Jamie Biesiada
TOTOWA, N.J. -- At the ASTA New Jersey chapter's fall trade show here last week, networking between more than 150 advisors and 75 suppliers took center stage. But another theme emerged that evening: the importance of joining ASTA.
Like the chapter's treasurer and past president Rick Ardis says, "A consortia and host agency help you make money. ASTA helps you stay in business."
The trade show is a twice-a-year affair for New Jersey's ASTA chapter, which also encompasses New York's upstate and Hudson Valley regions. Ardis, also the owner of Ardis Travel in East Rutherford, N.J., said he's been arranging a spring and fall trade show for going on nine years.
The evening began with a seminar from Grupo Xcaret, followed by a trade show and dinner. While the trade show's hallmark is networking between advisors and suppliers, that continued into the evening at the dinner. Ardis said it's an important aspect of the event.
"It's a community, and that's the way you're building your community," he said.
The New Jersey ASTA chapter's membership numbers more than 500, and it's growing thanks largely to the independent contractor segment.
Joanne Hunt, the owner of Pompton Plains Travel in Pompton Plains, N.J., has been the chapter's president for seven years. She said events like the trade show are ideal for advisors, especially ones who are newer to the industry, to meet their peers and suppliers.
The event was open to all advisors, whether they were ASTA members or not -- which makes it a great introduction to the Society.
"That's a big focus," Hunt said. "We have someone here from headquarters, also from government affairs, to try and explain -- especially to the new [advisors] -- why it's so important to become involved."
ASTA's main goal is advocacy, and the chapter's goal is getting more advisors to join the Society, according to Ardis.
ASTA outlines its priorities
ASTA's Andrea Caulfield, director of membership, and Laura Vogel, director of advocacy, both attended the show. In addition to talking with advisors, they made presentations at dinner talking about what the Society does for the travel agency community.
Vogel, who joined ASTA in May with a background in political engagement, member engagement and advocacy in the energy and environmental fields, outlined the Society's two current areas of focus.
First is encouraging lawmakers to support the Flight Refund Fairness Act.
A Department of Transportation rule requiring that the "merchant of record" be responsible for refunding airline passengers if a flight is canceled or significantly changed goes into effect Oct. 28. While travel agencies usually aren't the merchant of record for air sales, there are times when they can be. The Society wants it stipulated that advisors are only responsible for refunds when they have the funds from an airline.
"It's basically just making sure that the travel advisor isn't on the hook for some giant amount when something does happen," Vogel said.
ASTA is also asking for support of the ACPAC Modernization Act. That would give "ticket agents," or travel agencies a seat on the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee.
"We're just hoping that we can add a seat to that committee to provide input with things like this, with the refund issue and some other issues," Vogel said.
Advisors can use ASTA's grassroots portal to send messages to their representatives about both issues.
Vogel said the Society is also monitoring some tax issues at the state level as they crop up; ASTA recently had a victory in Nebraska this summer on that front.
She also encouraged travel advisors to form relationships with their representatives.
"Any time you want to have a conversation with an elected official, feel comfortable to do so, because you're their constituents," she said. "You should feel comfortable to make a phone call any time, whether or not we have an issue."