American Society of Travel Agents


The American Society of Travel Advisors is a trade association which was formed to represent and defend the business and regulatory public policy interests of travel intermediaries, including travel agencies and tour providers. The headquarters is in Alexandria, Virginia, United States; it is a US Internal Revenue Service 501 tax-exempt not-for-profit entity.
Its members include travel agents, intermediaries, and supplier companies who offer travel products and services such as tours, cruises, hotels, destinations, tourist bureaus, ground transport, car rentals, local guides and hosts. ASTA aims to act as an advocate for travel advisors, the travel industry and the traveling public. This society has its headquarters in Alexandria, VA.

History

The American Society of Travel Advisors was founded on April 20, 1931, in New York City as the American Steamship and Tourist Agents Association. ASTA changed its name to the American Society of Travel Agents in 1944. On January 26, 2000, ASTA acquired the assets of The National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents, Inc. which is now a membership subsidiary, called National Association of Career Travel Agents since 2009. NACTA represents independent travel agents, cruise-oriented agents, home-based travel agents and outside sales travel agents. On August 28, 2018, the organization was renamed to the American Society of Travel Advisors.
ASTA supported the Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014 Act, a bill that would extend the provisions of the Travel Promotion Act of 2009, which established the Corporation for Travel Promotion, through September 30, 2020, and impose new performance and procurement requirements on the corporation. ASTA President Zane Kerby said that the bill "is essential to marketing the United States as a desirable destination for international tourists, conferences and business."

Executive Committee, Board of Directors

ASTA maintains an Executive Committee to handle most association decisions.
2018-2019 Executive Committee
2018-2019 Board of Directors
Most members are based in the USA. ASTA is organized under New York State Corporation Law but located in Virginia, just outside Washington DC, to assist in its government and industry affairs.
Voting members are only US-domiciled Travel Agent Members and Premium Members. According to , ASTA has thirteen membership categories: