ASTA South Florida Chapter

13/01/2025

Here is your ASTA South Florida Board of Directors at a dinner meeting to plan another fabulous year of events. Thanks to Laura Small Avital, Leon Ittel, Kameish Stanley, Stephen Thomas Schulere, Cinnamon Broceaux, Cathie Inman, Jan Hammond, Roger Dudley, Robert Hubbard, Valerie Dorsey, Michael Thompson, and Kelly Bergin for all their dedication and commitment!

12/12/2024

🌟 What a festive and heartwarming evening at the ASTA South Florida Chapter “Eddie Woodham” Holiday Showcase! ✨

Held at the beautiful Deer Creek Golf and Country Club in Deerfield Beach, this special event brought ASTA travel advisors and supplier partners together to celebrate the holiday season and honor the legacy of our dear friend and past chapter president, Eddie Woodham. ❤️

From lively entertainment and delicious cocktails to an engaging tradeshow and incredible prizes, the evening was a true reflection of the community and joy Eddie inspired.

Here’s to cherishing these moments and the amazing connections within our travel family! 🥂

06/12/2024

Exciting news! ASTA has just launched VeriVacation, a game-changing consumer lead platform.

ASTA is excited to announce the soft launch of our new consumer lead platform, VeriVacation, designed to connect travelers with ASTA Verified Travel Advisors (VTAs). VeriVacation allows travelers to find VTAs who are committed to excellence and uphold their fiduciary responsibility to their clients on every trip they plan.

Explore the tool now: https://verivacation.com/

ASTA developed VeriVacation in response to the notable increase in travel scams from unscrupulous so-called travel advisors, which has been reported by numerous national and local media outlets. There is a growing concern, echoed throughout the travel industry, over the lack of a nationally recognized and standardized credential for travel advising. VeriVacation provides travel consumers with a trusted solution in an under-regulated industry where anyone can call themselves a travel advisor.

A message from ASTA President & CEO Zane Kerby about VeriVacation:

"This initiative has become a cornerstone in our mission to professionalize and elevate the travel advisor industry. We've made tremendous strides in redefining what it means to be a travel advisor. The barriers to entry in our field have been too low for too long, but that's changing. Through education, certification and advocacy, we are collectively raising the bar. We are showing the world that being a travel advisor is not just a job—it's a respected profession built on expertise, hard work and passion. As the complexities of travel continue to grow, travelers need a trusted resource to help them navigate their journeys. VeriVacation is the answer, offering access to top-tier professionals who provide unparalleled expertise and personalized service.”

For more details, read our press release announcement: bit.ly/4f30K0G

A consumer awareness campaign to promote VeriVacation is planned to launch in early 2025. If you are not yet an ASTA Verified Travel Advisor, or your VTA certification has lapsed, now is the perfect time to earn your certification or recertify! Get started today: bit.ly/4f1PAcA

27/11/2024

Calling all Travel Advisors in ASTA South Florida Chapter and ASTA Central Florida Chapter and ASTA Suncoast Chapter and ASTA North Florida chapter and any other ASTA member that wants to attend the Eddie Woodham Holiday Showcase on Dec. 3rd. Register here. :

08/11/2024

ASTA Advisors & Suppliers! Join Us on November 12th at 3pm for our November Chapter Virtual Meeting featuring FyndTravel! Visit https://conta.cc/48HsKpg to learn more and register for our meeting.

25/10/2024

Special discount for delta flights for the ASTA Travel Advisor Conference!

We are pleased to announce Delta Air Lines as the Official Airline Partner for the ASTA Travel Advisor Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, May 20-22, 2025! Attendees can receive UP TO 10% OFF flights to and from the conference using the special discount code.

Learn more: bit.ly/tacdelta

16/10/2024

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Please join us on Dec. 3rd for our 2nd Annual Eddie Woodham Holiday Showcase, a festive event hosted by the ASTA South Florida Chapter in honor of our dear friend and past chapter president, Eddie Woodham. This event is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season with your fellow travel advisors and supplier partners while honoring Eddie's legacy.

Enjoy entertainment, cocktails, tradeshow and a chance to win some incredible prizes!

We look forward to seeing you at the Eddie Woodham Holiday Showcase and spreading some holiday cheer in honor of Eddie.

Get tickets on Humanitix - Eddie Woodham Holiday Showcase 2024. Deer Creek Golf Club, 2801 DC Country Club Boulevard, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, USA. Tuesday December 3rd 2024. Find event information.

04/10/2024

Introducing a new virtual event...ASTA River Cruise Week! This is your chance to engage with and learn more about many of ASTA's river cruise partners. ⛴

Participating river cruise brands include AMADEUS River Cruises, AmaWaterways, Globus family of brands (Avalon Waterways), Riverside Luxury Cruises, Riviera River Cruises, Van Loon Cruises and Viking.

📅 Mark your calendar now for the week of November 18-22. Stay tuned for more information coming soon, including how to register.

06/08/2024

“For decades IATAN and ASTA have worked collaboratively in support of airline and travel agency industries,” said Mark Meader, ASTA’s SVP of Industry Affairs and Education. “The VTA certification continues to gain recognition, momentum, and importance. IATAN’s validation of the credential is a vote of confidence and trust and will ensure the program’s continued success.”

Read our full press release here ➡ https://bit.ly/3WTZLKJ

01/08/2024

A journalist is working on a piece about late summer travel deals & planning for NBC News online.
Weigh in with your tips here: https://forms.gle/v11TpgUZLnvNqpx9A

The deadline to submit responses is Friday, August 2nd at 5pm ET, but the team will be monitoring responses on a rolling basis.

A journalist is working on a piece about late summer travel deals & planning for NBC News online. If you'd like to weigh in with tips, please answer the questions below in complete sentences. The deadline to submit responses is Friday, August 2nd at 5pm EST, but we will be monitoring responses on a....

26/07/2024

Last Tuesday, we gathered at the Ft. Lauderdale Hampton Inn for our "Discovering Ireland's Charms" event. It was a wonderful success!

Event Highlights:

Networking & Tradeshow: Attendees connected with fellow travel industry colleagues and explored exciting, unique supplier offerings.

Irish Refreshments: Guests enjoyed delightful Irish refreshments while mingling and building new connections.

Presentations: We heard from five top suppliers who shared their unique insights and offerings, making the event informative and engaging.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special evening. Enjoy the photos below to revisit the event's highlights!

25/07/2024

Did you miss our Chapter's July Newsletter? Click below to take a look!

Be in the know!   Please read our monthly newsletter to stay updated on your local and national ASTA events and news. July 2024 - ASTA South Florida Newsletter The digital edition of ASTA's 2024 Trave

29/06/2024

Make sure you and your clients are REAL ID compliant by May 7, 2025 to prevent any disruptions in travel plans. Travelers who use a driver's license as identification at TSA checkpoints must present a REAL ID-compliant license to board domestic flights, which are generally identifiable by a gold star in the upper-right corner.

Passports and other forms of identification will also still be accepted by TSA. These alternatives can be found here, though please note this list may change and checking before travel is recommended: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification

Learn more about REAL ID: https://bit.ly/3SLnUyh