ASTA,
UNIGLOBE Partner To Advocate Travel Agent Interests In
Washington
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Congress-Pharmacia.
Congress-Sept
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Congress--National
Airlines off
Congress-Best
Western membership
Congress-Award-SATH
Sasso
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New York City, Nov. 4, 2001: The
American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) today applauded
the decision made by The UNIGLOBE Group for its
franchised travel agencies in the U.S. to join ASTA in
advocating travel agent interests with government and
travel suppliers. In an effort to create a unified voice
on behalf of travel agents, UNIGLOBE Travel is making
ASTA membership a requirement for all new U.S. UNIGLOBE
franchises as well as those agencies renewing their
contracts after Jan. 1, 2002.
"In these challenging times,
having UNIGLOBE Travel franchises in the US bolster ASTA
membership provides the Society with greater clout within
the industry and in Washington," said ASTA President and
CEO Richard M. Copland, CTC. "UNIGLOBE Travel is making a
firm statement of commitment to the success of travel
agents for the long haul, and we eagerly look forward to
serving its agencies."
Through this partnership with
ASTA, each UNIGLOBE agency will have its voice on Capitol
Hill on such issues as assuring travel agents equal
access to all online and published airline fares;
allowing agents access to the lowest offered rate and
receive commissions; and providing agents with change and
reissue protection and compensation for work done on
behalf of consumers.
"For more than 20 years UNIGLOBE
has been committed to the success of travel agents," said
Martin H. Charlwood, president of The UNIGLOBE Group. "To
ensure future growth and success, we believe it is
paramount that travel agents have a strong and vibrant
industry association. UNIGLOBE Travel recognizes that
ASTA is the most suitable advocate for the industry to
make its voice heard in Washington and with suppliers on
the issues that affect America's travel
agents."
Through this partnership, UNIGLOBE
agencies also gain access to all of ASTA's services,
including greater consumer awareness and promotion of the
benefits of using a travel agent; consumer protection
through agencies adhering to a code of ethics;
information and resources on agency procedures; and legal
assistance.
The UNIGLOBE Group is the world's
largest single brand travel franchise organization with
1,000 locations in more than 20 countries in North and
South America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the
Middle East. Operating under a well-recognized brand
name, UNIGLOBE travel agents specialize in providing
travel services to small to medium sized corporate
accounts and to leisure travelers. UNIGLOBE services
include a 7-day, 24-hour customer call center providing
assistance to travelers worldwide. UNIGLOBE has its U.S.
regional offices based in Irvine, Calif.
The mission of the American
Society of Travel Agents and its affiliate organizations
is to enhance the professionalism and profitability of
members worldwide through effective representation in
industry and government affairs, education and training,
and by identifying and meeting the needs of the traveling
public. The Society is the world's largest and most
influential travel trade association with over 26,000
members in more than 170 countries.
ASTA's TOP Program Features
Tours Celebrating America With
Incentives for Travel Agents
and Consumers
New York City, Nov. 6, 2001:
Members of the American Society of Travel Agents' (ASTA)
Tour Operator Program (TOP) unveiled special tour
packages of the U.S. featuring incentives for both travel
agents and their clients. Tour operators participating in
this 2002 campaign include Globus & Cosmos, Julian
Tours, Sports Empire and Yankee Holidays.
"ASTA developed this promotion
with three goals in mind&emdash;to promote unity within
the travel industry, stimulate business during these
challenging times and to get Americans traveling again,"
said ASTA President and CEO Richard M. Copland, CTC.
"America is a diverse country with so much to offer
travelers, and there's no better time to get out and
rediscover its wonderful cities and countryside than
right now."
The following is a sample of
booking incentives now being offered exclusively to ASTA
members through the TOP program:
ß Globus & Cosmos: Both
ASTA agents and clients who book a Globus & Cosmos
U.S. tour will receive discounts off any purchase from
eBags (www.ebags.com), a premier provider of luggage,
backpacks, carry-ons and other travel products. Agents
and their clients can earn $50 off any eBags purchase of
$200 or more. For tours less than $200, the agent or
client will receive a 20-percent discount. Five agents
who book the most U.S. tours with Globus & Cosmos
will receive a $200 eBags gift certificate.
