American Society of Travel Agents

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Logo of the American Society of Travel Agents.

The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) is a business improvement organization which represents and defends the business and regulatory public policy interests of travel intermediaries including travel agencies (including traditional "brick and mortar" agencies, online portals, mega- and corporate agencies, and small and mid-market businesses) and tour providers (including wholesalers and operators). The headquarters are in Alexandria, Virginia, USA; it is a US Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(6) tax-exempt not-for-profit entity.^{[citation needed]}

Its members include travel agents, intermediaries, and supplier companies who offer travel products and services such as tours, cruises, hotels, destinations, tourist bureaus, ground transport, car rentals, local guides and hosts. ASTA calls itself the leading advocate for travel agents, the travel industry and the traveling public, and has over 20,000 members in 140 countries. It is governed by a 15-member US-based Board of Directors drawn from members eligible to vote.^{[citation needed]}

Vision and mission

Vision Statement
ASTA seeks a retail travel marketplace that is profitable, growing and a rewarding place to work, invest and do business.^{[citation needed]}

Mission Statement
ASTA’s mission is to facilitate the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge and the enhancement of professionalism.^{[citation needed]}

History

The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) was founded on April 20, 1931 in New York City as the American Steamship and Tourist Agents Association. ASTA changed its name to the American Society of Travel Agents in 1946. On January 26, 2000, ASTA acquired the assets of The National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents, Inc. (NACTA) which is now a membership subsidiary, called National Association of Career Travel Agents since 2009. NACTA represents independent travel agents, cruise-oriented agents, home-based travel agents and outside sales travel agents.^{[citation needed]}

Executive committee

ASTA maintains a 5-person Executive Committee to handle most association decisions.^{[citation needed]}

2011-2012 Executive Committee

• Nina Meyer, CTC, MCC, DS — President and Chairman of the Board
• Tony Gonchar — Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
• John Lovell, CTC — Vice President/Secretary
• Scott Pinheiro — Treasurer
• Lee Thomas — Executive Board Member

Membership

Most members are based in the USA. ASTA is organized under New York State Corporation Law but located in Virginia, just outside Washington DC, to assist in its government and industry affairs.^{[citation needed]}

Voting members are only US-domiciled Travel Agent Members and Premium Members. According to ASTA bylaws (last revised in August 2009), ASTA has eight membership categories^{[citation needed]}:

• Travel Agent Members
• Premium
• International Travel Agency Company
• International Travel Professional
• Travel School
• Allied Company (product, service and information suppliers to travel agencies)
• Allied Associate
• Honorary

See also

• National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA)
• Outside Sales Support Network (OSSN)
• Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA)
• U.S. Tour Operators Association (USTOA)
• National Tour Association (NTA)
• U.S. Travel Association (USTA), formerly Travel Industry Association
• International Air Transport Association (IATA)
• International Association of Travel Agents Network (IATAN)
• Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC)

Related Sites

• ASTA.org - ASTA's Official website
• TravelSense.org ASTA's Consumer website
• Association of Special Fares Agents