Each year, the American Society of Travel Advisors (also known as ASTA) brings together travel advisor members and preferred suppliers for ASTA Global Convention, a three-day industry event full of education, networking opportunities and business development.
This year’s Convention, held May 2-4, will take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino (registrants can secure early-bird pricing until Feb. 4).
We spoke with Sarah Little, vice president of business development at ASTA, to learn more about what attendees can expect at this year’s conference.
ASTA’s Global Convention promises attendees three days of inspiration, education and entertainment — can you give us some insight into what attendees can expect, based on these three pillars?
This year’s convention will kick off at Distrito T-Mobile, a premier entertainment venue in San Juan. Discover Puerto Rico is hosting this event, which includes local dining and drinks, entertainment and fun. On night two, we will hold the ASTA Advocacy Dinner — our annual black-tie gala — at Hilton Caribe, and it is sure to be a showstopper.
Attendees not participating in the Advocacy Dinner can party the night away at our inaugural non-black tie party, hosted by Virgin Voyages.
We are also excited for our main-stage interview with Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, CEO of Celebrity Cruises, conducted by Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg, co-president of Valerie Wilson Travel, a Frosch Company. In addition to our spectacular lineup of education sessions, advisors will also have the opportunity to participate in hands-on learning with our three pre- and post-fam trips focused on adventure, family and luxury travel, and our pre- and post-sightseeing day tours around the island.
What makes this a can’t-miss event for travel industry advisors and suppliers?
ASTA Global Convention stands apart from other industry events as we are the only convention to bring together key stakeholders from every corner of the industry. There is no other event that attracts leadership from every major consortia and host, elected officials, advisors from every type of business model, media (from both trade and consumer outlets) and travel suppliers.
Sarah Little, vice president of business development for ASTA
Credit: 2023 Sarah LittleThis year, the Global Convention takes place in Puerto Rico. Why did ASTA choose that destination to play host?
ASTA has held a long-standing partnership with Discover Puerto Rico. Their commitment to the agency distribution channel is unparalleled. We are so grateful to Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico; and Ed Carey, chief sales officer for Discover Puerto Rico, for their support in making this the best Global Convention to date. We are so excited that attendees will finally get to experience all that Discover Puerto Rico has to offer in-person.
How will this conference compare to past years’ events?
I think having this year’s event in San Juan is what sets this year’s convention apart. In addition to everything you’ve come to expect from our convention (including networking, education, B2B meetings and spectacular evening events), attendees also have the opportunity to join sightseeing tours and fam trips to experience the very best that Puerto Rico has to offer.
Do you have any specific goals for this year’s conference?
Here at ASTA, our No. 1 goal is advocating on behalf of travel advisors in Washington D.C. We hope our members will bring an industry friend to learn all about this important work, as we are always stronger with one voice. However, our goals also include helping advisors foster community and providing educational resources for advisors to be the most professional and profitable they can be.
We hope our members will bring an industry friend to learn all about this important work, as we are always stronger with one voice.
Travel advisors hoping to attend ASTA’s Global Convention should keep note of an important date: Feb. 4. Why is it important to take advantage of registration prior to that date?
Feb. 4 is the date our rates increase for ASTA Global Convention 2023. Advisors should make sure to register now to take advantage of our early-bird registration rates.
Educational sessions will focus on industry trends, new technologies, and techniques in marketing and sales. What do you hope attendees will gain after attending these workshops?
This year’s sessions will focus on sales and marketing, destination trainings, business operations and last — but certainly not least — advocacy awareness. Attendees can plan to walk away with insights into cutting-edge travel technologies, stronger sales prowess and smoother operations in their business. Our advocacy awareness training will teach advisors how to tell their stories in more effective ways, whether working with a supplier, a client or an elected official.
What are your hopes for the travel industry in 2023 and beyond?
Our hope is that the travel advisor industry will continue to grow — we are taking special actions at ASTA’s headquarters to ensure we attract new, talented professionals to the industry. You will hear all about it at this year’s convention.