ß Julian Tours: Agents will
receive special net wholesale pricing and customized
itineraries to any U.S. or Canada destination, so that
the tour is branded as an exclusive offering by the
agency, as well as a $200 bonus check upon their client's
completion of the tour. Julian Tours will also provide
such treats for the traveler as complimentary wine at
dinner on behalf of the agency.
ß Sports Empire: ASTA agents
who book any of Sports Empire's 2002 NASCAR packages will
receive a Starbuck's coffee gift certificate.
ß Yankee Tours: All travel
agents who make book group tour or five individual
reservations on any
New York City package offered by
Yankee Holidays will receive a Yankee Holidays Travel Bag
filled with New York City surprises and an invitation to
a VIP FAM trip to New York City.
For further information on this
latest TOP promotion, ASTA members should call
800.ASK.ASTA to speak with Elizabeth Hallenbeck in ASTA's
Marketing Dept.
ASTA's TOP program was created to
identify reliable tour operators who are financially
responsible and reliable. TOP's mission is to expand the
professionalism and profitability of ASTA member agents
in three different ways, identifying reliable, travel
agent-friendly tour operators with which ASTA agents can
partner; promoting increased business exchange between
TOP tour operators and ASTA travel agents; and ultimately
increasing agency profits through increases tour sales.
To be a member of the TOP program tour operators must
meet the requirements outlined by ASTA. There are
currently more than 60 TOP members specializing in both
international and domestic destinations.
The mission of the American
Society of Travel Agents and its affiliated organizations
is to enhance the professionalism and profitability of
members worldwide through effective representation in
industry and government affairs, education and training,
and by identifying and meeting the needs of the traveling
public. The Society is the world's largest and most
influential travel trade association with over 26,000
members in more than 170 countries.
Travel Agencies Hard Hit After
September 11, ASTA Survey Says
New York City, Nov. 4, 2001
&endash; Travel agents continue to experience significant
declines in business volume nearly two months after the
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to the topline
results of a survey conducted this week by the American
Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). On average, agencies
said business was at about 41 percent of its normal
volume one month after the attack. Two months after the
attack, travel agents estimated their business would be
at about 50 percent of normal levels.
"The picture is not pretty," said
ASTA President and CEO Richard M. Copland, CTC. "This is
a serious situation for our members and all the travel
suppliers who rely on us. We intend to remain steadfast
in our efforts to aid our industry's recovery. The road
to recovery is going to be long, but travel agents are
resilient and they will pull through."
When asked about the business
implications within the next year, 10 percent of agents
expect to merge with another agency. About eight percent
said they expect to be forced to close their agencies and
another eight percent said they expect to sell their
businesses.
In the next 12 months, agencies
plan to implement a number of cost-cutting measures. Over
one-third of agencies intend to reduce the number of
full-time employees in their agency. A growing number of
agencies, 22 percent, anticipate increasing the number of
outside sales contractors they use. Of the agencies
surveyed, 24 percent plan to cut employee salaries and a
similar percentage plan to cut benefits and staff
training. Half of agencies plan to cut general overhead
and travel and entertainment budgets and 41 percent plan
to reduce their advertising and promotional
activities.
Travel volume is down in every
segment, but regional and intra-state travel are least
affected. Ninety-five percent of members reported
declines in consumer interest in international air
travel; 80 percent reported similar declines as to
domestic air travel; 78 percent reported a fall-off in
tour bookings; 63 percent reported declines in cruises
and only 45 percent reported decreases in regional
travel. In order for the travel industry and the U.S.
economy to recover, four things must happen as quickly as
possible and ASTA is making these the focal point of its
continuing government affairs campaign:
1) Public confidence must be
restored in the U.S. air transportation system. "Air
security must be upgraded to the highest possible level,"
said Copland. "ASTA has called for immediate
federalization of security and we continue to support
that move, as well as global air security
standards."
