Home Based Travel Agent - June 2008 - (Page 24)

“Rigorous, but attainable criteria will be required to obtain the new ATR designation with a clear and vetted set of credentials identifying legitimate, professional travel sellers.” —Bruce Bishins, TRIP that at this point in time is a key to industry recognition. IATA/IATAN also has global reach. It identifies US Airline Appointed Agency and Travel Sales Intermediary (TSI) Agency personnel. The numeric code is basic as is the photo ID card for agents, including independent contractors. It is a key to reduced-rate air-travel benefits. Bishins is highly critical of IATA/ IATAN’s lack of transparency and accountability. This is especially true of the profitability from IATA/IATAN card sales. Revenues are presumed returned to the airlines—who eliminated agent commissions in 1995. Like IATAN, CLIA has strong defenders and critics. But Is It Necessary? Taking a different approach to the issues is Jim Smith, an industry consultant and president of Market Share Inc. With experience as an agent, consortia and supplier executive, Smith sees the agency industry in flux. “To me, adding another accreditation and identification program is redundant. I respect ARTA and TRIP and what they are trying to do, but is it necessary?” Smith sees the problem as a result of continued industry fragmentation. He questions the extent of supplier support for the TRIP program. “In my experience, industry suppliers maintain tight controls over any perks made available to agents. They have the technology to track agency and agent productivity. They know who delivers and who does not. In slack periods, they may feel free to disperse benefits to questionable producers. But they have Continued from page 23 Atlanta Airport Marriott Hotel. He also announced the creation of a new TRIP website at www.tripcorp.org, detailing the TRIP program and the Orientation meeting agenda. While optimistic about the industry’s response, Bishins admits that a battle lies ahead. The dominant forces remain IATA and its IATAN unit, along with the Cruise Lines Industry Association (CLIA), both offering cards. Bishins said that he believes that the cards offered by the Outside Sales Support Network (OSSN) and the National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents (NACTA)—both respected 24 groups—were more properly considered membership cards rather than industrywide accreditation. Bishins also stresses that TRIP—strongly backed by the Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA)—will be not only the first jointly managed travel agency accreditation and identification program, but the first managed by agents and suppliers. As a non-profit group, any revenues above costs would be funneled back to the industry to provide funding for a public awareness campaign on the value of professional travel agents. This would call into question the future of the IATA/IATAN ID Card Program Home-BasedTravelAgent JUNE 2 0 0 8 http://www.tripcorp.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Based Travel Agent - June 2008

Home Based Travel Agent - June 2008 Contents Editor's Note Publisher's Note Your Lifeline Agent Spotlight New Technology Industry News Hot Deals Indentifying Agents Delivering Documents Culinary Vacations Pacific Northwest Cover Story: Cruising Scandinavia Agent Access New Products

Home Based Travel Agent - June 2008

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