August 18, 2020

Contact: Erika Richter
Erichter@asta.org

Congress Needs a One-Way Ticket Back to the Capitol

Against this backdrop of human suffering, extraordinary job loss and business failure, and impending eviction, our elected leaders decided to leave the city for their August summer recess. They have done so without coming to any agreement on additional COVID relief. 

Nearly 80 percent of our members applied for and received relief from the unprecedented relief programs earlier this year.  And even with that assistance, a vast majority of U.S. travel agencies will still go out of business in less than a year if they don’t get more support.

Of the of travel advisors who will be out of business if Congress doesn’t provide relief – 25 percent expect to be out of business in three months, and almost 16 percent will be out of business in six weeks or less. These figures say it all.

My message to Congress is simple: Get back to work and support the small businesses who desperately need your help. Even if you have done so already, we urge you to contact your Congressional representatives and tell them to get back to work. The future of our industry depends on it! 

Sincerely,

Zane Kerby

President & CEO

American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA)

ABOUT ASTA
Rebranded in 2018 as the American Society of Travel Advisors, ASTA is the leading global advocate for travel advisors, the travel industry and the traveling public. Its members represent 80 percent of all travel sold in the United States through the travel agency distribution channel. Together with hundreds of internationally-based members, ASTA’s history of industry advocacy traces back to its founding in 1931 when it launched with the mission to facilitate the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge and the enhancement of professionalism. For more information about the Society, visit ASTA.org. Consumers can connect with an ASTA travel advisor at TravelSense.org.