We would like to thank Peter Lobasso, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at ASTA for his presentation last week in regards to Law! If you missed it, you can watch the video by CLICKING HERE and using Password:  2q#6Suo

Tell Congress to Act Now to Save Travel Advisors
ASTA Members:
While the CARES Act, enacted at the end of March, provided several financial relief options for travel agencies and independent advisors to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many of those programs are expiring soon and it is clear that more help is needed.
 
Today, Congress is in the early stages of putting together the next big coronavirus relief package, which looks to be finalized by early August. There are a number of proposals being considered for inclusion in this bill, and it is critical that our voices be heard as a part of these debates. ASTA's staff and outside lobbyists are working nonstop to get additional relief for our industry, but your elected representatives need to hear from you during this time of crisis.
 
We know you are busy, but please take two minutes out of your day to contact your Members of Congress and ask them for additional relief at this critical time. Phone calls are most effective, but be warned that call volumes will be high right now. If you can't get through to your legislators' Washington offices, find their district (in-state) offices here: House / Senate.
 
The situation is fluid and will remain so for some time, but we will keep you updated every step of the way.
 
Thank you!
 Act Now!

We have had some issues with the ZOOM account we have been using, so we have had to re-schedule the meetings using a different account. We apologize for any issues this will cause you, especially if you have already taken the time to put these onto your calendar. The good news is, we have been able to schedule these slightly differently, using a different link for each supplier. This will make it  easier to download to your calender individually, so you can choose which you would like to attend, and it will show the supplier name on your calendar. We also realize there was an issue with the previous link and saving it to google calendar users, hopefully it works properly with this new account! 

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO REGISTER BELOW FOR ALL THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND!

July 1st: American Cruise Lines
July 8th:  Peter Lobasso, Senior VP and General Counsel for ASTA
July 15th:  Celestyal Cruises
July 22nd:  Rocky Mountaineer
July 29th: Antigua
August 5th:  Special Needs at Sea
August 12th:  MSC Cruises
August 26th:  Sandals
September 9th:  Victoria Clipper/Clipper Vacations
September 23rd:  Virgin Voyages

We would like to take this opportunity and thanks Darcie, Director of Business Development from Anderson Vacations for her amazing presentation on what Anderson has to offer. It was great to learn about all of the products available in Canada and beyond. Make sure to sign up for their travel agent page by CLICKING HERE. If you were unable to attend the webinar, you can watch the recording by CLICKING HERE and using Password: 4v!&929B

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We would like to thank our representatives from the American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruises for an amazing presentation today on their products. If you were unable to join us, we highly recommend that you want it by clicking HERE and using password:2b^l@G=s  They are starting their cruises in July and have a lot to offer. Its also a great opportunity to learn about Victory Cruise Lines new ship that will be sailing expedition style cruises in Alaska in 2021, you are sure to be impressed!  We did receive a lot of questions in regards to their COVID-19 response onboard and they provided us a great document that you can see by CLICKING HERE

Do you donate to ASTAPAC? 
The Greater Seattle ASTA Chapter is challenging our members to help us raise funds for American Society of Travel Advisors Political Action Committee (ASTAPAC), our industry's voice in Washington.  We have formed a team and are asking you and your colleagues to support our campaign so ASTA can support our industry's advocacy agenda. Every dollar matters, but your participation matters most!
 
You can donate towards our chapters goal of $5,286 by texting ASTAPAC22 to 71777 on your mobile phone or by visiting our teams website by clicking HERE or visiting: https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/ASTAPAC/team/GreaterSeattle
 ASTAPAC's success would not be possible without the generous support of our donors. To show our appreciation, we have created a new Donor Recognition Program. Learn more about the recognition levels and benefits today.
ASTAPAC is a special fund established under federal election laws to allow ASTA to collect voluntary contributions from members for the purpose of supporting political candidates and parties. ASTAPAC has been raising our political profile since 1979. Put simply, our advocacy successes are thanks to the members who contribute to our PAC program. 


If you would like to view a short video explaining ASTAPAC, CLICK HERE!

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Did you join us with UNCRUISE at our last Happy Hour Meet Up? We received a lot of great information!

If you missed it, view it by CLICKING HERE and use Password: 9q&&.2@*

Dont forget, next week we will be hearing from the American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines!

We would like to thank Karen Wong, BDM for GLOBUS for joining us this week on our Happy Hour Meet Up. 

For those who missed the MeetUp, you can view it by clicking HERE and using Password: 5U*=3?S5 

​Make sure to join us next week as we welcome UNCRUISE!

Have you been joining us for our weekly happy hour meet ups? We have some great speakers lined up for you!
May 27: Authentic Vacations, introducing "Authentic America"
June 3: American Steamboat Company and GLOBUS
June 10:  UNCRUISE and Special Needs at Sea
June 17: TBA

If you are interested in joining us at 4PM every WED until further notice, visit the following link!
To add the events to your calendar, CLICK HERE or visit: 
https://zoom.us/meeting/tJEscu6vqTIsGtKcowpMWnjIqCY50FZ006JY/ics?icsToken=98tyKuCtrz4tHdOcthmBRowMBY_4KO3wtlhdjbd2nxDyEw1kbAnfJ8F7Z-JZKoiA
 
To join the meetings directly CLICK HERE or visit: https://zoom.us/j/95157779606
 
Meeting ID: 951 5777 9606
If you would like to join by phone, you can call 253.215.8782 or find your local number to call by visiting: https://zoom.us.u/ab5NJuVwcB . Make sure to use Meeting ID: 951 5777 9606