Get to Know an International Member
Kahlon Gurbir Singh, Managing Director
Travel Buddy, India
Travel Buddy is a travel agency added onto a hospitality business in Ludhiana, India. Its goal is to promote tourism by bringing awareness of destinations and exotic sites through planned internships, summer jobs, vacations for students and on-the-job training for young professionals. Travel Buddy also provides online hotel booking, transfers and sightseeing tours. The company's fully integrated online platform has been designed so all components work together to maximize traveler to satisfaction and savings.
Managing Director Kahlon Gurbir Singh has been working in the travel industry for the past two years. He has worked arranging free medical camps and cultural programs/fairs and motivating youth for improvement of environments by organizing tree plantation drives etc. As a new ASTA member, Singh is excited for the opportunity to interact with agents across the world. "This will enable me to contribute significantly in promoting tourism and international understanding," he said.
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| | ASTA Partners with CLIA's cruise3sixty  - The hottest ticket in town is hotter than ever with almost 1,300 agents already registered for the 2010 cruise3sixty June 2-6! Join ASTA in Vancouver as CLIA celebrates Women in Business and Travel. Meet the women who broke the "glass ceiling" and make a significant impact on the industry. Attendees can earn up to 135 CLIA Certification Credits, and there will be an exclusive ACC, MCC, ECC, ECCS and LCS reception. Plus, hands-on technology workshops, destination and product seminars, cruise line presentations, world-class keynote speakers, networking with the top industry executives and your professional travel agent peers. Want more? Ship inspections and CLIA's Hall of Fame Gala Dinner with entertainment by 42Five, presented by Celebrity Cruise and the amazing BLUE MAN GROUP, presented by Norwegian Cruise Line. Visit www.cruise3sixty.com to register or reserve your hotel and make an investment in your future!  Hurry – the International Destination Expo is in One Month! - Register now to attend the International Destination Expo (IDE), this April 19-22, in Istanbul. IDE offers travel agents the unique opportunity to earn Destination Specialist certifications while gaining first hand experience of the destination. Agents will also be able to network with local companies from Turkey and the surrounding regions that they would not have the opportunity to meet at any U.S.-based shows. Exclusive evening events such as the welcome reception on Suada, the only island on the Bosphorus, will give you a unique perspective on this exciting city. Just added: a new pre/post tour of Van – Akdamar Island! Time is running out – register now at www.asta.org/ide.
Starwood's Shane Hodges Featured Speaker - Shane Hodges, area director of sales and marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts/Greece, Turkey & Cyprus, will be a featured speaker at the general session at ASTA's IDE on April 21. He will speak to the topic of "Owning the Upswing," examining how the current global economic crisis has caused the travel industry to rethink its business strategies and processes. Hodges will speak to travel agents about how they can ensure they have momentum in their businesses, specifically addressing ways to innovate, transform and create new business opportunities. Read more on ASTA.org.
New Exhibitors - Limited Space - Join the comprehensive list of exhibitors, now featuring the newest additions: Saxony Tourism, Tura Tourism, Nese Tour Tourism & Travel Agency, Ekol Travel and Mapa Inst. All travel-related companies located in Turkey, as well as the neighboring countries, should reserve a stand now. As an exhibitor, you will benefit from a conference program that includes open-floor exhibition, business appointments, educational seminars and networking events that will increase your U.S. business contacts. Hurry – time and space are running out. Visit www.ASTA.org/exhibit or e-mail BDaniels@asta.org.  Take Advantage of New Resources at THETRADESHOW - Attend THETRADESHOW this Sept. 14-16 in Orlando as part of the popular new Best Value Package which includes access to all on-site events and the new e-Learning Center, registration for the Retail Travel Leadership Summit and a special Orlando VIP perks package for just $99. If the Best Value Package is not for you, there are two other registration levels available. The traditional $25 registration will allow you to attend THETRADESHOW but it doesn't include access to the e-Learning Center, registration to the Retail Travel Leadership Summit or the Orlando VIP Perks package. If you can't make it to Orlando this year, you can register for the e-Learning Center Only pass for $89, however this does not include live attendance and networking at the event, RTLS registration, or the Orlando VIP Perks package. Register NOW at www.THETRADESHOW.org.
Attend THETRADESHOW as a Starwood Pro Hosted Buyer - Register by March 31 as a StarwoodPro agent to receive complimentary registration* to attend THETRADESHOW. Enter code "starwoodpro" in the discount code box when you register online. Hurry! Limited quantity available. Register now at www.THETRADESHOW.org. *Complimentary registration for live registration only. To upgrade registration to the Best Value Package that includes unlimited access to all educational sessions as Webinars, live attendance, registration to the Retail Travel Leadership Summit and the Orlando VIP Perks, enter discount code and the discount will be applied at check-out.
Suppliers: THETRADESHOW Keeps New Year's Resolution to Attract More Qualified Buyers – We're proud to be part of the slim eight percent who keep their New Year's resolution. With the addition of the e-Learning Center, this new resource provides attendees with unparalleled educational opportunities that they cannot find at ANY other travel industry trade show. All attendees will receive greater value with unlimited online access to all 50+ educational sessions offered at THETRADESHOW. By attracting more qualified travel retailers, exhibitors will have greater opportunities to establish new business relationships at THETRADESHOW. Meet these agents by reserving your booth online now at www.thetradeshow.org. ASTA's Twitter Update - Did you know that you can follow ASTA on Twitter in four places? 
You might want to follow twitter.com/AmSocTrvlAgents for general ASTA and travel industry updates. This week you will see updates about the benefit of travel agents and tour operators, THETRADESHOW registration, MASSIVEGOOD and more.
If you're more interested in the latest government updates, make sure you follow ASTA's Vice President of Government Affairs, Colin Tooze at twitter.com/ASTAgovtaffairs. Stay on top of health care and what the Senate and Congress are doing.
If you are looking for new tour operators to work with, you should follow ASTA's Tour Operator Program (TOP). Check out twitter.com/astatop to find out what ASTA TOP members are doing. You will find TOP members in the news and the packaged travel deals for ASTA members. This week you will learn about travel deals Europe for the summer and a FAM trip to China.
New to Twitter is THETRADESHOW. Follow twitter.com/thetradeshow10 to get the latest updates on this years show. This week you will see an education contest announced, Retail Travel Leadership forum and great hotel deals for attendees. There is no easier and faster way to stay in touch with ASTA! Member Benefit Spotlight - ASTA membership gives you so much more, more than it did two years ago. Now there are 50 new online benefits such as the most comprehensive eLibrary in the travel industry.
ASTA's eLibrary provides access to resources created specifically for ASTA members. Users can search more than 1,000 reference documents, guides, white papers, business articles, legal documents and other industry resources. You will also find ASTA's video/audio library here with video tutorials and Webinars on topics such as how to get more clients, protect and grow your business and much more. Click here for more information and to check out ASTA's eLibrary. State Department Travel Warnings, Announcements - The Department of State has issued travel warnings and/or announcements regarding travel for American citizens to Kenya, Haiti, Mexico, Colombia, Eritrea, Central African Republic, Yemen, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, Mauritania, Chad, Mali, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Algeria, Guinea, Lebanon, Cote d'Ivoire, Philippines, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Afghanistan, Burundi, Nigeria, Iran, Uzbekistan and Georgia. For more information, visit the State Department | AMSI Featured Product:Bank of America
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