Advocacy efforts by ASTA, ACTA take the stage at AMG's confab
ORLANDO -- "How many of you have had trouble collecting hotel commissions?" ASTA president and CEO Zane Kerby asked a room full of advisors at American Marketing Group's Travel Market 2025 here -- and throughout the room, advisors vocalized their agreement.
"It's a big problem," Kerby said, "and it's something ASTA has taken very, very seriously."
ASTA two years ago published a list of suppliers who pay commissions within 30 days of an advisor remitting payment. While he didn't provide further details, Kerby said ASTA is gearing up to take on the suppliers who aren't on that list.
"We're going to really start calling out those people who do not pay commissions on time, because that's a problem for the industry," he said to applause. "It's a problem for you; it's a problem for us."
Kerby was part of an on-stage discussion about advocacy alongside Wendy Paradis, president of the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA).
Kerby highlighted some of ASTA's other advocacy efforts of late, including its battle to repeal the rule requiring the merchant of record, in some cases agents, to refund airline passengers even if they don't possess the funds; a recently won tax battle in Nebraska; and a fight against a new 11% tax on bookings for cruises in Hawaiian waters.
For Canadian agencies, a focus on tariffs
In Canada, the No. 1 issue for travel agencies is the potential impact of tariffs implemented by the U.S., Paradis said. Right now, agencies are mostly in wait-and-see mode, but the implications of tariffs could be great.
ACTA has done forecasting regarding tariffs and what would happen if they stayed in place, as is, for any length of time.
For people to travel, they need to have jobs and disposable income, and if the tariffs sap jobs and income of Canadian advisors' clients, advisor business would be affected. "Should they stay in place, the impact on Ontario and Quebec, which are the largest travel industry provinces in Canada, is much worse than the pandemic," she said.
But the effects would take "months and months to unfold," Paradis said. In the meantime, ACTA continues to advocate on behalf of Canada and the travel industry.
Travel advisors working with an older clientele will likely fare better, she said: Baby Boomers are the largest group of travelers in Canada right now, and for the most part they are empty-nesters with paid-off mortgages. Millennials and Gen X travelers, by contrast, are likely less resilient.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Buss Family to See Astonishing Profit After Record-Setting Sale of Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers set yet another record on Wednesday, June 18, in what's become a lengthy line of making a variety of notable sports history, with the Buss family somewhat stunningly selling the storied franchise that the late Dr. Jerry Buss originally purchased for $67.5 million in 1979. Now, 46 years later after what proved to be a franchise-altering moment that saw the Lakers go on numerous NBA Championship runs, hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy a whopping 11 times under Buss ownership, the legendary family is about to see a patently ridiculous profit after selling the team to Mark Walter, the current owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Advertisement With ESPN's Shams Charania dropping the news bomb late Wednesday afternoon, the Buss family sold its 66 percent majority stake in the Lakers for "a valuation of approximately $10 billion," Just as Charania did in his followup post on X, it certainly feels like a number worth repeating: Ten. Billion. And as Sportsnaut quite specifically noted, this record-setting Lakers sale "represents a staggering return on investment for the [Buss] family at 14,714.81%." Considering the Buss family will also maintain a minority share of the team at "just over 15% for a period of time," in addition to Jeanie Buss reportedly staying on as Lakers' governor—a role she's held since ownership was kept in the family following Jerry's passing in 2013—that is one hell of a win and a payday all while the 63-year-old will still hold a significant influence on the direction of the franchise. Advertisement If that $10 billion valuation number hasn't resonated just yet, keep in mind that the Boston Celtics, an equally iconic and deeply treasured NBA franchise, sold earlier this year for "only" $6.1 billion. It's also worth noting that Walter, the new majority owner of the Lakers, had already purchased a 26 percent stake of the team back in 2021 and held first right of refusal if the Buss family were to ever sell its majority stake in the franchise. On Wednesday afternoon, the man who's proven to be a fearless owner when it comes to spending and securing top MLB free-agents ever since taking a majority stake in the Dodgers in 2012, finished off the deal with the Lakers that began four years ago. It would be sincerely shocking if Walter and his ownership group didn't set out to do with the Lakers exactly what they've aggressively done with the Dodgers, which should serve as exceptionally great news for fans of the purple and gold. Advertisement Related: Jordan Spieth Chose an Extremely Relatable Outing After U.S. Open Struggles Buss Family to See Astonishing Profit After Record-Setting Sale of Lakers first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 19, 2025
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Canadian ambassador says there's a 'good path forward' to a trade deal with the U.S.
