Three finalists will compete for the $10,000 prize at the Travel Advisor Conference May 29-31 in Dallas, TX
Alexandria, VA, February 22, 2024 - The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) is pleased to announce that the annual Entrepreneur of the Year contest has commenced, and applications are now open, with entries being accepted online until March 29, 2024.
The Entrepreneur of the Year Award was established in 2015 by the Dan and Gloria Bohan Foundation to promote the entrepreneurial spirit in the travel and hospitality industry through recognition of innovators who have either established their own businesses or who have been responsible for significant entrepreneurial initiatives within an existing organization. Each year, the Foundation, in conjunction with ASTA staff and membership, selects one person or organization that best exemplifies this spirit of entrepreneurship to receive the Award and a $10,000 cash prize.
“Winning ASTA's Entrepreneur of the Year in 2022 provided me with exposure I wouldn't have gotten otherwise, as well as a chance to promote TAToolkit further as an award-winning product,” said Debby Corwin, Founder & CEO of TAToolkit and 2022 winner of the Entrepreneur of the Year winner. “The prize money provided me with a cushion to do some program enhancements and try some marketing that might otherwise have needed to wait awhile. My advice to applicants is to be very relatable to your target audience; speak to their pain points. I knew the audience was getting my message when I told them TAToolkit could help them go to bed when their spouse does - and they laughed, which is exactly what I wanted!
"This was a game-changing moment for Travefy that helped us grow our business significantly,” said David Chait, Founder and CEO, Travefy & 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year winner. “Even beyond the cash prize, the exposure we received from winning the award allowed us to reach so many incredible advisors we otherwise might not have had the opportunity to. If you are selected as a finalist, you get incredible exposure to amazing travel advisors from across the country as well as invaluable advice from judges to help you grow. Applying for the contest is one the best decisions Travefy ever made."
"I highly recommend any and all travel entrepreneurs to apply for ASTA's Entrepreneur of the Year Award,” said Meredith Hill, Chief Visionary Officer at Gifted Travel Network & 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year winner. “It has been a game changer for myself and my business. Embracing entrepreneurship is the way forward for travel advisors and we continue to need those who have successfully navigated the journey to inspire us."
Persons or organizations that wish to be considered for the Award must submit all of the following:
- The completed online application setting forth the nominee’s name and/or company name and contact information.
- A narrative statement, not to exceed 500 words, describing the nominee’s contribution to entrepreneurship in the industry and illustrating it relates to the benchmarks described in our evaluation criteria.
- A video, of no more than five minutes in length, which describes and/or demonstrates the innovative product or service and its value. The video must be uploaded to a file sharing site, such as YouTube, Vimeo or DropBox (send us the link).
- Certification that, if selected as one of five semi-finalists, the nominee grants ASTA permission to post the nominee’s submission video and narrative statement on a members-only ASTA webpage; and
- Further certification that, if selected as one of the three finalists, the nominee will participate in the Entrepreneur of the Year session at The ASTA Travel Advisor Conference in Dallas, Texas, May 29-31, 2024 (session date and time TBD).
Candidates can find access to the online nomination submission form here. Learn more about the contest process here.