ASTA Kicks Off 2025 Caribbean Showcase in Jamaica

The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) kicked off its 2025 Caribbean Showcase at Sandals South Coast in Jamaica over the weekend.

The 4^th annual convention, which runs from Aug. 23 to 27, started with a wet but energetic welcome reception on Saturday night, adopted by the primary basic session on Sunday. Focused on promoting Caribbean journey, the occasion educates about 200 journey advisor attendees about ASTA, provider companions, and the preferred Caribbean locations – with a number of ministers of tourism taking part. 

“The Caribbean is an extremely important outbound market in the United States, and many islands are experiencing record levels of travel from the United States,” Zane Kerby, president and CEO of ASTA, advised members, noting that the occasion “provides a massive opportunity; you will have knowledge based on experience.” 

Candid Caribbean Conversation

Peter Greenberg, CBS News’ journey information editor, moderated a dialogue between 4 of the tourism ministers that lined subjects of sustainability, airlift, and experiential journey. All agreed that rising tourism sustainably is high of thoughts as a result of “If we don’t preserve our product, there will be no product to sell,” Carlos James, St. Vincent’s minister of tourism, advised the viewers of advisors. 

To this finish, the ministers additionally spoke about the advantages of low-density tourism versus mass tourism. James mentioned his nation just isn’t selling mass tourism, however reasonably extra bespoke, high-end experiences for fewer guests.  

Meanwhile, Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s minister of tourism, famous that there’s a place for mass tourism in international locations with bigger populations that rely on it for its economic system. Thanks to the journey business, Jamaica as we speak has its lowest unemployment fee in historical past. 

Airlift, particularly between the islands, continues to pose a problem for the international locations and is one thing the ministers are strategizing on, they mentioned. Once vacationers do arrive, they more and more need to have interaction in “experiential travel,” a pattern that the ministers mentioned their locations are uniquely geared up to ship on. 

“In a sense, that’s the beauty of being small. The fact that new trends suggest that tourists want more personalized experiences gives us and travel advisors more opportunity to customize what the experience should be with them,” mentioned Dr. Ernest Hilaire, St. Lucia’s minister of tourism. “Our smallness makes us charming; it makes us appealing. There’s something you can’t find anything else in the world.” 

This was solely the primary “fireside chat” between tourism ministers, and leaders from different Caribbean international locations are scheduled to talk later within the convention. 

ASTA Updates

Kerby spoke about ASTA’s mission to safeguard the journey advisor career and the methods it goals to perform it: business partnerships, authorities advocacy, {and professional} improvement.  

Two present, key business initiatives for ASTA are making certain immediate fee funds and pushing again on cruise traces’ non-commissionable charges (NCFs). Kerby introduced that ASTA will introduce a brand new perform on its web site that enables ASTA members to report suppliers that don’t pay commissions on time or in any respect. 

“This is a real problem in our industry, and at ASTA, we are sick and tired of slow- and no-pay suppliers,” Kerby mentioned, noting that ASTA additionally plans to fulfill with cruise line companions to debate eliminating NCFs. 

Kerby – and later, ASTA’s advocacy group – urged the journey advisors to get entangled in its authorities advocacy efforts, particularly by attending its annual Legislative Day in October and donating to ASTAPAC.  

Finally, Kerby promoted ASTA’S Verified Travel Advisor (VTA) certification program, which can assist advisors advance their careers. It not solely supplies them with precious schooling however, as soon as they turn into a VTA, provides their profile to ASTA’s new consumer-facing lead technology web site, VeriVacation.com. 

Strong Supplier Partnerships

Many provider companions with Caribbean merchandise are attending the Caribbean Showcase to fulfill with advisors at Supplier Dine Arounds on the property and at Monday’s commerce present. However, none loom as giant because the internet hosting accomplice, Sandals Resorts International. 

Gary Sadler, EVP of gross sales and business relations at Unique Vacations, Sandals’ dad or mum firm, expressed his appreciation for journey advisors and drove residence why they need to e book Sandals Resorts. 

“We do pay commissions on every single thing your clients eat, drink, and do,” Sadler mentioned, noting that advisors get bonus commissions once they upsell to greater room classes and luxurious packages. 

He added that ASTA’s work in sustaining excessive requirements for the journey advisor career has made a direct constructive influence on Sandals and introduced Kerby with Sandals’ Caribbean Award of Excellence. 

Sales administrators for suppliers reminiscent of Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Discover Puerto Rico, and Jamaica Vacations Limited additionally gave shows about new product and journey advisor incentives.  

Virgin Voyages’ Angela Garner, regional gross sales supervisor in West Florida, for instance, mentioned the younger cruise line will quickly have its largest Caribbean season but after it debuts its latest ship, Brilliant Lady, later this 12 months.