Skift Take
Travel agencies need to get younger, and more creative, if they're going to survive. For what it's worth, some agencies are doing what it takes protect themselves from the travel companies that want agents sliced out of the industry.
At first glance, it seems like travel agents faced another tough year in 2015.
Travel brands like Lufthansa Group continued the push to get consumers to book directly, therefore eliminating the need to pay travel agent commission.
States around the U.S. also tried to pass additional taxes that would pare away the bottom line of travel agencies.
American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) CEO and president Zane Kerby, however, says that U.S. consumers have begun to embrace travel agents once again, even if the message hasn't made it out into the media.
Kerby, who is about to enter his third year at the helm of ASTA, recently oversaw the introduction of a reduced-cost membership for independent agents. He spoke to Skift about the rise of independent agents, how industry trends are helping travel agents and the ways in which smart travel agencies are preparing for the future.
Skift: Anyone following trends in the travel agency community knows that independent agents, and home-based agents, have become a strong force in the industry. Is ASTA's new reduced-cost membership for independent agents due to a recognition of this?
Zane Kerby: I've been out and talking with many of our membership groups, our local chapters, our local magnet chapter members, and if you're brand new in the industry or you're a second career person just looking to get in, the price point was sometimes a struggle.
This is a way for us to provide some services to that small member who needs what ASTA provides, m
