 |
| (c) 2011 The Balancing Act |
As part of its ongoing program to promote professional travel agents, the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) has announced that Lifetime Television’s popular morning show, The Balancing Act, which runs weekdays at 7 a.m. EST, will again feature ASTA President and Chair Chris Russo when it airs on Aug. 12. During the ASTA segment, which appears during the “My Smart Shopper Series,” Russo will advise consumers on making the most of a limited travel budget.
“Great travel agents have preferred relationships with suppliers worldwide, and they can often give their clients hotel room or cruise ship cabin upgrades, extra amenities and all the niceties such as champagne upon their arrival that make a good vacation a great one,” said Chris Russo, ASTA president and chair.
“Travel agents often know about specials and deals that consumers aren’t aware of and know the best time to book certain types of vacations. Also, agents know how to make the distinction between cost and value. Sometimes you can pay the same but save tons of hassle and time by leaving the booking to someone else," Russo said.
Russo suggests consumers choose a travel agent like they would any professional and get advice from friends and relatives who use an agent they trust.
“Your best bet is to make sure they’re part of ASTA. Consumers can find an ASTA agent near them or according to their specialty by using the Find a Travel Agent search directory on TravelSense.org,” Russo explains. “The best agents want to establish a long-term relationship with a client, not just make one sale.”
The Balancing Act and ASTA are inviting appropriate companies to be content partners on the series. ASTA supplier members are entitled to a discounted rate. Interested companies may contact [email protected], attn: Programming Department.
ASTA and The Balancing Act promote each segment through a series of press releases, blog posts, social media, e-newsletters and other outreach efforts. Segment clips featuring ASTA are hosted on both TravelSense.org and ASTA.org following their air date, in addition to TheBalancingAct.com and other multimedia channels.
The TV show airs on Lifetime Television at 7:00am (EST/PST) – and focuses on women.
For more details about The Balancing Act, LLC please visit parent company O2 Media Inc. at www.o2mediainc.com