Senior representatives from both ASTA and the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) met last Wednesday to discuss areas of mutual interest, as well as to discover ways in which the two organizations can better collaborate on issues of common concern to the North American travel industry.

"Although each of our organizations face its own challenges within our respective countries in terms of regulatory and legal issues, a synergy exists for us in several sectors of the marketplace," said ASTA CEO Bill Maloney, CTC. "This meeting was the first of several to see where we can make the most of our combined resources to affect positive change for our members, our organizations and the industry as a whole."

"It makes sense for us to compare notes on what works for our specific membership and what does not," said David McCaig, president and COO of ACTA, "It will also provide us with the means of coordinating on North American and global opportunities and will allow us to share programs that will work across our regional boundaries for the benefit of each of our membership groups."

Among the issues on the table was a discussion of how the two organizations can work together to enhance airline passenger rights in North America. The two groups also examined ways in which each could build upon already existing member programs, such as "green" training for travel agents and educational sessions on cross-border travel regulations, tailoring each to their respective marketplaces.