ASTA Recovers Nearly $60K in Unpaid Hotel Commissions

Toni Temple, a travel advisor with Cruise Planners, recently received a commission payment of more than $16,000 – but not until the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) stepped in, and 113 days passed after the final traveler in the group completed their stay. 

“I feel that until I reached out for help by ASTA, the property was ignoring me,” Temple said, thanking ASTA for the advice and direction provided to her during the process.  

The situation of late and unpaid hotel commissions is not uncommon and is the reason ASTA launched its Report a Hotel Commission Issue tool in late 2025. Since then, the organization has recovered nearly $60,000 in unpaid hotel commissions. 

“For travel advisors, commissions are not just compensation, they are the foundation of their business,” said Beth Butzlaff, General Manager, USA Virtuoso and Chair of ASTA’s Consortium Council. “When payments are delayed or never arrive, advisors are forced to spend valuable time chasing down earnings instead of serving clients. By providing a clear way to report and address commission issues, ASTA is helping drive greater accountability and support stronger industry partnerships.” 

The organization is also, once again, publicizing its Hotel Watch List, which identifies properties that have left travel advisors waiting on commission payments. The list is typically only available to members, but ASTA makes it viewable to the public quarterly to “promote transparency, encourage timely payment practices and remind travel advisors to report unresolved commission issues.” 

The Hotel Watch List includes properties that were reported for commissions that remain unpaid 45 days or more after a client’s completed stay.  

When a travel advisor reports a hotel, ASTA first contacts the property in writing to provide an opportunity to resolve the issue. If the hotel pays the commission within 30 days, they are not added to the list. But if they do not pay the commission, they are added to the list. 

This process has driven ASTA to recover $59,242 in commissions for its members. Temple is not the only advisor who has benefited. Joyce Davis, president of Joy! Cruises and Tours Inc., finally got a $3,000 commission check after ASTA pursued her case for several months. Kelli Benitez also went after lost commission she thought she’d never receive. 

“Had ASTA not sent out the recent Hotel Watch List, I don’t think I would have pursued this, especially since it was not a domestic hotel,” Benitez said. “I thought it was a lost cause. So, thank you ASTA for inspiring me to advocate for myself, trust the process, and helping me recover the commission that was due to me.”   

The Hotel Watch List will be publicly available to the public through Sept. 22.