ASTA Brings Focus to Timely Commission Payments

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Image: Save money using a travel agent. (Photo via Melpomenem/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
TravelPulse Staff
by TravelPulse Staff
Last updated: 5:30 PM ET, Thu August 31, 2023

The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) released a statement that it supports and applauds the timely payment of supplier commissions from its member supplier organizations. To further support travel advisors, ASTA will maintain a list of organizations that adhere to the commission payment timeframe.

“We applaud our supplier partners who are committed to working closely with the travel industry and making sure that advisors get paid on time for the hard work they do,” said Zane Kerby, ASTA President & CEO. “Some suppliers withhold full payment of commissions until travel is completed. With our members often working 12 to 24 months in advance on complex travel itineraries, this practice creates a number of problems for the hard-working advisor community that must be addressed.”

ASTA’s senior leadership worked with its Consortium Council as well as its Proud Partner Committee to create consensus and support for the timely payment of commissions.

“Many thanks to the staff at ASTA for the work put into this initiative,” said John Werner, President & COO of MAST Travel Network and Chair of the ASTA Consortium Council. “A lot of thought and due diligence was necessary, and it couldn't be done without their experience and expertise with these kinds of matters. Thank you also to the Consortium Council for its support and for looking out for the interests of travel advisors in your networks.”

The statement is meant to champion companies that do more to recognize the contributions of the travel advisor community to their success—companies like Explora Journeys.

“We are offering our travel advisors very healthy commissions, up to 18%, with no NCFs, the industry’s first Rolling Commission Payment Program travel advisors can earn commission now on the receipt of deposit funds or when a guest pays in full. We also pay the balance of the advisor’s commission within 21 days of the receipt of final payment funds—150 or 90 days prior to guest embarkation,” said Chris Austin, Explora’s Chief Sales Officer.

Any ASTA supplier member that has adopted the best practice can ask to be included on the list by emailing the society at B2B@asta.org.


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