Canada's ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman said she "firmly" believes that both countries could reach a trade deal within the 30-day deadline discussed at the G7 summit in Alberta last week. "We can't do anything to force the U.S. side to come to a deal, but we do think we have a good path forward if we're able to take it," she said during an interview on Rosemary Barton Live that aired on Sunday. Hillman said it's "too soon to tell" whether all U.S. tariffs imposed on Canada will be removed, and she stopped short of saying whether the federal government is willing to accept the continuation of some tariffs. "These are things that will work themselves out in the next number of weeks," she said. Canada is fighting for "open trade and stability" for Canadian workers and businesses, Hillman said during the interview. WATCH | Canadian ambassador to U.S. discusses ongoing trade talks: Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed Hillman as Canada's chief negotiator with the U.S. amid heightened trade tensions, CBC News has learned. This role comes in addition to her duties as Canada's ambassador to the U.S. Hillman previously worked on the team negotiating the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement during U.S. President Donald Trump's first term and as Canada's chief negotiator for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Her expanded duties now position her in bilateral talks as U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer's counterpart. Since Carney and Trump set the 30-day deadline while meeting at the G7 in Kananaskis, Alta., on June 16, Hillman has had three meetings with her U.S. counterparts — one immediately following the leaders' bilateral, the second on the following day with Greer and another on Friday that included Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who is also the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade. More talks are planned throughout this week. The conversations with the U.S. are focused on different topics, including fentanyl, border security and Arctic defence, although the leaders are focused on tariffs. Hillman said it's still unclear whether defence and trade will be part of one deal coming within the next 30 days. Trump has said "many times" that he likes tariffs, Hillman said. "It's up to Canada to demonstrate we can achieve the same goals with the United States through other means that don't necessarily involve these punishing tariffs, especially on strategic goods." WATCH | PM may raise counter-tariffs on U.S. steel, aluminum if deal delayed: Just days after Canada and the U.S. set a 30-day deadline, Carney signalled he's willing to go higher with Canada's retaliatory tariffs if no agreement is reached. Canada's counter-tariffs on steel will go up or down, depending on trade progress by July 21, in response to U.S. metal tariffs that are now at 50 per cent. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly told CBC Power & Politics host David Cochrane that Canada is taking "measures like [it's] never done" in the free-trade era to protect the steel and aluminum sectors. "It's really important for Canada to show strength and resolve at the negotiating table," Hillman said. "Regardless of what we might hear the president say from time to time, they need us."
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
MLB rumors: Cubs among 5 other teams Red Sox talked Rafael Devers trade with before Giants deal
The post MLB rumors: Cubs among 5 other teams Red Sox talked Rafael Devers trade with before Giants deal appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Boston Red Sox shocked the MLB world last week when they sent Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in a blockbuster trade that materialized from seemingly out of nowhere. While the front office did a good job of keeping their trade negotiations under wraps, it sounds like the Giants weren't the only team they were negotiating with, as the Chicago Cubs were among several other teams in the running for Devers. Advertisement Tensions between Devers and the Red Sox had been boiling all season long, due in large part to his unhappiness with the team continually looking to change his position. Boston finally decided to cut bait with their superstar slugger, but not after discussing a deal with a couple other teams. San Francisco landed him, but the Cubs, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, and Atlanta Braves were also involved in discussions for Devers. 'The Red Sox say that they had conversations with the Mariners, Cubs, Padres, Blue Jays and Atlanta about Devers before dealing him to San Francisco,' Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported. How Giants landed Rafael Devers from Red Sox over Cubs, other teams D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images The Red Sox could have prioritized bringing in top-tier prospects in exchange for Devers, but they had a different goal when it came to this deal. They wanted to get out of the remainder of Devers' 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension he signed back in 2023, and according to Giants owner Greg Johnson, his team's willingness to take on that deal is the main reason why the trade went down. Advertisement 'If the Giants had not agreed to assume the $254.5 million remaining in Devers' contract, Giants owner Greg Johnson says there would have been no trade,' Nightengale reported. Even then, Boston still got a decent return for Devers, as Kyle Harrison and James Tibbs III both have a lot of upside in the eyes of several talent evaluators. In the end, though, money talks, and that was how the Giants managed to outbid the rest of their competition and bring Devers to town as they look to make a World Series push in 2025. Related: MLB rumors: Yankees, Giants monitoring Pirates for trade Related: Dodgers, Padres get suspensions after scuffle
