6abc News Tells Viewers to “Use” Travel Advisors Without Paying

Imagine a news anchor getting on TV and telling viewers to call a lawyer for advice on how to fight a lawsuit and then suggest they do everything themselves without paying the lawyer. Or asking an investment accountant for advice on which stocks to buy and then not pay the accountant.

That’s pretty much what 6abc Action News’ evening co-anchor Tamala Edwards did this week when she told viewers to use an advisor for advice, then book on their own.

“In most cases, agents can book tickets and buy them hotels for little to no cost since the agents collect their fees and commissions from the suppliers, like the hotel or the flight. Yes, you’ll pay if the agent creates and books all of your itinerary but you can get around that by using them for a little advice and then calling the concierge and doing that part yourself,” Edwards said.

The response from the advisor community was rapid.

“What was most frustrating was the suggestion that people should use a travel advisor for all the research, expertise, and planning… and then go book it themselves. That completely undervalues the time, training, experience, and money that travel advisors invest into this career,” wrote Nicole Kelly, owner of Wander with Nicole Vacations, on Facebook.

“As a small business owner, I’m not just speaking for myself – I’m speaking for every travel advisor I know when I say we take great pride in what we do and work incredibly hard for our clients. 6abc Action News, you should be ashamed of yourselves for putting out such misleading and disrespectful information.”

“I don’t usually let opinions bother me… But when those opinions come from a professional newsroom and actively devalue the very profession and industry I’ve dedicated my career to, I’m not going to stay quiet,” wrote Jeramy Rulo, owner of Three Rivers Travel & Events.

Of Edwards’ comment, Rulo said, “That’s not advice, that’s straight up disrespect, dressed up for the camera. It takes a profession built on trust, expertise, and service, and reduces it to free labor.”

ASTA Responds

In its Travel Advisory Daily today, ASTA also responded to the incident.

“This kind of messaging misrepresents how our industry works and, more importantly, sends a troubling signal: that it’s acceptable to benefit from a professional’s expertise and then cut them out of the transaction. That’s not how any other professional service is treated, and it shouldn’t be how travel advisors are treated either,” ASTA wrote in the Daily.

“The stakes here are not theoretical. Travel advising is a small business industry—95% of agencies fall into that category, and 80% are female-owned. These are local businesses serving local clients, and messaging like this has real consequences. It also oversimplifies compensation in a way that creates confusion. While commissions are often built into supplier pricing, that’s only part of the picture. The real value of a travel advisor lies in the guidance, planning and support they provide throughout the entire travel experience — often long after the booking is complete.”

“We reached out directly to the TV station to address these issues. In that communication, we asked for a correction to ensure viewers have an accurate understanding of how travel advisors operate and the value they provide. We also offered to work with them on a follow-up segment and connect them with ASTA members in the Philadelphia area who can speak to the profession firsthand.”

The video has since been removed from 6abc Action News’ website. TMR has reached out to 6abc News’ assistant news director Christine Bowley for a comment. Neither ASTA nor TMR have yet received a response.