2) The government must change its
message that another disaster is imminent. "Public
confidence is already undermined," said Copland. "Such
vague warnings do nothing to help anyone. The government
and the media must be cognizant of the devastating
effects negative statements can have on the public's
willingness to travel."
3) The Congress must pass an
economic stimulus package that includes travel and
tourism. "ASTA supports efforts by the Travel Industry
Association of America and other travel industry
coalitions to include tax and incentive measures in
crisis legislation," Copland said.
4) Congress must direct the
further expansion of Small Business Administration and
other relief programs for small businesses suffering from
the aftermath of terrorist attacks. "We were extremely
pleased that the SBA expanded its loan guarantee program,
but further assistance is needed," said Copland. "The
on-going decline in business is as much a direct result
of the September 11 attacks as the total loss of the time
when there were no flights at all. Travel agents and
others are going to need additional assistance to
overcome this continuing crisis in public confidence in
travel."
"Our message continues to be that
there can be no recovery for airlines, the travel
industry or the U.S. economy without relief to assure the
continued availability of travel agency services," said
Copland. "Travel agents sell nearly 75 percent of all
airline tickets and serve as the primary distribution
source for many large travel companies. In these
confusing times, consumers need the advice and expertise
of a trusted expert to guide them through the maze of
information and regulations that exist in this
environment."
The mission of the American
Society of Travel Agents and its affiliate organizations
is to enhance the professionalism and profitability of
members worldwide through effective representation in
industry and government affairs, education and training,
and by identifying and meeting the needs of the traveling
public. The Society is the world's largest and most
influential travel trade association with over 26,000
members in more than 170 countries.
Travel Industry, Medical
Experts Offer Guidance
On Health and Well-being in
Wake of New Travel Environment
New York City, Nov. 4, 2001
&endash; The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) has
teamed up with medical experts in travel health and
psychology in an effort to provide travelers with advice
on preparing&emdash;both physically and
mentally&emdash;for the upcoming holiday travel period
and to address the concerns of the traveling public
post-Sept. 11.
"The upcoming holiday season will
be an important time for loved ones to be together," said
ASTA Vice President Kathryn W. Sudeikis, CTC. "It will
also be the first large-scale litmus test of how well the
American public adapts to a multitude of potentially new
challenges as they take to the skies or the
highways."
"Particularly after a crisis,
travel to visit family and friends helps people reconnect
with the community," said Michael Cohen, Ph.D., a
developmental psychologist and clinician and member of
New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's crisis response team.
"By maintaining what has become a very mobile society, we
send a powerful message about our resilience and our way
of life. However, the travel paradigm has changed
significantly over the past several weeks, creating new
anxieties and a new emphasis on ensuring overall physical
and psychological well-being throughout the
trip."
"It is important for travelers to
realize proper planning can help minimize and even
greatly reduce aggravation of chronic health issues such
as arthritis, overactive bladder and circulatory problems
sometimes associated with travel," said Bradley Connor,
M.D., director of the New York Center for Travel and
Tropical Medicine. "The upcoming holiday travel season,
and for the foreseeable future, will require more
attention paid to the overall planning process and to
chronic health conditions that may become troublesome
during prolonged periods in transit."
As part its travel health program,
ASTA recommends that travelers with pre-existing medical
conditions speak to their physicians about how and where
they are traveling, what medications should be packed and
how to anticipate, and ideally prevent, an episode of
illness or discomfort during travel.
ASTA also recommends that
travelers stay well informed by seeking the counsel of a
professional travel agent. "A travel agent can help you
determine the most efficient and comfortable way to reach
your destination, keep you apprised of schedule changes,
flight cancellations, delays or new airport procedures
and most importantly, provide you with recourse should
your travel plans be altered in any way," said
Sudeikis.
