Articles tagged “asta”

These travel advisors have a certain swagger about them these days. Their U.S. trade association, the newly named American Society of Travel Advisors, is now back among the living, and has the challenge of keeping things moving in the right direction.

There is something happening at the newly named American Society of Travel Advisors. It not only has a new name, but has a new energy and confidence about where it is headed as it reaches out directly to a new generation of travelers.

In its rebrand to the American Society of Travel Advisors, ASTA wanted to keep the acronym as is. But is "Society" really a gateway to the future? The success or failure of the move may hinge on the effectiveness of the organization's new marketing campaign. We can't wait to give it a look.

Responsible travel brands are taking steps to ban bookings of tourist attractions involving direct human interactions with animals. Given all the SeaWorld controversies that the film "Blackfish" uncovered, coupled with ongoing federal probes, couldn't ASTA have picked an alternative venue for its opening reception?

When it comes to reaching consumers, travel agencies don't have the resources to fight against travel providers and online booking titans. They need to be more creative with the tools they do have, and many are experimenting on social media and other digital channels.

Travel agencies need to get younger, and more creative, if they're going to survive. For what it's worth, some agencies are doing what it takes protect themselves from the travel companies that want agents sliced out of the industry.

As storefront agencies have disappeared, home-based agents have picked up the slack in the travel agency community. One can't help but wonder, however, if this trend has contributed to the relative invisibility of travel agents to most Americans.

Who's more important to the airlines: shareholders or passengers? Take one guess.