Some final thoughts are in order on the ASTA World Travel Congress
wrapping up here in Strasbourg:
It seemed a smaller crowd that in many past years, although ASTA
said the number of agents was a little higher than at the last
European venue, Glasgow in 1997. The difference, ASTA said, was in
the number of suppliers, particularly the number who came to
operate the booths at the trade show. Instead of four or five
people from a company, ASTA said many suppliers sent one or
two.
Was it because suppliers are giving a lower priority to this
meeting or was it just prudent fiscal management after years of
splendid excess?
The money spent by suppliers certainly seemed tighter in every
area. No luncheons were provided for the delegates other than a few
by invitation only. There were fewer sponsored social events and
the ones that were held were scaled down from past years.
Part of the reason might have been the costs here in Strasbourg.
France is a wonderful place but not the least expensive country on
the planet.
Logistics were a problem all week. Taxis were at a premium. It
was not uncommon to see delegates walking some distance because
they couldn't find transportation. But the common belief that the
French are indifferent to tourists wasn't the case.
One morning, a colleague and I were stranded after a breakfast
event and searching vainly for a taxi. A woman in her own car
stopped to offer advice on where to find cabs and, taking pity on
us, agreed to take us back to our hotel herself.
The official program had helpful sessions for the estimated 1500
agents. Bruce Tepper, a travel industry consultant, had a
well-attended session on service fees and there were sessions on
other ways for agents to earn money.
The general session content was spotty. The obligatory
opening-session folkloric presentation had good moments but was
marred by mediocre skits featuring a faux American couple.
The highly-anticipated "town meeting" allowing agents to
question ASTA officials on the airline commission situation was
lively but not enough time was allowed for it.
More than any convention in recent years, this meeting
highlighted the split in attitude among agents dealing with a
difficult airline compensation problem.
Many of the agents here were fearful, some on the verge of
giving up the fight to survive.
But as many or more came here confident in their future, defiant
in their response to the airlines' actions, and determined to find
ways not just to survive but to prosper.