More than 50 ASTA Premium Member companies, including executives from top travel agencies, travel management companies, consortia and franchise groups, and online travel agencies will meet in San Francisco, February 4-5 to discuss critical issues affecting the travel agency industry at ASTA's third annual Premium Business Summit.
ASTA's keynote speaker C. Stewart Verdery, Jr., head lobbyist at Monument Policy Group, will present behind-the-scenes advice concerning government relations, market conditions, policy deliberations and insights into the new Obama Administration. The goal is to help agencies understand the changes in store for the year ahead. Also speaking is David Collins, president and CEO of the Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC), who will address the issue of improving ARC's relationship with the travel agency community.
ASTA's industry experts will report on present and future business, regulatory, legislative and state issues. Participants also will break into corporate and leisure focus groups for in-depth peer-to-peer discussions of matters that most impact their business. In addition, participants will network at two receptions, ASTA said.
In addition to ARC, sponsors are: Vicki Freed, senior vice president, Royal Caribbean International; Jay Jones, senior vice president, Sabre Travel Network, the Americas; Tony Hughes, senior vice president Americas, Qatar Airways; Tony D'Astolfo, vice president/worldwide sales, Rearden Commerce; Cindy Perry, vice president, Travel Insured International; and Chris Austin, vice president/leisure and luxury sales for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
ASTA's Premium Membership category provides members with access to a unique suite of services, products and opportunities. ASTA invites travel agencies that would like to support the industry at this level to contact Cheryl Ahearn, ASTA senior vice president of market development at [email protected].
Visit www.asta.org.