NEW YORK -- ASTA
this week officially launched a new structure that provides for two
membership levels; it also rolled out a new logo, new approach to
the name itself, revised slogan and revised mission and vision
statements.
ASTA COO Bill
Maloney also announced the Society has signed on its first 57
Premium members -- who pay $2,500 rather than $250 for a membership
-- as of Jan. 9 and said it was on track to make its goal of 65
Premium memberships this month. Those who sign on by Feb. 2 will be
identified as Charter Premium members. Maloney said the goal for
year one is 300 Premium members.
Cheryl Hudak,
ASTA president, said, "We've redone everything," starting with the
trade name. ASTA will continue to stand for the American Society of
Travel Agents, but going forward, the Society will use only the
ASTA acronym as its brand, much as many large corporations have
taken their acronyms as their business names, dropping the words
that created the acronym.
Maloney described the
new logo, which uses an artist's rendering of a globe intertwined
with the ASTA name, as a "modern and fresh identity." He said the
globe, rendered in a cool blue, reflects the nature of the ASTA
membership which is constantly building bridges around the world.
In a second rendition, the globe is a white dropout against the
blue as the background.
ASTA for some
years has used and promoted the slogan, "Without a travel agent,
you are on your own," but effective immediately, the Society will
make another point with the slogan by adding the word ASTA, as
follows: "Without an ASTA travel agent, you are on your
own."
Hudak said the
revised and simplified mission statement says exactly what ASTA is
about now, about helping its members sell travel. The statement
reads as follows: "ASTA's mission is to facilitate the business of
selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge
and the enhancement of professionalism."
And the new
vision statement is to "seek a retail travel marketplace that is
profitable, growing and a rewarding place to work, invest and do
business."
To contact the reporter who wrote this article, send e-mail
to Nadine Godwin at [email protected].