The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) is relaunching its annual signature event, rebranding the ASTA Global Convention into "The ASTA Travel Advisor Conference."
2024's iteration will be held May 29-31 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas and feature a clear focus on teaching attendees the elite business skills needed to take their agency to the next level, ASTA announced on Tuesday.
Attendees who had previously registered to attend the ASTA Global Convention do not need to sign up again but those who haven't can register at traveladvisorconference.org.
Entrepreneur and tennis superstar Venus Williams will serve as the keynote speaker for this year's event, zeroing in on the business lessons she has learned as a leader across wellness, fashion, design and other industries.
Meanwhile, Chris Voss of The Black Swan Group, a MasterClass speaker, will also teach attendees business negotiation skills acquired during his time as one of the FBI's top negotiators.
Other speakers scheduled for The ASTA Travel Advisor Conference this coming spring include leaders in the travel space such as Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy and Chris Nassetta, President and CEO of Hilton. Professors from Harvard, UCLA and Arizona State will also be in attendance, as will speakers from TED and the Small Business Development Center.
Educational options will be geared toward travel advisor needs by "tracks" focusing on “Cultivating,” “Accelerating,” and “Innovating” one's travel business and will be beneficial to new entrants to the industry, existing travel advisors and even seasoned travel advisor leaders. ASTA will also debut on-site courses for credit toward an advisor's Verified Travel Certification.
Travel advisors can look forward to beneficial educational options regardless of experience level. (Photo Credit: ASTA)
The conference will see the return of early-riser educational opportunities for advisors who want to maximize their time in Dallas as well as repeat course offerings so attendees don’t have to worry about missing a session.
“We took a look at our annual event and knew that a sharper focus on business skills and growth would provide value for our members and the industry as a whole,” ASTA President and CEO Zane Kerby said in a statement. “I’m excited for next year’s event in Dallas, and I know that the advisors who attend will leave knowing how to take their businesses to the next level.”
“Why ‘The ASTA Travel Advisor Conference?' The name communicates exactly who the conference is for and reiterates our commitment to professional development regardless of experience level," he added.
"The new tiered education program includes top business school professors from UCLA, Harvard, and Arizona State. We’ve hired the FBI’s chief hostage negotiator and NY Times best-selling author to train ASTA attendees on negotiating."
"Travel advisors who attend will experience perspectives and training not available at other industry events," Kerby concluded.
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