Organizations in the Distribution Process - Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies - page 158

To promote consumer protection and safety for the traveling public

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To conduct educational programs for members on subjects related to the travel industry

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To encourage environmentally sound tourism worldwide

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To be an active ASTA member, a travel agency must be currently accredited with the Airline
Reporting Corporation or endorsed by the International Airlines Travel Agent Network. All ASTA
members agree to comply with the society ' s Principles of Professional Conduct and Ethics. Visit the

ASTA Web site at www.astanet.com .
A smaller organization of travel agents is the Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA). They are the
voice of the small and independent travel agents. The purpose of this organization is similar to that of
ASTA, but ARTA does not supply the range of services provided to the members of ASTA. Although ARTA
addresses many travel agency issues at different levels, its two primary activities are to provide education
and training to its members and to lobby on their behalf. Visit its Web site at www.artaonline.com .
For specialized travel agencies that sell only cruises, there is the National Association of Cruise
Oriented Agencies (NACOA). This group provides promotional and management assistance to its
members. On a global scale, travel agent organizations include the United Federation of Travel Agents '

Associations and the World Association of Travel Agencies.
Particularly in the British Commonwealth and in the United States, there are travel agents organi-

zations whose purpose is to raise business and professional competency and to award certi cation. In the
United States, The Travel Institute, formerly the Institute of Certi ed Travel Agents (ICTA), provides an
educational and certi cation program leading to the designation CTC (Certi ed Travel Counselor), CTA
(Certi ed Travel Associate), and Certi ed Travel Industry Executive (CTIE). The Travel Institute has
developed unique destination specialist courses, which cover destinations such as Alaska, Caribbean,
France, India, Mexico, South Paci c, and Southern Europe. In addition, it has developed Lifestyle
Specialists programs such as accessible travel, adventure travel, gay and lesbian travel, luxury travel,
skiing, spa travel, and sustainable travel. With ASTA, it developed the Travel Agent Pro ciency Test (TAP).

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Travel agents love to send their clients to relaxing and idyllic settings such as the Abaco Beach Resort
and Boat Harbour in Abaco, Bahamas. PhotocourtesyofAbacoBeachResortandBoatHarbour.