nyone who attended ASTA regionals
earlier in the year or this week's World Travel Congress can
readily see that the Society's challenge, like those of all
meetings sponsors, is to produce successful events at a time when
there are fewer agencies and money is tight.
ASTA had hoped for at least 4,000 attendees here in Honolulu
this week; the final numbers will come in much closer to 3,000 and
some of the agent contingent was brought here by suppliers
cooperating with the Society.
It has been clear for a while that ASTA needed to consolidate
the many events it sponsors. Next year, the organization will
combine the Southern and Western regional conferences with a
meeting in Tucson, Ariz., April 10 to 13. Earlier, the Society had
combined what had been the Eastern and Central regionals into what
is now called the Northern regional conference. Next year, the
agents from the northeast and central states will meet in Orlando,
May 1 to 4.
The biggest step ASTA will take next year is to combine the
World Travel Congress in Miami with what had been a separate East
Coast CruiseFest. The two events will be held back-to-back Oct. 21
to 26.
ASTA will continue to operate a Western CruiseFest as a separate
event in Vancouver, May 29 to June 1.
Combining the major convention with the eastern CruiseFest makes
sense, given that the national congress was already scheduled for
Miami, the most important port in the cruise industry. The
scheduling will permit attendees of the World Travel Congress to
see the ships that sail out of both Miami and Port Everglades,
including a number of new vessels that will enter the market next
year.
The combination of meetings also will enhance ASTA's opportunity
to call attention to the cruise sector of the market, which is
proving to be an increasingly important factor in the fortunes of
the retail trade.
In the fall of 2004, when most travel pundits expect
international travel to have rebounded from the profound impact of
Sept. 11, 2001, ASTA's major annual event will be staged in Hong
Kong.
If all goes well, that event should generate renewed interest
among international host nations in sponsoring the annual
gathering.