WASHINGTON -- When Richard Chojnacki accepted the task of chairing
ASTA's 2003 Northern Regional 16 months ago he had no idea that in
a small way he'd be making history.
A couple of weeks ago, ASTA's Chapter President Council, in a
near-unanimous vote [23 for, two against and one abstention],
decided to end regional meetings after this year. So, by a fluke of
scheduling, the Northern Regional, which will take place in Orlando
May 1 to 4, will be the last.
Chojnacki, who volunteered to chair the event after he stepped
down as president of the Upstate New York chapter over a year ago,
said the CPC made the right decision.
One of the big reasons for ending the regionals, according to
the CPC, is "to focus member resources and time on ASTA's annual
World Travel Congress."
Starting in 2006, the World Congress will alternate between Las
Vegas and Orlando.
"You get a lot of people who say, 'I won't go to the congress
because I went to the regional,' " Chojnacki said. "So it is a good
decision and a move in the right direction."
Deborah Mangas, president of the Mid-America chapter and owner
of Menno Travel Service in Goshen, Ind. -- and the person who would
have chaired next year's Northern Regional -- said regionals are
not what they use to be.
"We expanded the areas that they actually covered. Now they are
so big, and they are not close to home," said Mangas, who voted for
eliminating the regionals. At the same time, the market is
contracting, Mangas said, leaving fewer agents who are able to get
away.
Agents also are being more selective about what shows they
attend, she said.
"There is duplication in many ways," Mangas said. "I pay a lot
of money to be an American Express rep office. So if I am choosing,
I am going to attend the American Express meeting because it has
much more to do with my preferred suppliers."
According to Stan Morse, president of the Hudson Valley chapter,
ASTA regionals "had gotten to a point of diminishing returns."
And they have become a tougher sell. Despite the fact that the
Northern Regional boasts a $99 registration fee, hotel room rates
start as low as $109 and special air fares average about $150 from
many cities on the East Coast, early registration for the ASTA
trade show is down.
"We were hoping for between 400 to 500 [attendees]. That was
when we started 16 months ago," Chojnacki said. "Unfortunately, we
have fallen way short of that." He expects between 200 and 300
attendees.
Some ASTA members lamented the end of regionals.
"They were a great way to meet a lot of people who have similar
needs," said Teri Lightfield, general manager for Ya'lla Tours USA
and president of ASTA's Oregon chapter. "On the other hand, things
need to change."