ASTA Membership

Your Ticket to

SUCCESS

ASTA Membership

JOIN THE TOP TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDE

Your Ticket to Success ASTA travel agent members are being sought more and more for their expertise by savvy travelers. They are experts who know how to sell and package travel, and know the answers to questions travelers don’t even know to ask.

You do the legwork. Travelers, especially the Millennial Generation, want a consultant to handle it for them. You are valued because: • You have the best negotiating skills. Travel agents obtain discounts travelers cannot find or manage on their own for leisure, corporate travel and a myriad of special interest groups.

• You use your relationships to get the best deals. It isn’t always about price, although the majority of the time, you have the lower one. It is about the experience.

• You are trusted, the Internet is not. Consumers have gotten burned by trusting “pretty” pictures online. Just because a resort claims to be family friendly doesn’t mean you would send anyone’s family there.

• You take care of the customer when bad things happen. And let’s face it, on the road, bad things can happen. You are there to take care of it for them.

In other words, your clients place their trust in you.

Become a part of an association whose name is a symbol of trust around the globe.

Join Today!

80+

%

of all travel booked through agency distribution channels is booked by ASTA agents

“ASTA is truly looking at the big picture to do what’s best for the entire industry. I think it’s the best service my money can buy. ASTA has my back.” –Carolyn Kempf, Elite Travel

Promoting You and Telling Your Story Every Day! Our members are among the most productive, well-trained, and well-informed professionals in the industry. They are knowledgeable professionals dedicated to the business of travel.

Top 5 Benefits of Membership • Connecting You to More Travelers. TravelSense.org, our consumer website, connects you to 65,000 unique visitors each month. Over $4 million in travel requests come in annually to ASTA members.

• Growing Your Business, Strengthening Your Network. We have resources that protect and enhance your business. Our Agent Regulatory Compliance Course reduces the risk of costly penalties. Destination courses add to your core product offering.

• Arming You with the Resources to Answer Every Client’s Question. Every member has ASTA as a resource to help answer your and your client’s questions. Our E-library is the largest database for information and research just for agents.

• Protecting Your Livelihood. We monitor state and federal activity so you don’t have to. We address issues that matter to you—Hotel Commission Taxation, NCFs, pay and compensation for Independent Contractors, Travel Insurance.

• Promoting Your Value. You have a story to tell, and we help you tell it. ASTA promotes the travel agency community. We also train you on how to be a better blogger, promoter and onair spokesperson.

Your voice must be heard.

What happens in D.C. does not stay in D.C. “ASTA is an insurance policy for our members and industry. We simply wouldn’t survive without ASTA. I am proud of what ASTA has delivered and I constantly remind Signature members that they should ALL be members.”

–Alex Sharpe, President & CEO, Signature Travel Network

Decisions made here impact travel businesses across our nation

Government Affairs The collective WE! We vigilantly watch what is happening on the state and federal levels so you don’t have to. In the past two years more than  states have brought legislation that would have negatively impacted travel agents. We fought. We won!

Hands down, ASTA is the leading advocate for the travel industry.

Currently, our eyes are on: DOT regulations, Transparent Airfares Act; State Sales Tax Expansion; Hotel Tax Bills; Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act; TSA PreCheck Expansion, and the Visa Waiver Program.

VT Washington

NH

Minnesota MA Wisconsin South Dakota

RI

Michigan

CT

States where ASTA has fought in the last two years

NJ

*

Indiana

Utah Colorado

DE

MD

Virginia DC

Tennessee Arizona

New Mexico

Oklahoma

Arkansas Georgia

Hawaii

Alaska

Louisiana

Member Information Services With your membership comes access to our magazine, research reports, training videos and handbooks to keep you up-to-date on industry issues and developments within state and federal governments. We deliver what you need, when you need it.

2015 Association Magazine 2015 Compliance Course

2015 Custom Research

ASTA Destination Expo Snapshot

Prague Czech Republic

Lima Peru

Lyon France

Dubai United Arab Emirates

Istanbul Turkey

Sun City South Africa

ASTA Events and Expos A Powerful Network of Peers and Suppliers The people you meet at ASTA meetings and conferences are your greatest resource. They will provide you with new ideas, innovative products and information on everything you need to succeed. We bring you face-to-face with travel industry and world leaders who are taking a part in shaping your future.

• ASTA Destination Expo—Intensive destination education with hands-on training on selling up-and-coming destinations • ASTA Advocacy Dinner—Black tie dinner celebrating ASTA’s influence in shaping the policies affecting the retail travel business • ASTA Global Convention—The place for travel professionals worldwide to connect and establish new business relationships • ASTA Premium Business Summit—High level content for industry leaders and access to like-minded peers • ASTA Chapter Meetings and Trade Shows—When you join ASTA you also become part of a local chapter. You will establish state and local professional and personal relationships, and have a lot of fun too!

%

94

of the attendees of ASTA’s Destination Expo are likely to recommend the Expo to another agent

What We Stand For Travelers depend on travel agencies affi liated with ASTA to guide them honestly and competently.

All ASTA members pledge to conduct their business activities in a manner that promotes the ideal of integrity in travel and agree to act in accordance with ASTA’s Code of Ethics.

ASTA Code of Ethics . Accuracy. ASTA members will be factual and accurate when providing information about their services and the services of any firm they represent.

They will not use deceptive practices. . Disclosure. ASTA members will provide in writing, upon written request, complete details about the cost, restrictions, and other terms and conditions, of any travel service sold, including cancellation and service fee policies. Full details of the time, place, duration, and nature of any sales or promotional presentation the consumer will be required to attend in connection with his/ her travel arrangements shall be disclosed in writing before any payment is accepted. . Responsiveness. ASTA members will promptly respond substantively to their clients' complaints.

4. Refunds. ASTA members will remit any undisputed funds under their control within the specified time limit. Reasons for delay in providing funds will be given to the claimant promptly.

5. Cooperation. ASTA members will cooperate with any inquiry conducted by ASTA to resolve any dispute involving consumers.

6. Confidentiality. ASTA members will treat every client transaction confidentially and not disclose any information without permission of the client, unless required by law. . Affi liation ASTA members will not falsely represent a person's affi liation with their firm. . Conflict of Interest. ASTA members will not allow any preferred relationship with a supplier to interfere with the interests of their clients. . Compliance. ASTA members shall not have been convicted of a violation of any federal, state and local laws and regulations affecting consumers. Pleas of nolo contendere, consent judgments, judicial or administrative decrees, or orders, and assurances of voluntary compliance and similar agreements with federal or state authorities shall be deemed convictions for purposes of these provisions.

Join Today!

www.ASTA.org/Join 800.ASKASTA | 800.275.2782

%

92

of U.S. leisure travelers who used an agent to help plan their trip expect to use their agent in the future

ASTA’s research looks at travelers buying behavior

Join Today! www.ASTA.org/Join 800.ASKASTA | 800.275.2782 ASTA.org

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@ASTAAgents

JOIN THE TOP TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDE