.  We explain definitions of terminology industry jargon from hotel revenue management. You will learn all this and more on our hotel revenue management courses .

Terms being with the letter C below, rest to follow on further Blogs…

Cut Off – What is the meaning/definition of Cut Off in the hospitality industry?

With cut-offs (which are very similar to release dates), a hotel simply sets a time limit upon when a reservation is made, and the guest’s actual arrival. Used a lot for group and tour operator business. They will hold a block or allotment in the hotel as per their contract.

CTD – What is the meaning/definition of CTD in the hospitality industry?

CTD stands for Closed to Departure. It is a specific set of days guests cannot make their reservation for with this date as check-out.

CTA – What is the meaning/definition of CTA or Closed to Arrival in the hospitality industry?

CTA stands for Closed to Arrival. It is a yield tool used to close days our from reservations arriving on a particular day.

CRS – What is the meaning/definition of CRS in the hotel industry?

CRS stands for: Central Reservations System. It is a computerised reservation software used to maintain the hotel information, room inventory and rates, to manage the reservation and process. A CRS provides hotel room rates and availability for many different distribution channels such as the GDS, IBE, OTA, 3rd party websites etc.

CRO – What is the meaning/definition of CRO in the hospitality industry?

CRO stands for: Central Reservations Office. It is a system that allows reservation agents to receive reservation requests by phone and to handle them immediately.

CPOR – What is the meaning/definition of CPOR in the hospitality industry?

CPOR stands for Cost Per Occupied Room. The CPOR formula helps calculate the average cost per occupied room in the hotel. This is another KPI to measure and analyze if the operating cost for each room is reasonable.

Consortia – What is the meaning/definition of Consortia in the hospitality industry?

Consortia are Associations or Marketing organisations which link together small to medium-sized independent travel agencies to leverage purchasing power and marketing opportunities. Examples of Consortia are American Express, Carlson Wagonlit, BCD Travel or HRG.

Complimentary – What is the meaning/definition of Complimentary in the hospitality industry?

Complimentary services or products are those given to an audience / a customer without charge. This term is often used in the tourism and hospitality industry.

Comp-Set – What is the meaning/definition of Comp Set in the hospitality industry?

A Competitive Set (or Compset) is a group of hotels that are seen as direct competitors to your own hotel.

Commission – What is the meaning/definition of Commission in the hospitality industry?

A commission is a charge that a hotel pays to third parties (travel agents, OTAs) for selling their hotel rooms. It is usually a fixed percentage of the room rate.  The commission ranges from 10% to 30% depending on the OTA (how influential it is), on the size of the hotel and also on the popularity of the destination.  Large hotel chains usually have more negotiation power.

Close Out – What is the meaning/definition of Close Out in the hospitality industry?

Hotel rooms made unavailable from sales. Such a closed out could be for a variety of reasons and applied to individual market segments.

Channels – What is the meaning/definition of Channels in the hospitality industry?

A term that refers to Distribution Channels and that describes the different methods/platforms buy which / in which bookings for a hotel are made. A Channel can be a hotel’s booking engine a direct phone reservation or a specific stream of revenue such as a 3rd party website, an OTA, etc.

Channel Management – What is the meaning/definition of Channel Management in the hospitality industry?

Channel Management (also Multi-Channel-Management) refers to the techniques and systems used by hotels in line with their distribution policy. This management method includes content management as well as data reconciliation in various distribution channels. It means the updating of the hotel information, of room rates and availabilities across all distribution channels, such as hotels website, third parties (OTAs, IDS, ADS) and the CRS/GDS.

Capacity   –  The set number of rooms in a hotel.

Central Reservation System (CRS)   – A system or an office that is used by hotels in one chain or organisation, or created by a third-party vendor, used to maintain hotel information, inventories and rates and to manage the reservation process.

Conversion   –  The transition by a customer from shopping or gathering information to taking an action such as purchasing or making an inquiry.

Chain Code – What is the meaning/definition of Chain Code in the hospitality industry?

Chain Code is a two-character code used to identify hotel chains within a GDS. Chain codes may vary by GDS.

The Training Terminal offers an introductory course in  Hotel Revenue Management .  Check out our Hotel Revenue Management Course .

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CTA to restore bus service on some routes cut during the pandemic

The transit agency says 29 bus routes will get more service as it tries to reach pre-pandemic service levels..

The CTA is training new drivers as it expands bus service.

Sun-Times file photo

Several bus routes across Chicago will see an increase in service beginning Sunday.

According to the Chicago Transit Authority, 29 bus routes will receive additional service in an effort to reach pre-pandemic service levels.

