IATAN Adds ASTA’s VTA to its Accreditation Program

ASTA’s Verified Travel Advisor (VTA) program got a big boost recently when the International Airlines Travel Agent Network (IATAN) added the program to its agency accreditation process.

While not required, the VTA program is now a recognized “Recommendation” option for IATAN’s accreditation process. Aside from the course’s offerings, advisors who choose to take it also get the benefit of being able to opt out of IATAN’s Errors and Omissions Insurance policy requirements.

“For decades IATAN and ASTA have worked collaboratively in support of airline and travel agency industries,” Mark Meader, ASTA’s senior vice president of Industry Affairs and Education, said in a statement announcing the news yesterday. “The VTA certification continues to gain recognition, momentum, and importance. IATAN’s validation of the credential is a vote of confidence and trust and will ensure the program’s continued success.”

The VTA program is seven years old—ASTA launched it in the summer of 2017—but has been continuously updated by ASTA to keep its members best prepared for a changing world of travel.

At this year’s Travel Advisor conference, ASTA announced some major changes to the program, including new requirements to qualify for VTA—at least two years in the business with sales volume of over $500,000 in one of those years or five years with sales volume at $250,000—and mandatory recertification courses every two years.

Currently, there are 150 ASTA members in the VTA, and its board of directors, along with chapter presidents and chapter officers, have all committed to participate in the program. ASTA does not have plans to make it a requirement for its members.