Another Travel Advisor Conference has come and gone, and attendees are left feeling inspired and ready to level up their businesses. This annual conference, hosted by the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), is a favorite among both advisors and suppliers, as it’s jam-packed with learning opportunities and networking events.
“Each year, we gather to celebrate the incredible work of travel advisors, share knowledge that elevates the profession and chart the course for the future of travel. It’s more than a conference—it’s a rallying point for those who shape global travel experiences every day,” said ASTA President and CEO Zane Kerby.
Attending the Travel Advisor Conference is a great way to see how ASTA is supporting advisors not only during the event but throughout the year. From advocating for traveler-friendly policies at every level of the government to creating solutions to the increasing amount of scams in the industry, the association has travel advisors’ backs. Here are a few of the many ways ASTA supports travel advisors.
VeriVacation
At last year’s conference, there was a big focus on the enhanced Verified Travel Advisor (VTA) certification program, which was revamped to accommodate the modern travel advisor and increase consumer confidence. Recently, the organization has taken it a step further by introducing VeriVacation, a tool that connects consumers with trusted travel advisors to plan their vacations. The lead generator is offered exclusively to Verified Travel Advisors, which means there’s no better time than now for advisors to complete the program.
“ASTA’s work involves setting and maintaining ethical standards and practices with our Verified Travel Advisor program,” Kerby said. “We believe that VTAs are experts that both consumers and suppliers can trust.”
Prior to the Travel Advisor Conference, ASTA hosted a VTA fast track course, and this year, 65 advisors arrived early to complete it. Since VeriVacation’s launch, more than 350,000 consumers have searched for an advisor on verivacation.com.
Advocacy Efforts
According to ASTA's Vice President of Advocacy, Jessica Klement, when advisors think of advocacy, they should look beyond only government advocacy. It’s also about industry advocacy and what ASTA does to promote the profession to suppliers. “It’s about promotion,” she said. “It’s about promoting the travel advisor, who they are, what they do.”
Quoting her boss, Zane Kerby, at a Q&A during general session, she said that “if you are not at the table, you’re on the menu,” and explained that everyone in attendance has already taken their first step by being a member of ASTA. In addition to being a member, though, advisors need to figure out what’s important to them.
“Find out what is important to you,” Klement said. “Make it personal, and then you want to educate your lawmakers on that. Because if it’s not personal to you, and you don’t believe what you’re saying … your lawmakers aren’t going to either.”
In addition to creating pre-written letters for advisors to use and keeping them informed on issues facing the industry, ASTA members are constantly working on building relationships and talking to the right people who can make changes that benefit advisors.
As always, this year’s Travel Advisor Conference wrapped up with its annual Advocacy Dinner, and the event saw record engagement and advocacy milestones, with approximately 150 individuals contributing during the dinner.
“The incredible support we received is a clear sign that our members truly recognize the importance of ASTA’s advocacy efforts. Each contribution amplifies our presence on Capitol Hill and helps us keep championing the policies that matter most to travel advisors nationwide,” Klement said.
Meetings and Events
While the Travel Advisor Conference is a must-attend event each year, ASTA has several other events for travel professionals to consider — Caribbean Showcase, Legislative Day and River Cruise Expo, just to name a few. In addition to the larger industry events are the ASTA chapter events, hosted all around the U.S. To check out the upcoming events, visit asta.org/about-us/events.
2026 Travel Advisor Conference
As in past years, ASTA announced the location, dates and speakers for next year’s Travel Advisor Conference during this year’s general session. The event will take place at the brand-new Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center in San Diego, California, May 27-29, 2026.
Rachel Hollis, motivational speaker and New York Times best-selling author, is lined up to be the keynote speaker, along with several travel experts:
- Meredith Calloway, Co-Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Gifted Travel Network
- Angela Hughes, CEO of Trips & Ships Luxury Travel and a travel and tourism professor at Brigham Young University
- Kha Ly, marketing and technology expert specializing in the travel industry
- Denella Ri'chard, host of the popular television travel show Traveling With Denella Ri'chard
- Michael Schottey, ASTA Vice President of Membership, Marketing & Communications
- Nadia Sparkle, founder of Travel With Sparkle
Registration is already open for the 2026 Travel Advisor Conference. Industry professionals can click here to learn more or register.
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