8:00am – 10:00am

Moderator: Peter Greenberg, CBS News Travel Editor
Panelists: Roger Block, President, Travel Leaders Franchise Group
Andrew Stewart, Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Passenger Services, Norwegian Cruise Lines
Dan Sullivan, Vice President of Strategic Accounts, Collette

What does tomorrow's leisure consumer look like? What’s hot in cruising, multigenerational travel, heritage travel, responsible tourism, sustainable tourism and “bucket list” travel? You will leave this seminar with great insight into what your marketing focus should be in 2015.

Presenter: Nolan Burris, Chief Visioneer, Future Proof Travel Solutions

Nolan will show you how to leap to new levels of excellence. He'll help you reinvent your role from agent to advisor. You'll learn how to bridge the gap between needs and desires to transform transactions into remarkable experiences. Most of all, you’ll learn how to become truly indispensable.

Presenter: Bob Becker, Senior Vice President, Consumer Research, Norwegian Cruise Line

Join cruise industry sales legend Bob Becker for sales training that will help you and your team close more sales. Bob’s proven sales methods will open the door to more business and give you sales acumen that can be used to sell practically anything – including cruises!

10:15am - 11:15am

What would you do? Solve your toughest problems and surpass customer expectations every time

Presenter: Fernando Amaral, Director Conversion Sales, Sabre

Satisfying the ever-increasing expectations of clients is a daily challenge. Content and technology resources are available from so many places… It’s hard to know who to trust and how to keep your workflow smooth and efficient. So, what would you do?

Join this session to learn about the tools from Sabre Travel Network® that will help you get more done in a day and keep your customers coming back year after year. We’ll discuss real-world scenarios you may find familiar to illustrate the benefits of:
- Sabre Red Apps and how they allow you to customize your Sabre Red Workspace
- Sabre Red Mobile Workspace so you can stay connected, even on the go
- TripCase Connect so you can deliver branded travel documents and connect with clients while they’re traveling

Become a Puerto Rico Travel Expert (PRTE)

Presenter: Gabriel R. Emanuelli, Director of Global Sales & Narciso A. Moreno Beiso, Senior Sales Manager, Puerto Rico Tourism Company

Puerto Rico was named the Best Island in the Caribbean and the Best Destination for Weddings by readers of the USA Today and 10Best.com. This is where your clients want to be. Learn how to become a Puerto Rico Travel Expert and earn more! The PRTE course gives you the tools you need to create better vacation experiences for clients and earn cash rewards for yourself! Program participants are eligible to win up to $2,000, an IPad or a 5-night Puerto Rico FAM trip (including participation in the inaugural International Tourism Expo). Just one booking required to be eligible for the drawings!

Presenter: Nolan Burris, Chief Visioneer, Future Proof Travel Solutions


Let’s face it, we have customers of all sizes, shapes and ages, and to be successful we have to know how to market to the unique differences of each group. This session will look at the differences between these generations and help you know how best to communicate with each group. It’s a lot more than just adding the word “like” in every sentence.

Growing Your Business with Sandals & Beaches Resorts

Presenter: Alice McCalla, Director of Industry Affairs, Sandals

Join Sandals for a product update on how to maximize your marketing opportunities and increase sales by utilizing existing Sandals and Beaches marketing tools and leveraging their brand.

Presenter: John Pittman, VP, Industry Affairs, ASTA
Presenter: Eben Peck, VP, Government Affairs, ASTA
Join John and Eben as they guide you through your current federal regulatory obligations, including the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) new hazardous materials, code-share disclosure, insecticide and advertising rules. In addition, they will also walk you through DOT’s proposed consumer rules that may have an impact on the way you offer air services to your customers. Even if you aren’t an ARC agency, this is information you need to know. Agencies of all sizes and business models have been hit with fines ranging from $20,000 to $125,000 in 2013.

Pesenter: Maria Panizo, Ph.D., Director, Market Intelligence & Customer Insight, Amadeus

Presentation Description: Join Amadeus’ director, market intelligence & customer insight and renowned travel industry expert Maria Panizo, Ph.D. for an exclusive and stimulating look at the best ways to seek out new customers and retain existing ones. Over the last 25 years, Dr. Panizo has conducted thousands of traveler interviews, gaining a deep understanding of the specific needs of travel sellers, traveling consumers and travel suppliers. During the workshop, attendees will discover:

• Travelers’ needs and map their specific priorities
• Why a personalized value proposition is key to differentiating yourself
• The best customers to target in an ever changing world
• Using technology to better understand your customers

This fun and interactive approach will provide every attendee an easy to use plan to be more successful. Immediately gain best practices through this interactive session so come explore the newest way to “win” customers in this ever changing industry.

Presenter: Bob Becker, Senior Vice President, Consumer Research, Norwegian Cruise Line

Join cruise industry sales legend Bob Becker for sales training that will help you and your team close more sales. Bob’s proven sales methods will open the door to more business and give you sales acumen that can be used to sell practically anything – including cruises!

Presenter: Nolan Burris, Chief Visioneer, Future Proof Travel Solutions

In this fun, upbeat and lively workshop, you'll experience an honest and helpful look at this sometimes controversial subject. You'll look at the rationale behind fees and explore issues that make the difference between fees-success and failure. You'll learn how to deal with price-sensitive customers, long-time clients, objections to fees, scripts and techniques and much more.

Just what is the relationship between the environment and tourism, and what is being done to better protect our planet?

Learn why some customers are demanding the companies they support develop and adhere to standards for environmentally responsible travel.

Presenter: Camille Olivere, SVP Sales, Norwegian Cruise Line

Learn the administrative nuts and bolts of selling. How do you organize the process? What are some low-cost CRM tools that are available to you? How do you leverage CRM opportunities available through third parties such as ASTA, consortia affiliation, etc? And how do you focus your team to sell preferred suppliers and motivate/compensate them?

