ASTA's International Travel Agent Summit at the International Destination Expo, April 19 to 22 in Turkey, offers international travel sellers from around the world the chance to network with each other and share international marketing strategies.
"IDE is a great event for International travel companies and we expect a good turnout. I’m told we currently have over 1000 total IDE registrants and expect final numbers to be between 1300 and 1500, said stated Wayne S. Nelson, senior manager, Industry Affairs & International Member Services.
"It provides a valuable package of networking, trade show, and educational opportunities. It attracts travel agents from the U.S. and around the world. The International Travel Agent Summit is a premier networking event, and IDE educational seminars offer effective marketing strategies and destination learning to help international travel companies enhance their presence and grow their business," he added. For more details, visit http://www.asta.org/Events/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1609&navItemNumber=596&navItemNumber=596.
Members of the International Chapter of ASTA are not just looking for connections to the U.S. market, noted Nelson. “A couple of years ago, ASTA re-committed our organization to serving and growing our international membership. As part of this process, we went out to our International members to find out what they wanted, what we were doing well, and what we could improve upon.”
“We had understood that our international members wanted connection to the U.S. market, but what we learned is that our international members also seek to develop international business contacts and to improve their global presence,” he told Travel Market Report.
“ASTA’s international membership is represented on ASTA’s Board of Directors and has historically been an important part of our organization,” he continued. “At that time, we already had in place a package of resources that were well-suited to this purpose, so we have continued to improve these tools and have focused on better promotion and instruction on getting the most value out of ASTA membership.”
In addition to face-to-face seminars at the International Destination Expo and THETRADESHOW conferences, ASTA conducts Webinars designed for international members.
ASTA is the world’s largest association of travel professionals, with members in over 140 countries. International Travel Company Members include travel agencies that offer inbound and/or outbound travel services, Nelson noted.
Nelson reported that global issues high on travel sellers radar include: “re-invigorating leisure and business travel during a challenging economy, using ever-emerging technology to operate and to reach new markets efficiently and effectively and changes in agency-supplier relationships, including compensation policies.”
ASTA offers international members a number of useful resources, he pointed out. “Specific resources include a package of on-line business tools that are unique among international travel associations. Tools include ASTA’s Web Exchange, a business-to-business marketplace through which ASTA members can post specific product and service offerings and to which other ASTA members around the world can respond.”
ASTA International Travel Company members also receive a free profile on ASTA’s Consumer Web Site, www.travelsense.org. The company profiles allow each member to provide additional information about their company, including specialties and experience. Nelson said that ASTA also facilitates consumer leads.
Another valuable resource is the ASTA Logo, Nelson said. ASTA’s Logo indicates to consumer and other ASTA members that members have agreed to abide by our Code of Ethics for travel industry business practices.
For a more complete listing of ASTA international member benefits, visit http://www.asta.org/content.cfm?ItemNumber=776&navItemNumber=1498.