The ASTA Travel Advisor Conference will re-focus on educating attendees with elite business skills taught by top names like entrepreneur Venus Williams and former FBI Lead Negotiator Chris Voss.

ALEXANDRIA, VA, November 7, 2023 — The American Society of Travel Advisors is relaunching their annual signature event as “The ASTA Travel Advisor Conference.” Formerly known as ASTA Global Convention, The ASTA Travel Advisor Conference will feature a clear focus on teaching attendees the elite business skills needed to take their agency to the next level.  

The ASTA Travel Advisor Conference 2024 will be held May 29 - 31 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas.  

“We took a look at our annual event and knew that a sharper focus on business skills and growth would provide value for our members and the industry as a whole,” said ASTA President and CEO Zane Kerby. “I’m excited for next year’s event in Dallas, and I know that the advisors who attend will leave knowing how to take their businesses to the next level.” 

Entrepreneur and tennis superstar Venus Williams will serve as the keynote speaker for The Travel Advisor Conference. Williams will focus on business lessons she has learned on her entrepreneurial journey as a female leader across wellness, fashion, design, and more. Chris Voss of The Black Swan Group, a MasterClass speaker, will also teach attendees business negotiation skills derived from his time as one of the FBI’s top negotiators.  

Other speakers include industry leaders Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line, and Chris Nassetta, President and CEO of Hilton, as well as professors from Harvard, UCLA and Arizona State and speakers from TED and the Small Business Development Center.  

Educational options will be tailored to advisor needs by “tracks” focusing on “Cultivating,” “Accelerating,” and “Innovating” one’s travel business, intended for new entrants to the industry, existing travel advisors and experienced travel advisor leaders. For the first time, ASTA will also provide on-site courses for credit toward an advisor's Verified Travel Certification.  

Other educational innovations for attendees include the return of early-riser educational opportunities for advisors who want to pack extra learning into their conference agenda and repeat course offerings so attendees don’t need to miss out on exciting sessions. 

“Why ‘The ASTA Travel Advisor Conference?” continued Kerby. “The name communicates exactly who the conference is for and reiterates our commitment to professional development regardless of experience level.  The new tiered education program includes top business school professors from UCLA, Harvard, and Arizona State.  We’ve hired the FBI’s chief hostage negotiator and NY Times best-selling author to train ASTA attendees on negotiating.  Travel advisors who attend will experience perspectives and training not available at other industry events.”    

Attendees who had previously registered to attend ASTA Global Convention do not need to sign up again. For any questions, please contact [email protected], or visit our new event website at traveladvisorconference.org. Any follow-up questions from the media can be directed to Director of Communications Michael Schottey at [email protected]

ABOUT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF TRAVEL ADVISORS (ASTA): Rebranded in 2018 as the American Society of Travel Advisors, ASTA is the leading global advocate for travel advisors, the travel industry and the traveling public. Its members represent 80 percent of all travel sold in the United States through the travel agency distribution channel. Together with hundreds of internationally based members, ASTA’s history of industry advocacy traces back to its founding in 1931 when it launched with the mission to facilitate the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge and the enhancement of professionalism. For more information about the Society, visit our mission statement.