American Society of Travel Agents
eTN Inbox: Maloney cites ASTA’s accomplishments
I just finished reading today’s issue of eTurbo News and am writing to express my extreme displeasure with the negative—and frankly, untrue—way in which ASTA is portrayed in your opening letter. Since this affects the perception of ASTA around the world, it is a matter of the highest importance to me.
To lead the edition with the statement “The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), as an organization, has not done much for its travel agent members.” does ASTA and its members a gross injustice. Further, to present this as if it were a matter of fact rather than the opinion of a disgruntled few completely ignores the numerous products and actions that ASTA provides its members, from relief from exorbitant fee increases proposed by ARC to the recent suite of financial tools to assist members in benchmarking their businesses.
What’s more, an obvious misstatement in the interview with Kathy Sudeikis was allowed to go to print without clarification or follow-up. The idea that a travel agent would have “their business singled out for some sort of a revenge by ASTA,” is ludicrous. Clearly, what was meant and what the context plainly requires was the idea that travel agents feared the possibility of revenge by ARC, not ASTA.
To list just a few of the things ASTA “hasn’t been doing,” in recent months alone, ASTA:
• Defeated ARC’s proposal to raise annual fees by more than 500 percent over the next few years.
• Fought and won legislative battles that would have harmed travel agents in 10 states including Michigan, Texas, Massachusetts, Montana, Pennsylvania and Florida.
• Opposed anti-trust immunity for airline consolidation as un-competitive.
• Testified on Capitol Hill on a number of issues, including the Transportation Security Administration’s Secure Flight program.
• Fought United’s policy of drafting agencies through ARC bank withdrawals for debit memos.
• Opposed new ARC agreement rules. As a result, some rules have been modified by ARC, to satisfy ASTA’s objection.
• Filed comments in multiple DOT rule-makings, that affect the way travel agents do business and that affect consumers’ demand for air travel.
• Actively opposed Chambers of Commerce and nonprofits across the country from promoting and selling travel for profit while failing to pay unrelated business income taxes.
• Publicly demanded that cruise lines explain increases in the non-commissionable portions of cruise bookings.
• Promoted the use of professional ASTA travel agents so that more than 339 million Americans have either read or heard ASTA’s message promoting the value of using an ASTA travel agent this year.
• Managed the critically acclaimed International Destination Expo–a tremendous opportunity for travel professionals to visit and receive in-depth education on international destinations.
• Managed and partnered in the industry’s largest trade show in North America. THETRADESHOW is an opportunity to meet hundreds of vendors, attend workshops and seminars, and network with other professionals in the travel industry.
• Influenced, through comments and lobbying, the final rules in Secure Flight to—among many others—gain more time for travel agents to comply.
As Kathy noted in her interview, today’s travel retailer no longer views the airlines as their one and only issue. It’s old news. Instead, travel retailers are focusing on building a successful business model, one that is structured for growth but that can adapt to a changing marketplace. ASTA members know this and that’s one of the many reasons they have joined—ASTA provides them the tools and resources to become more efficient and prosperous even in tough economic times. Our Premium category, which includes many of the larger travel management companies, has grown to more than 168 and we’re adding new members all the time.
I would hope, that as a responsible media outlet and a partner of ASTA, you would not only print a retraction but allow me, through an interview similar to that you conducted with Kathy, to enlighten your readers as to ASTA’s many positive accomplishments on behalf of its members and the industry as a whole.
William Maloney is the executive vice president and chief operating officer of ASTA.
Comments
As a second generation travel agent and President of a 45 year old brick and mortar travel agency, I ask, "If not ASTA, who?"
Who works on behalf of the small business owner in the travel agency community? ASTA does!
Who continues to advocate on the travel agencies behalf in Washington DC and abroad? ASTA does!
Who forms positive relationships worldwide promoting education, peace, and sustainable tourism? ASTA does!
If ALL travel professionals and travel industry businesses worldwide financially supported ASTA and became members allowing our association to grow, ASTA would be in a much stronger position to solve our industry concerns.
I believe "WE" the travel and tourism industry need "one voice" and if not ASTA, Who?
I applaud Mr. Maloney's article and list of accomplishments. It takes hours/days to put together such a well explained and comprehensive overview of accomplishments, the behind the scenes work and efforts of many continuing to give voice to the many unglamorous issues of a complex global travel industry.
I'm based in the Middle East and the travel agencies lack many things including a standard and organized support network of industry members. May ASTA continue it's leadership and openness. Is there a Middle East organization that can list such accomplishments?
May I add my points of personal experiences with ASTA over the years 2001 to 2006.
As a American businesssman working and living in Prague, and a consultant to the Ministry of Regional Development in the Czech Republic, the agency responsible for tourism development, I had the privilege of working closely with Bill Maloney and his very professional team in lobbying ASTA and ultimately assisting in their first ever INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION EXPO that brought a huge number of ASTA members to the Czech Republic. This event was a great success for all involved.
I noted that the ASTA members that I met through those years were always thankful and enthusiastic about the support they received from ASTA, and valued their membership immensely.
Of course in any large organization their may be some disgruntled members for one reason or another, but on balance, I believe that ASTA is doing a tremendous job over the years, and especially in recent times for the many times beleagured travel agent.
Thank you printing Bill Maloney's comments as Article 1 of this edition. I also felt that the comments that elicited his remarks were totally off-mark and untrue. I would hazard that none of us as retailers are "happy" with the current economic landscape. It's tough for everyone. There is no silver bullet, as ASTA all too well knows. Frankly, I don't understand how the amazing employees and volunteers at ASTA keep up morale. They just keep at it day after day, and their victories often go completely unsung because they are not the BIG victories of bringing the airlines back to our doors with hats in hand. ASTA is constantly reinventing itself to keep pace with current events. I pay my dues gladly every year and am grateful they are still there for me.
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