As a way to educate the public about the harm that travel industry card mills pose to the travel industry and consumers, the American Society of Travel Agents…
As a way to educate the public about the harm that travel industry card mills pose to the travel industry and consumers, the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) released to Better Business Bureaus (BBBs) and consumer protection agencies across the country a white paper entitled What Consumers and Consumer Protection Agencies Should Know About Travel Industry Card Mills.
The paper examines how holders of card mill IDs differ from legitimate travel agents and what credentials legitimate travel agents may have. It details the ways in which travel industry card mills harm consumers and the travel industry.
Travel industry card mills are in the business of facilitating deception. They make money from identification, which is used by people looking to take advantage of travel industry suppliers such as hotels, airlines and cruise lines. Their deceptive practices harm consumers who are tricked into purchasing travel agent identification cards with no tangible economic benefit, except when a travel supplier unwittingly and erroneously grants a discount, said Kathryn W. Sudeikis, CTC, ASTA president and CEO. Buying the card won`t get you any better deals but it might pull the wool over suppliers` eyes.
Being a travel agent is more than just being a buyer of travel. We know it takes training, attention to detail and expertise to keep clients happy and coming back. How is it that these firms promise that the purchaser can enjoy all the benefits and financial rewards of professional travel agents with no worry, no hassle and, above all, no work? Card mills damage the travel and travel agency industry and injure consumers who rely upon travel agencies and the travel agencies` availability to meet their travel arrangement needs, Sudeikis added.
So how can consumers tell if they are dealing with a legitimate offer of travel agent training or a fraudulent card mill?
According to Sudeikis, Number one, ask yourself if you are buying travel for yourself and your friends or if you are serious about becoming an agent.
Below are some of the deceptive messages and representations that card mills commonly use:
- The card expressly represents the holder as a `travel agent` and implies that the holder is actively working for the agency selling travel to the general public.
- Ads promise glamour and the high life at a bargain, and the chance to make money with little or no effort.
- Card mill promotional literature is replete with references to cards or cardholder status as being `official,` `certified,` `accredited,` `endorsed` and/or `approved,` and falsely implies that people who purchase the cards automatically enjoy good standing with travel industry accrediting bodies or with suppliers generally.
- Card mills fail to disclose, or fail to disclose prominently, that suppliers such as airlines and some large hotel chains will not honor the card when used in conjunction with a request for agent discounts.
- Card mills may falsely promise to supply `training materials` and agent `support services` that will adequately equip the purchaser to function as a travel agent
The tips below offer guidelines to consumers genuinely interested in learning more about becoming a travel agent:
- Keep in mind the old adage, If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Consumers simply interested in obtaining the best travel bargain should be highly skeptical of offers that require them to purchase an identification card or that suggest they are joining the card issuer`s business.
- Consumers should ask themselves whether they are buying the card merely for the purpose of receiving deals on their own travel.
- Before buying a card, comparison shop for several trips you might like to take, inquiring from several professional sources such as traditional travel agencies and on-line travel agents.
- Ask whether the additional cost of the card will be offset by any savings on travel services of comparable value.
- Always obtain brochures and other written documentation specifically describing what is being promised.
- Check with the supplier whose services you are interested in as to whether it will recognize the card or other claimed affiliation as a basis for providing you with discounts or upgrades.
- People interested in pursuing a career in travel sales can go to www.astanet.com/education/edu_becoming.asp#schoolsearch and click on Show ALL Travel Schools to see the list of ASTA travel school members
- Check with the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org and/or the Attorney General`s consumer protection office in your area to see if any complaints against the card issuer are on file
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
