NACTA Heads to Anchorage for September’s Annual Conference

The National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA) will hold its annual conference in Anchorage, Alaska, from Sept. 13 to 16, and agents still can take advantage of the opportunity to learn and experience one of the fastest growing destinations in North America.

Registration is still open for the conference and travel agent and exhibitor rates are still available at Downtown Anchorage’s Hotel Captain Hook.

“There’s just a natural momentum towards Alaska as there’s trouble in other parts of the world it also seems to push demand towards Alaska. Everyone who goes is never disappointed,” Holland America Line’s director of Alaska marketing and sales Bill Fletcher said.

Among other speakers, ASTA president and CEO Zane Kerby, senior vice president of membership and strategic partnerships Ann Chamberlin, and vice president of business development Bob Duglin will address attendees.

Non-ASTA speakers include Richard Earls, publisher of Travel Research Online, who spent part of his career as a travel agency owner, and Peter Kerr, president of KerrCommunications, who will share his insights about media engagement, crisis planning, intercultural communications and leadership improvement.

Agents also will be treated to an Alaska Adventure Day on September 16 (attendees should book their flight from Anchorage late on Sept. 16 or anytime on Sept. 17).

Choices still available for the Adventure Day include the Discover Denali Flightseeing with Rust’s Flying Service trip ($125 per person), the Blackstone Glacier Cruise with Major Marine Tours ($50 per person), Matanuska Glacier Walk with Salmon Berry Tours ($50 per person), and the Anchorage City Tour and Brewery Tour Lunch ($35 per person).  

Agents coming to town also can experience some of the best the state has to offer with tours to the heart of the Alaskan wilderness; NACTA is offering 11 options for pre-conference fams, though many already are sold out. Available pre-conference FAMs include a three-night trip to Denali National Park; a three-day tour of Kenai Fjord National Park; and a four-day Yahoo Mat Su Tour.

NACTA also offered three post-conference tours, of which two are still available: a three-night voyage on Alaskan Dream Cruise from Sitka to Glacier Bay National Park, and Juneau.

Registration is $329 for NACTA and ASTA travel agent members and $429 for non-member U.S. travel consultants. Enrollment officially closes on Sept. 5.