For more information about the
ASTA/Pharmacia Travel Health program, or to find more
tips for travel, visit www.astanet.com.
In March 2001, ASTA joined forces
with Pharmacia Corporation, a leading global
pharmaceutical company, to create a first-of-a-kind
travel health education program in an effort to promote
healthy and more enjoyable travel experiences for
individuals and their families. Through the development
of consumer and travel agent literature, seminars and
Internet initiatives, the unique program is dedicated to
helping travelers prepare for travel health and ensuring
that common but treatable health conditions like joint
and muscle pain, allergies, overactive bladder, and
motion sickness do not interfere with the enjoyment of a
trip.
Best Western Becomes World's
Largest ASTA Member
New York City, Nov. 4, 2001
&endash; The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA)
announced today, at ASTA's 71st World Travel Congress,
that effective Nov. 1, Best Western International has
become the Society's largest single member, measured by
the number of locations. Best Western International
corporate headquarters will continue its membership for
the 27th year, and its individual member properties will
become associate members.
"As the largest hotel chain in the
world, Best Western's action clearly demonstrates the
importance of ASTA to the vitality of the travel
industry. The Society is honored to count Best Western as
our largest member, and we eagerly anticipate a long and
fruitful relationship with its associates nationwide,"
said ASTA President and CEO Richard M. Copland,
CTC.
"Best Western is stepping up to
the plate financially and through education and
partnership programs to support the travel agent
community at a crucial time to recognize their
contribution to the travel industry's overall success,"
said Bob Gilbert, vice president of Worldwide Marketing
and Sales. "Travel agents have always been very important
to Best Western and represent 48 percent of our
reservation business. Agents are an effective, efficient
method to distribute our products and we want to support
agents through progressive commission policies and by
supporting their association &endash; the American
Society of Travel Agent."
Best Western has demonstrated its
support of travel agents by sponsoring educational
programs at ASTA's 71st World Travel Congress and
continuing its commitment to paying agent commissions.
Best Western is currently planning other joint promotions
with ASTA for 2002.
In addition, Best Western will
increase consumer recognition of ASTA by using the
Society's logo on promotional brochures, letterhead and
in its properties worldwide.
Best Western International is the
world's largest hotel chain, as of its third fiscal
quarter ending Aug. 31, it had 4,065 hotels in 82
countries and territories. It is a membership
organization of independently owned and operated hotels
that provides marketing, reservations and operational
support to its members.
The mission of the American
Society of Travel Agents and its affiliate organizations
is to enhance the professionalism and profitability of
members worldwide through effective representation in
industry and government affairs, education and training,
and by identifying and meeting the needs of the traveling
public. The Society is the world's largest and most
influential travel trade association with over 26,000
members in more than 170 countries.
SATH Awards Richard Sasso Its
Access To Freedom Award
New York City, Nov. 6, 2001
&endash; Richard E. Sasso, president of Celebrity
Cruises, received the Society For Accessible Travel &
Hospitality (SATH) Access to Freedom "Crystal Eagle"
award this afternoon at the closing general session of
ASTA's 71st World Travel Congress held in New York
City.
This award is the highest honor
SATH presents in recognizing an individual or
organization that has made the greatest strides in the
past year in creating economic opportunities for persons
with disabilities in the travel industry and for
promoting the awareness of and access for travelers with
disabilities.
"Richard, throughout his 30-year
career with the cruise lines, has developed a name for
himself as a travel industry powerhouse" said Richard M.
Copland, CTC, ASTA president and CEO. "That's why today,
he is being given an award of great importance. Thanks to
his work, he has given those with disabilities the
freedom to see and experience the world."