10:30am – 11:45am

Morocco Travel for Real

Become a Morocco Champion. Morocco is the exotic gateway to Africa. It has Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, a rugged mountain interior and a history of independence. Its rich culture is a blend of Arab, Berber, European and African influences. Morocco is also host of the next ASTA Destination Expo in 26 Feb - 1 Mar.

Presented by ASTA’s Young Professional Society

Join this lively discussion about all things tech for the travel professional. These speakers will cover various hardware, software, app, and gadget topics to help you be more productive and successful regardless of your role as a travel professional. Are you using any of these in your business: DropBox, Square, Evernote, Neat Receipts, Google Drive or Microsoft Outlook?

LEISURE FEES 101:
Getting Started with Professional Fees [REPEATS]

Presenter: Nolan Burris, Chief Visioneer, Future Proof Travel Solutions

You may call yourself a travel advisor, a travel consultant or travel professional, but do you charge fees like one? Or, are you still totally reliant upon commission?

In this fun, upbeat and lively workshop, we'll take an honest and helpful look at this sometimes controversial subject. We’ll look at the rationale behind fees and explore issues that make the difference between fees-success and failure. You'll learn how to deal with price-sensitive customers, long-time clients, objections to fees, scripts and techniques and much more.

The Soft Touch: Developing Clients for Life

Presenter: Gloria Stock Mickelson CTIE, ACC, Senior Manager of Education and Training, Travel Leaders Franchise Group

This workshop would discuss the “soft touch” elements of building and maintaining a long-term relationship with your customers. Relationships are built, and are more than making the right recommendation at the right price and selling the product.

Write the Right Marketing Message, at the Right Time, to the Right People

Presenter: Melissa Teates, Research Director, ASTA

ASTA’s research on the “Value of a Travel Agent” yielded tremendous information on why consumers use, don’t use or may potentially use a travel professional. Getting to these consumers and then getting them to pay attention to you, comes down to the messaging we send in email, on our websites, via Facebook, etc. First, marketing strategy and goal setting will be discussed. Then we’ll walk you through the potential marketing messages derived from the “Value of a Travel Agent” including the best platforms for the sample strategies examined.

General Session

Sponsored by: Amadeus

Just what is the relationship between the environment and tourism, and what is being done to better protect our planet?

Learn why some customers are demanding the companies they support develop and adhere to standards for environmentally responsible travel.

Presenter: Stephanie Wear, Director of Economic Development, Tenerife Tourism Corporation

In this seminar, you will discover the jewel and largest of the 7 Canary Islands, a Spanish territory located in the Atlantic Ocean southwest of the Iberian peninsula. Tenerife offers great 75-80 degree year round weather, a broad range of 4 & 5 star resorts, and all of the safety, sophisticated infrastructure, and culture of Europe. Our session will explore the history of the island and its impact on the founding of the United States, the diversity of landscapes and activities available including nature discovery, gastronomy and wine, the Unesco world heritage sites, magnificent beaches and the island's crown jewel, El Teide national park, an 11,000 foot high volcano where you can enjoy one of the world's top 3 locations for stargazing, bird watching, and unique species of fauna on earth.

Art of Selling YOU!

Presenter: Nolan Burris, Chief Visioneer, Future Proof Travel Solutions

Having a unique, well-defined and authentic personal brand is one of the keys to success. A strong personal brand will differentiate you from your competitors; ultimately making you more marketable. No two professionals are the same; and those nuances, differences and distinctions make up our “brand.” What makes you special? Where have you traveled? What certificates do you have? Are you active in ASTA? Are you active in your community? All of these accomplishments are part of your brand—and set you apart from your competitors, but how do you sell your brand?

LEISURE FEES 201:
Fees to the Max: Learning To Easily Charge $500 and Up as a Fee!

Presenter: Nolan Burris, Chief Visioneer, Future Proof Travel Solutions

Custom trip designers offer the best blend of destination knowledge, insider connections, consumer advocacy, and value for your dollar and in return, they command fees that you’ve only dreamed of. Just take a look at Conde Nast’s annual travel agent list and you’ll see proof. Find out how they do it, and see if this is where you want to go.

Survival Guide to Social Media

Presenter: Nolan Burris, Chief Visioneer, Future Proof Travel Solutions

Social media has been with us for many years, yet its value seems to elude many travel agents. Find out how to survey the Social Media Frenzy and focus on the business opportunities offered by various social platforms and learn how to transform a static customer list into a vibrant, engaged client community.

Database Marketing FUN-damentals: The Art of Building Future Relationships

Presenter: Nolan Burris, Chief Visioneer, Future Proof Travel Solutions

It has often been said that a database IS your business. It is one of the most valuable assets of all should you ever decide to sell your agency. It is also one of the most important tools for success today if used strategically.

We'll be taking a non-technical view of agency databases from the perspective that matters the most: building relationships. So while we won't be discussing bits, bytes and clicks, we will be talking about how to get the most from whichever database you have, or are considering.

Presenter: Paul Ruden, Senior Vice President, ASTA

This session will examine the things travel agents can do to limit their liability when a disaster strikes, a supplier goes bankrupt or something goes wrong on a cruise or tour, as well as look at the steps that can be taken to minimize risk overall. While designed for the owner/manager and independent contractor, this session is open to all.

Retaining & Attracting Talent

What are the best practices for employee retention? How do you attracting skilled/unskilled travel agents? How do I compete with other agencies for talent? Agent panelists will speak about what works and what doesn’t, while Melissa will provide labor benchmarks.

Welcome & Thanks: Zane Kerby, CEO, ASTA

Presenter: Andrew Stuart, Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Passenger Services, Norwegian Cruise Line