ASTA Forecast Highlights Growth in Travel Advisors, Push for Industry Reform

At the National Press Club, the American Society of Travel Advisors gathered industry leaders this month for its annual Travel Industry Forecast, a data-packed and occasionally defiant state of the union for one of the most resilient professions in business.

“Predictions are hard to make, especially about the future,” ASTA President and CEO Zane Kerby said at the start of the event — invoking the wisdom of physicist Niels Bohr and Yogi Berra.

Yet the numbers speak for themselves: U.S. outbound travel surpassed pre-pandemic levels last year, with more than 107 million Americans traveling abroad – a sharp rebound from 98 million in 2019.

“More Americans are treating travel like a right, not a privilege,” Kerby said. “Travel is one of the few things that can get your teenager off their phone.”

The message was clear: Despite tariffs, political turbulence and ever-present uncertainty, the industry is growing — and the people driving it are adapting faster than ever.

Kerby noted that “travel advisor” is now one of the fastest-growing careers on LinkedIn, rivaling tech and AI roles. But he tempered the enthusiasm with a warning: “A shiny TikTok does not a travel advisor make.”

The profession’s low barrier to entry, coupled with rising consumer stakes, has left ASTA pushing for higher standards. Only four U.S. states require agency registration, and none mandate formal education.

To close that gap, ASTA’s Verified Travel Advisor (VTA) certification program has been expanded to include sales experience and recertification requirements.

“Earning your VTA,” said Kerby, “is a meaningful signal to consumers that they can trust you with their money and their time.”

That trust is at the heart of ASTA’s new VeriVacation.com, a public directory connecting travelers with vetted advisors. The site has grown from a few hundred listings at the start of 2025 to several thousand today – and it’s already generating measurable business.

“We’ll only be happy when there are a lot more zeros behind those numbers,” Kerby said.

But the loudest applause from the event came when he addressed a topic that has been simmering for years: delayed hotel commission payments.

“There is already an uncomfortably long lag between when our members recommend hotels and when they are paid a modest commission,” he said. “Brothers and sisters, these things ought not be.”

Last week, ASTA launched the Hotel Watch List, allowing members to report slow or non-paying hotels. If complaints go unresolved, the hotel’s name will be published.

The association is also proposing contract clauses that include penalties for late payments. “We are tired of excuses,” Kerby said. “It’s time to put slow- and no-pay hoteliers on notice.”

A Brief Outlook from Virtuoso

Taking the stage next, David Kolner, Executive Vice President of Strategic Communications at Virtuoso, announced the launch of the 2026 Virtuoso Luxe Report, which found that 67% of Virtuoso advisors expect travel demand to rise next year.

Family travel remains a top motivator, though Kolner noted a shift “from multi-gen to immediate family travel,” as travelers prioritize time among their closest loved ones.

Kolner also highlighted the evolving psychology of travel.

“It’s FOMO to slow-mo,” he said. “People feel the world is changing too fast. They want to see Antarctica now – but once they get there, they want to slow down.”

Perhaps the most telling statistic came from Virtuoso’s global review system. After surveying over a million travelers, the network reported a 99.5% recommendation rate for its advisors.

“That’s significantly higher than any major airline,” Kolner quipped. “And yes, we’re proud of that.”

Hot Ticket Issues On the Agenda

A panel moderated by Eric Maryanov, ASTA Board Vice Chair and CEO of All-Travel, brought together executives from Avoya, Global Escapes, Largay Travel, TravelSavers, and WorldVia. The discussion ranged from AI and professionalism to staffing shortages, commission delays and public trust.

Amanda Klimak, President and Co-owner of Largay Travel, recounted a recent meeting with Onyx CenterSource, a long-criticized intermediary for hotel commission payments.

“We discovered they have a willingness to talk to us – which is something we didn’t have before,” she said. “It’s giving us clarity on whether the issue is with suppliers or with the way payments move through the system.”

Nicole Mazza, CMO of TravelSavers emphasized professionalism and education: “It’s our industry. We need to protect it. We need to ensure those coming in are good ambassadors.”

Tiffany Hines, President and CEO of Global Escapes, took a firmer stance: “If a supplier delays or refuses to pay commissions, we stop doing business with them. Simple as that.”

On AI, panelists agreed that the technology is a time-saver, not a threat.

“Advisors using AI are getting three to four hours back in their day,” Mazza said.

Avoya CEO Marc Kazlauskas cautioned that AI tools can still provide inaccurate data: “If you rely on it blindly, it’ll bite you. But if used correctly it makes advisors faster, smarter, and more productive.”

The group also called for stronger safeguards against scams, better training for new entrants, and mentorship programs to close the widening experience gap.

“We’re not order-takers,” said Hines. “We’re consultants. What we do is complex, and it takes years to master.”

When asked what gives them hope, every panelist cited the same thing: the next generation. Young advisors are flooding into the business with fresh energy, digital fluency and a renewed passion for travel as a force for good.

“At a recent conference with 100+ new-to-industry professionals, the level of interest, engagement – and frankly business – they had was incredible,” WorldVia CRO Joshua Harrell remarked. “Everyone in that room realized that this is a career where you can make money and was excited about it. So, that’s what gets me jazzed.”

“Travelers want reassurance and they want that human connection,” Maryanov said to conclude the panel. “If we keep that front and center, we won’t just survive the headwinds, we’ll become indispensable.”

The data may shift, the tools may change, but as Kerby quoted Bill Clinton earlier in the event, the spirit of travel remains “endemic to the human spirit to go and see.”

Jacques Ledbetter is a Luxury Travel Advisor contributor and founder of The Luxe Ledger newsletter.

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