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Agent Issues

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ASTA’s membership drive faces challenges, TW survey finds
ASTA has completed a weeklong membership drive that the organization launched on May 14 to increase the percentage of travel agents it counts as members. A survey of Travel Weekly readers undertaken over two days of the campaign last week indicates that ASTA has its work cut out for it.

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Hiring initiative for veterans makes headway, says ASTA
Members of the coalition formed by ASTA to provide career opportunities to veterans and military spouses have hired more than 600 veterans during the first four months of this year. More»
Travel Impressions offering daily giveaways in August
Travel Impressions launched 31 Days of Giveaways, a promotion offering 31 days of travel agent prizes. More»
Reports forecast summer gains, but uncertainty surrounds fall
For U.S. hoteliers and online travel agencies, the living may be easy in summertime. In the fall? Not so much. More»
AA says direct connect progress slow with corporate agencies
When American Airlines in 2009 debuted on the public stage its direct-connect strategy, director of merchandising strategy Cory Garner envisioned that by curtain call "100 percent of our indirect volume" would go through the technology. More»
ARC to hold Helix Symposium in Atlantic City
Helping travel professionals understand their own selling personas and their clients' buyer personas is the focus of a session being held at ARC's Helix Symposium in Atlantic City, N.J., June 3 and 4. More»
YTB cuts staff by one-third, CEO departs
YTB International, parent company of the YTB Travel Network, laid off one-third of its staff and will replace its CEO as part of a major company shake-up that it says is part of “restoring the company’s profitability and focusing its strategy on its core business of web-based travel-related services.” More»
Amadeus to get some flight data from OAG
Official Airline Guide (OAG) will provide Amadeus a daily feed of schedule data, giving GDS users access more accurate information, Amadeus said. More»
Vicki Freed to lead Royal Caribbean road show
Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean International’s senior vice president of sales, trade support and services, will make her way across the U.S. to present “Royal on the Road,” an agent-focused program offering sales training and strategies. More»
Travel Leaders introduces consumer app with destination info
Travel Leaders Franchise Group has developed a mobile application for leisure clientele, offering information on top travel destinations around the world. More»
Cruise lines saving money by avoiding overrides, study finds
Major cruise lines are broadening the base of their agent distribution systems in an effort to sell more cruises through smaller agencies that are less likely to reach override volume targets, according to a UBS Investment Research study. More»
ARC's overhaul of reporting agreement elicits mixed reaction
Industry reaction last week to the first overhaul of ARC’s Agent Reporting Agreement in more than a quarter-century was mixed. More»
Cruise and Maritime Voyages paying commission on total fare
Cruise and Maritime Voyages, the U.K.-based operator of the Marco Polo and the Ocean Countess, is hoping to get the attention of U.S. agents by paying commission on taxes, fees and port charges. More»
Blue Sky ups agent rewards for Starwood bookings
Blue Sky Tours is offering members of its Mahalo Money Loyalty Program four times the cash rewards on bookings to Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Hawaii through the end of May. More»
DOT again delays proposed rules for ancillary fees
The U.S. Transportation Department once again has moved the goalposts on its eagerly anticipated and hotly disputed Enhancing Passenger Protections III notice of proposed rulemaking, this time to Nov. 30 from Aug. 10. More»
Study shows traveler numbers are down
While travel spending is on the rise, the number of people making leisure trips is not, PhoCusWright reported. More»
Travelport increases revenue, narrows loss
Travelport narrowed its first-quarter loss to $11 million, down from a $23 million loss during the same period of 2011. More»
Amadeus boosts GDS market share and revenue
Buoyed by a 6.7% rise in travel agents’ air bookings, Amadeus grew first-quarter revenue to 764.1 million euros (about $991 million at today’s exchange rate). More»
Mediterranean cruises face menacing headwinds
High airfares are compounding softness in summer Mediterranean sailings, cruise executives said here on Monday during a session at Vacation.com’s 14th International Conference and Trade Show. More»
ARC revises its Agent Reporting Agreement
ARC has rewritten its Agent Reporting Agreement for the first time since it was introduced in the 1980s, significantly changing rules governing ARC number allotments, agency transparency and the settlement remittance cycle. More»
Vacation.com launches consumer travel app
Vacation.com launched GoSiteSee, a mobile application that the consortium’s members can buy for their customers. More»

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5/23/2012
6th annual Tourism Human Resources Conference, sponsored by the Caribbean Tourism Organization
Barbados
5/30/2012
Successful Meetings event: SMU Colorado
Brown Palace & Grand Hyatt Denver, Denver
5/30/2012
HSMAI's MEET West
Anaheim (Calif.) Marriott
6/1/2012
Successful Meetings event: SMU Colorado
Brown Palace & Grand Hyatt Denver, Denver
6/3/2012
Global Spa & Wellness Summit
Aspen, Colo.
6/6/2012
Thailand Travel Mart
Impact Muang Thong Thani Exhibition Center, Bangkok

7/9/2012
Successful Meetings event: SMU Caribbean
Gran Melia Puerto Rico Golf Resort
8/8/2012
Successful Meetings event: SMU Florida
Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando
8/15/2012
ACTE Asia Education Conference
Singapore
8/19/2012
Successful Meetings event: SMU Southeast
North Carolina
9/5/2012
TravelAge West webinar: Hawaii Travel Outlook, part 3
Online
9/5/2012
HSMAI's MEET National
Walter E. Washington (D.C.) Convention Center

9/6/2012
International Expo & Business LGBT Mexico
Cancun
10/1/2012
2012 Global Congress on Travel, focusing on legal, safety and security
Houston
10/3/2012
TravelAge West webinar: Hawaii Travel Outlook, part 4
Online
10/8/2012
2012 Adventure Travel World Summit
Lucerne, Switzerland

Travel Weekly Poll

Voices

Consumer media discover that travel agents do exist
"Contrary to some thoughts, travel agents do exist ... We are usually able to get clients better prices, and we know we can see that clients have better experiences. And as our personal motto is: Our Service Travels With You."
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