Professional programme sees lacklustre response

NEARLY six months after
the launch of the Asata
Professional Programme,
only a handful of designations
have been awarded, with many
consultants still unaware of
the how the programme can
benefit them.
The first two designations,
Travel Practitioner, which
requires two years’ industry
experience; and Travel
Professional, which requires
five years’ industry experience;
were opened for registration
a few months ago. Asata is
able to award designations for
Travel Practitioner but not yet
for Travel Professional.
Nivashnee Naidoo,
professional project and
programme manager for
Asata, says nearly 200 travel
agents have registered on the
programme and a few Travel
Practitioner designations have
been awarded. There are an
estimated 7 945 agents in SA,
based on Travelinfo users.
Nivashnee says Asata
anticipates an increase in
the number of designations
awarded over the next few
months. She attributes the
slow uptake to differing
internal roll-out times and
strategies from the big travel
consortiums in the industry.
However, she says the majority
of Asata members have
committed their support to the
programme.
She said the majority of
consultants who had shown
an interest in the programme
had over five years’ experience
and were waiting for Asata to
be able to award the Travel
Professional designation,
estimated for September or
October, so that they could
simultaneously register and
apply for this designation.
Maria Watkins, gm of
Tourvest Leisure Travel Group,
WWTB and Product, says the
programme is very important
as it could entirely change
how the industry is perceived.
However, she felt that the
launch of the programme had
not yet reached the intended
target market of consultants
with two to five years’
experience. She said most
of Asata’s correspondence
came via its newsletter and
at regional meetings, which
was an effective method for
industry owners but not for the
consultants.
“At this stage consultants do
not fully understand what the
programme can do for them.
Asata should be working
closely with TMCs to create
internal awareness campaigns
encouraging more uptake.”
The launch of Certified
Travel Professional and its
corresponding curriculum is
still in progress.
Nivashnee encouraged
consultants to register for
these two designations as
soon as possible, as the
discounted launch rate would
expire in September.