by Robin Amster
Last updated: 11:30 AM ET, Mon April 11, 2016
ASTA announced that for the third year in a row, Carnival Corporation will sponsor ASTA consumer research into why travelers use professional travel consultants, how they use them and for what type of trips.
This year's study, "Best of Both Worlds: Quantifying How Travel Agents Save Consumers Time and Money," will reach more than 14,000 U.S. households, according to ASTA.
With the study, ASTA plans to reveal consumer travel trends and discern patterns related to the overall use of travel agents for planning and booking trips by travel type, the factors related to how a traveler chooses a travel consultant, and for what occasions.
It said the results will help ASTA member agents better communicate their value when marketing themselves to potential new clients.
ASTA is commissioning TNS Global, one of the world's largest market research firms, to conduct the independent survey.
"ASTA is critical to the success of our company and our industry, so anything we can do to support ASTA with this important research that helps us better understand consumer buying patterns is a win-win for both of us," said Roger Frizell, Carnival Corp.'s chief communications officer.
Zane Kerby, ASTA president and CEO, said, "While ASTA membership benefits include regular white papers and research, we simply don't have the bandwidth to carry out a project of this scope. Carnival is to be commended for generously supporting research that benefits all ASTA travel agents."
Detailed findings of the survey will be available for purchase on ASTA.org early next month, said Kevin V. Wang, ASTA director of research and industry affairs. For more information about the study, or to inquire about having ASTA staff share research findings at events, send a request to Wang at [email protected].
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