SAN DIEGO -- ASTA last year launched its Watch List initiative for advisors to report hotels that pay commissions late or not at all.
Now ASTA will expand on that premise to document anti-advisor actions by tour operators and cruise lines.
Much like the Hotel Watch List, the new initiative will feature a submission form for advisors to report things like aggressive book-direct incentives and client-poaching tactics, according to Mark Meader, executive vice president of ASTA corporate.
Meader addressed advisors at ASTA's Travel Advisor Conference on Wednesday.
Another practice the Society aims to spotlight is suppliers' refusal to pay commission on fully paid but canceled travel.
"The advisor is left uncompensated for their work," he said. We don't believe that's fair, and we do not believe it appropriately values the work advisors perform."
He added, " I think it's fair to say that most, if not all, suppliers want strong advocacy relationships, and many are indeed outstanding partners to ASTA. "Our goal is not conflict, it's accountability, transparency and healthier long-term alignment across the industry."
Meader said its hotel commission reporting has gone beyond "theoretical advocacy," resulting in "real money back in advisors' pockets."
Since the Hotel Watch List launched late last year, ASTA has received 160 hotel reports -- 94 of which have been resolved -- and more than $25,000 in recovered commissions.