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The Airlines Reporting Corporation’s (ARC) value to the travel agent community is very much a factor of being able to provide easy and efficient access to the broadest possible market of global suppliers, the ARC said, reporting that despite industry and economic challenges, ARC’s airline participation has been at record levels in recent months.
“A significant, and growing number of ARC’s participating carriers are foreign airlines that do not serve the U.S. directly and without a presence in the U.S. or effective means of reaching the U.S. agent community. Increasingly, ARC participation is recognized globally as a cost-effective and efficient means for airlines to create lucrative partnerships with the vast point-of-sale network represented by the ARC-accredited travel agency system,” ARC said.
ARC cited the contribution of APG/USA – the New Jersey-based affiliate of APG Global Associates - who has been instrumental in facilitating the entry of numerous off-line carriers (those not operating to the U.S.). The company provides an array of support services for the carriers in the U.S. as they grow their presence.
Likening their function to that of an airline incubator, Mike Premo, ARC’s vice president of marketing, sales, and customer care said: “APG has been of great value to both ARC and the agent community, not to mention their airline clients whom they relieve of the many complexities of establishing a sales and distribution presence. APG knows their business and have the tools in place that allow the airline to focus on providing their own unique service to the U.S. customer.”
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