ASTA's MISSION IS TO PROMOTE
and defend
travel agencies & Advisors
ASTA's Advocacy Team is always on the look out for legislative and regulatory threats that could negatively impact our businesses and our clients. They also leverage our stories to make a bigger impact in the halls of power, and ensure we have a seat at the table when important legislation, regulations, or industry titans try to make moves that could harm us.
Investing in advocacy is investing in your business. No one is thinking about your business the way you are. If you're not investing your time and money in advocacy, you're not investing in your business.
Investing in advocacy is investing in your business. No one is thinking about your business the way you are. If you're not investing your time and money in advocacy, you're not investing in your business.
Current IssuesContinuing & Reintroducing Airline-Refund Related Legislation
With the Department of Transportations new rules introduced last year, airlines are required to refund travelers within 7 days of canceling their flights. The same is true for Travel Agencies that are the merchant of record for a flight (such as if you are selling a package). But the gap is that there is not a hard rule about how quickly airlines must refund travel agents — meaning we could be on the hook to refund with money we don't have. Last year there was legislation to fix that gap, but it died when the Congressional session ended, so ASTA is working to get it reintroduced for the new Congress. Giving Travel Advisors a Voice
ASTA is also working to get the ACPAC Modernization Act reintroduced - which will ensure ticket agents have a seat on the Department of Transportation's Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (ACPAC). Since we sell 40% of air tickets every year, we are uniquely positioned to speak on behalf of consumers, and deserve a seat on that committee. It was one of our priorities for the FAA Reauthorization Bill last year, but didn't make it into the final law, so this legislation will fill the gap. |
ASTAPAC & ASTA ADVOCACY FUNDTo effectively represent our interests, ASTA needs a seat at the table. In Washington DC, a seat at the table means building relationships and supporting the legislators who defend our interests.
ASTAPAC is our political action committee that contributes in a bipartisan manner to candidates who are consistent with ASTA on issues vital to the travel advisor and tourism industry. This tool has been instrumental in building political influence for the nation's working travel advisors for 40 years. The Advocacy Fund supports all the other efforts of ASTA's Advocacy work. Our chapter has a goal to raise $5,500 toward ASTAPAC this year. Learn more about why you should support the efforts by clicking the button below. |
Funding the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, government restrictions on and guidance against travel issued by an array of federal agencies highlighted the scattered nature of federal oversight of the travel industry. Intended to address this issue, as part of the year-end spending package (P.L. 117-328), in late 2022 Congress passed the bipartisan Visit America Act to establish a new Assistant Secretary of Travel and Tourism position within the U.S. Department of Commerce. This position will provide high-level leadership on travel and tourism, accountable to Congress, working effectively across federal agencies to develop and implement national strategies and policies that grow travel. The U.S. is the only G20 country without a federal agency or cabinet-level official in charge of tourism policy and establishing an Assistant Secretary will put the U.S. on par with its top competitors and provide a senior official to work with our partners across the world on travel issues. The Visit America Act authorized this position, but the broader package did not provide funding to implement it. As part of its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget request, the Biden administration requested $3.5 million within the Department of Commerce Department to fund the new office of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism. This request will be handled by the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, government restrictions on and guidance against travel issued by an array of federal agencies highlighted the scattered nature of federal oversight of the travel industry. Intended to address this issue, as part of the year-end spending package (P.L. 117-328), in late 2022 Congress passed the bipartisan Visit America Act to establish a new Assistant Secretary of Travel and Tourism position within the U.S. Department of Commerce. This position will provide high-level leadership on travel and tourism, accountable to Congress, working effectively across federal agencies to develop and implement national strategies and policies that grow travel. The U.S. is the only G20 country without a federal agency or cabinet-level official in charge of tourism policy and establishing an Assistant Secretary will put the U.S. on par with its top competitors and provide a senior official to work with our partners across the world on travel issues. The Visit America Act authorized this position, but the broader package did not provide funding to implement it. As part of its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget request, the Biden administration requested $3.5 million within the Department of Commerce Department to fund the new office of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism. This request will be handled by the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.
2024 RECAP
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Between 2012 and 2021, ASTA’s efforts led to legislative and regulatory “wins” that saved the industry an estimated $720 million in new taxes, fees and other costs. Learn more about ASTA's Advocacy
efforts at ASTA.org. |