Sasso is considered to be one of
Celebrity Cruises' founding fathers as he was a member of
the senior management team that in 1990 successfully
launched the five-star, premium cruise line. He was
instrumental in the development of the brand and under
his direction, Celebrity consistently has been rated one
of the top premium cruise lines by industry guidebooks
and consumer surveys. Recently, Conde Nast Traveler's
annual Readers Choice Awards rated Celebrity as second in
the world and similar awards have been bestowed upon the
cruise line by Travel & Leisure. The Millennium-class
vessels have been a particular project of his, and he has
been instrumental in the development of this new
generation of Celebrity ships. In 1995, Sasso was
promoted to president of Celebrity Cruises, after serving
as the company's senior vice president of sales and guest
services.
Prior to launching Celebrity, he
held several executive positions within the cruise
industry. He began his career with Costa Cruises in 1971
as regional sales manager. From 1979 until he rejoined
Costa in 1983 as senior vice president and executive
officer, he was the general manager of Chandris
Cruises.
In 2000, Sasso was named chairman
of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), a
group for which he already had served as vice chairman.
Among his other association positions are as: chairman of
the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) from
1992-2000, a member of the executive committee for the
International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) and former
member of the grievance committee for the Florida Bar
Association.
Currently he is a member of the
American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), Association of
Retail Travel Agents (ARTA), National Association of
Cruise Only Agencies (NACOA) and the International
Campaign Committee of the Nature Conservancy. Travel
Agent magazine named Sasso "Cruise Industry Man of the
Year" in 1996, and three years later, NACOA named him
"Cruise Industry Executive of the Year." He lives with
his wife, Carmen, and his two children, Krystal and
Richard, in Miami-Dade Country, Fla.
ASTA, TIA Unveil USA Travel
Expert Program at Congress
New York City, Nov. 6, 2001
&endash; The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA)
today in conjunction with the Travel Industry Association
of America's (TIA) SeeAmerica marketing campaign,
unveiled its latest agent specialist course &endash; the
USA Travel Expert Program &endash; designed to promote
inbound tourism to the United States.
"This program has been designed
with the international travel agent in mind because
opportunities for them to learn about travel within the
United States have been limited up to now," said Bill
Connors, ASTA's senior vice president of meetings &
conventions/trade shows. "Those who complete the program
will be more knowledgeable about travel to and throughout
the country, and we believe they will find additional
business opportunities because of it."
The USA Travel Expert Program has
been designed around the concept of a core content area,
with optional specialty fields from which program
students will select a field of interest. In order to
become a registered USA Travel Expert, participants would
need to:
… complete all core course content
assignments;
… pass a final examination on the
core course content materials;
… complete all the requirements of
one specialty program;
… participate in a guided study
tour within the United States.
Education materials will be
provided in a variety of formats including print, video,
interactive CD-ROM and online. Additionally, workshop
sessions will be conducted by ASTA's Education
Department, as well local educators who will hold
small-group training sessions. Students will participate
in these workshops as well as work on independent
projects.
Participants would be required to
maintain their USA Travel Expert designation annually
through the completion of an additional specialty course
(TBA), or by attendance at either ASTA's World Travel
Congress, an ASTA Regional conference, ASTA's Cruisfest,
a TIA SeeAmerica Week, TIA's International Pow Wow (by
invitation only), or TIA's Marketing Outlook
Forum.
"We are pleased and excited to
offer this educational package in conjunction with ASTA,"
said Mark Hoy, TIA's vice president of international
marketing. "It is a perfect fit with TIA's SeeAmerica
marketing campaign and a great opportunity for travel
agents to become experts on selling the United States as
a destination, opening up new business ventures for both
agents and U.S. suppliers alike."
TIA is the national, non-profit
organization representing all components of the $582
billion travel industry. TIA's mission is to represent
the whole of the U.S. travel industry to promote and
facilitate increased travel to and within the United
States.
The mission of the American
Society of Travel Agents and its affiliated organizations
is to enhance the professionalism and profitability of
members worldwide through effective representation in
industry and government affairs, education and training,
and by identifying and meeting the needs of the traveling
public. The Society is the world's largest and most
influential travel trade association with over 26,000
members in more than 170 countries.
