The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) reports the Franchise Advisory Board (FAB) for Travel Leaders voted unanimously in favor of requiring membership in ASTA for all Travel Leaders franchisees, beginning in 2015.
The mandatory membership is to be phased in over the next two years, ASTA reports. Travel Leaders is modifying its franchise agreements specifically for Travel Leaders franchisees as they come up for renewal to add the mandatory ASTA membership language.
Travel Leaders Franchise Group also agreed to maintain its Premium Member status in ASTA as part of the deal, ASTA said.
ASTA president and CEO Zane Kerby commented: “We are grateful for our consortia and franchise partners and their leadership who are stepping up to the plate and recognizing that ASTA is the only national trade association advocating for the continued education and training, and positive growth of this profession.”
This is the third time that ASTA has reported an agreement for membership this year. In September it signed an agreement with the Signature Travel Network to mandate membership in ASTA, effective Jan. 1, 2015. And in June, the MAST Travel Network agreed to pay a portion of the ASTA dues for its members.
RELATED: Signature Travel Network to Require ASTA Membership
ASTA noted it currently represents approximately 8,000 members, although that number is much higher considering the number of agents who are represented indirectly as employees of member agencies. Total firms represented are about 3,500, of which 2,000 are U.S. domestic travel agencies.
Visit www.ASTA.org