The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) plans to form a new task force to evaluate technology developments and their impact on travel agents' business.
Jay Ellenby, ASTA's chair and president of Safe Harbors Business Travel, made the announcement during ASTA's Premium Business Summit at the Westin Times Square in New York City.
Ellenby noted Google's growing involvement in travel technology as well as, "Amazon, the other gorilla in the room."
Amazon, too, he said, is getting more involved in the travel space. Calling tech developments like those from Amazon and Google, exciting, Ellenby added, "We have to address that. How do we stay in front of it?"
The new task force will observe current and emerging technology and focus on educating ASTA's membership including webinars and sessions at ASTA events like its annual ASTA Global Convention.
Although its members have yet to be named, one of the task force's co-chairs will be Marc Casto, president and CEO of Casto Travel. The task force will consult through regular phone calls and report to ASTA's Board of Directors.
"It will talk about current technology and what is coming out four to five years from now," said Ellenby. "It will then make sure to get the word out, so we can be educated as to what is taking place."
ASTA President and CEO Zane Kerby reported that "ASTA is good and growing." The association had a 14 percent year-over-year growth in revenue and has been in the black now for four consecutive years.
ASTA's travelsense.org consumer site received half a million unique viewers last year while ASTA's new Verified Travel Advisor Certification program has proved successful, Kerby added. A new course on charging service fees-run by industry consultant and head of Future Proof Travel Solutions Noland Burris - has been introduced for the program.
Kerby acknowledged "angst around certain supplier moves," along with the current administration and Congress' "slight protectionist strain."
ASTA is always working behind the scenes to protect travel agents and consumers, Kerby said. "We are an industry to be reckoned with. Things that are anti-agent are often anti-consumer and anti-competitive."
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