At the ASTA Global Convention in Washington, D.C., the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) will be announcing that it is changing its name to the “American Society of Travel Advisors,” bringing its subsidiary National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA) under the ASTA banner as the “ASTA Small Business Network,” and launching a major consumer awareness campaign.
Travel agents are not just booking agents anymore. We've become trusted advisors – akin to financial advisors and CPAs – who make the overall travel experience better and get leisure and business travelers maximum value for their travel dollar. What's more exciting is that the consumer media and, more importantly, the traveling public is embracing this shift from agent to advisor. We are embracing it as well and will be announcing a name change and launching a rebranding campaign at the Global Convention.
While our name is changing, ASTA's mission to promote and defend the agency and advisor community isn't, nor is our world-class suite of member benefits.
At the same time, we are taking the opportunity of the rebrand to reimagine the relationship between NACTA, ASTA, the travel industry and the traveling public after 32 years of NACTA providing its members a community dedicated to the professional enhancement and shared knowledge of independent travel consultants. The goal of bringing NACTA under the ASTA banner as the “ASTA Small Business Network,” undertaken after extensive consultation with both NACTA and ASTA’s volunteer leadership, is to take our industry – and our members’ business – to the next level.
Additional details of the rebranding/reorganization will be provided in the coming weeks and months. We encourage those wishing to learn more to join us at this month’s ASTA Global Convention (August 21-23) and NACTA Annual Conference (August 23-25) in Washington, D.C., where the formal launch will occur and new logos unveiled.
ABOUT ASTA
ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) members represent 80 percent of all travel sold in the United States through the travel agency distribution channel. Together with hundreds of internationally based members, it is the leading global advocate for travel agents, the travel industry and the traveling public. ASTA’s history of travel industry advocacy traces back to its founding in 1931 when it launched with the mission to facilitate the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge and the enhancement of professionalism. For more information, visit ASTA.org.
ASTA’s sister association, The National Association of Career Travel Agents, represents a professional community of independent travel agents ready to assist the traveling public.
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