ASTA Looks to Strengthen NACTA Programs for Home Based

With Scott Koepf resigning his post as president of the National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA), ASTA has the opportunity to look at the strengths and resources of both organizations and at ways to maximize them, said Chris Russo, owner of Travel Partners, in Broomfield, Colo., and ASTA’s president and chairman of the board.

NACTA, a wholly owned affiliate of ASTA, the American Society of Travel Agents, was established in 1986 to represent the interests of independent and home-based travel sellers. The organization also embraces host travel agencies and suppliers as members, offering networking and training opportunities such as its popular “Seminars at Sea.”

Koepf, who has accepted a position as vice president of sales with America’s Vacation Center, has been NACTA’s president since 2008.

NACTA Has Brand Recognition

NACTA is a great asset; the big question is “how can we make it better?” said Russo. However, “within 24 hours, I cannot tell you there is a full plan and it would be premature to say what we will do.”

Russo told Travel Market Report that Koepf was there working with him on a smooth transition. “We are working together to be sure NACTA is in a good place moving forward.”

NACTA has great brand recognition and great programs and we will continue to grow its training and alliances, Russo said. “I wouldn’t mess with that. The plan is to keep NACTA running strong and better,” Russo stressed.

A Time to Re-Assess

Russo said he couldn’t remember a time when he had seen so many CEO positions open and so much activity in the executive level of the industry. He said that made this a logical time to look at everything with a fresh eye — both within ASTA and NACTA.

”It’s an opportunity to look at the operation and how we move forward. Companies around the world are doing this. I’m in the process of evaluating ASTA and the entire operation with the board. This is something we’ll discuss at the Board meeting in September.”

Regarding NACTA, he said, there may be some ASTA benefits to share with NACTA and vice-versa. “This is an opportunity to see if there are synergies and ways to make the organizations more integrated and make both of them stronger.”

“There are a lot of options and it may take another form. Maybe it won’t have a president, but a managing director.

“Or, we may say this is the way it’s worked, let’s keep it the way it is,” Russo added.

Programs, Training to Continue
 
NACTA fills an important industry need in reaching “good quality people who are working from home and being hosted… people that everyone wants to reach…and provides them with great training and great resources,” Russo said.

In terms of Koepf’s departure from the post he has occupied since 2008, Russo said, “we were surprised by it. I was one of his biggest fans when we hired him and a lot that Scott has introduced that has been fantastic.

Sherry Laskin, owner of Florida-based Vacation Shoppe and chapter director for North East/Central Florida, agreed, saying that Scott has done a tremendous service for NACTA in a very short time.  “Changing the “C” in NACTA from “Commissioned” to “Career,” having the logo redesigned to represent NACTA’s home-based agent community, and creating the “NACTA Agent Life” magazine are only three of the many well-received innovations that Scott implemented in the last two years. His energy, leadership and organizational creativity will be missed by everyone.” 

Russo also noted that Koepf was working with him on the transition.

”The most important thing to keep in mind is that ASTA sees the importance of NACTA and that it will continue to serve its members, Russo said.

Sherry Laskin, owner of Florida-based Vacation Shoppe and chapter director for North East/Central Florida, said she believed that NACTA’s team would keep the organization humming. “Scott has assembled a terrific team at NACTA and I’m sure they will keep the momentum going until ASTA decides NACTA’s organizational future.”

“NACTA has great people working for it,” Russo agreed. “We have great people in all the key positions to keep things going and it will be business as usual.”