“This new service is a down payment on our commitment to bring service back to pre-pandemic scheduled service levels,” CTA President Dorval R. Carter Jr. said in a statement. “And while this additional service will definitely benefit our customers, our job is not done — we know we have much more work to do, and we’re committed to it.”

• CTA president takes the train to City Hall — then gets an easy ride

Additional service will be provided on routes that have seen an increase in ridership. Most of the service will be provided during weekdays, with additional Saturday service on the No. 77 Belmont and No. 81 Lawrence routes, the CTA said.

Later this spring and summer, the CTA will also increase rail service during the morning and evening rush hours on weekdays on the Red, Green, Brown and Purple lines, as well as the O’Hare Branch of the Blue Line.

CTA hired 1,000 bus operators last year and is planning on training another 200 operators.

Service is being added to these routes:

No. 3 King Drive

No. 8 Halsted

No. 9 Ashland

No. X9 Ashland Express

No. 20 Madison

No. 29 State

No. 36 Broadway

No. 49B North Western

No. 50 Damen

No. 52 Kedzie

No. 52A South Kedzie

No. 53 Pulaski

No. 54 Cicero

No. 55 Garfield

No. 60 Blue Island/26th

No. 66 Chicago

No. 70 Division

No. 71 71st/South Shore

No. 72 North

No. 75 74th-75th

No. 77 Belmont

No. 79 79th

No. 81 Lawrence

No. 82 Kimball-Homan

No. 85 Central

No. 90 Harlem

No. 111 111th/King Drive

No. 115 Pullman/115th

No. 155 Devon

After pandemic cuts, CTA will start running more buses on some routes

A fter cuts in transit service during the pandemic, more than two dozen Chicago bus routes will return to “near pre-COVID-19 scheduled service levels,” in the coming days, according to the CTA.

Service will be added on 29 of the agency’s 127 routes beginning Sunday, including some of the busiest, like the 66 Chicago, the 3 King Drive and the 82 Kimball-Homan. Most of the additional service will be added on weekdays, though a few routes will get extra weekend service.

The latest schedule change only affects bus service, but CTA officials said the agency will add back rail service later in the spring. The rail additions will focus on the morning and evening peak periods on the Red, Green, Brown and Purple lines, and the busy O’Hare branch of the Blue Line, the CTA said.

Unreliable bus and train service has been a frequent complaint of riders for years, leaving passengers with long wait times and crowded buses and trains and putting CTA President Dorval Carter in the hot seat. An October Tribune analysis found the agency slashed schedules on some train lines by as much as 25% to 30% compared with 2019 service levels.

The agency has pegged service cuts on challenges hiring and retaining enough employees to operate buses and trains, and has said adding back service will depend on its ability to add operators.

The added bus service comes after Carter told City Council members in February that bus service would begin to be added back “in just the next few weeks,” and promised rail service would be restored to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year .

How the new bus schedules will compare with pre-pandemic levels varies by route and time of day, but most of the new schedules will be within 5% of the number of hours buses were scheduled to be in service in 2019, spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski said.

In one example, the 66 Chicago route — one of the CTA’s busiest — will be scheduled to run every three to four minutes during morning rush hour, compared with every two to four minutes pre-pandemic and down from four to 7½ minutes now.

The 111 111th/King Drive bus will be scheduled to run with the same wait times as before the COVID-19 pandemic. The 8 Halsted bus, scheduled before the pandemic to run every four to eight minutes during evening rush, will now be scheduled to run every 6½ to eight minutes.

Extra Saturday service will also be scheduled on the 77 Belmont and 81 Lawrence routes.

The CTA will continue to add back bus service throughout the year, Hosinski said. Bus schedules are changed at designated points in the year as part of a union employee scheduling process.

The additions reflect changes to schedules, but for much of the pandemic the CTA struggled to run all of its scheduled service, leading to the phenomenon known as “ghosting.” The CTA has since begun updating its bus trackers and cut back on schedules in an attempt to make the actual buses and trains running match more closely to scheduled service, meaning riders were less likely to get ghosted but that listed wait times increased.

How closely actual service matches the new schedules now will depend in large part on whether the CTA has enough operators. The agency had 3,600 bus operators in February, compared with some 3,800 pre-pandemic, CTA data shows.

“This new service is a down payment on our commitment to bring service back to pre-pandemic scheduled service levels,” Carter said in a statement. “And while this additional service will definitely benefit our customers, our job is not done — we know we have much more work to do, and we’re committed to it.”

©2024 Chicago Tribune. Visit chicagotribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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