The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) will introduce a new membership category for independent travel agent contractor next year.
Independent contractors who have an affiliation with ASTA premium agency members will be offered $199 membership when they sign a two-year membership agreement.
Contractors who are members of the ASTA-owned National Association of Career Travel Agents can also sign up for $199.
The changes are set to take effect by mid-2016, said ASTA CEO Zane Kerby.
"For the past two years, ASTA’s large consortia members have been showing an enhanced commitment to the association by subsidizing and mandating membership," Kerby said.
"We believe a tiered membership structure is the best way for members to pay according to their ability based on sales, and the new IC category is another way to help those agents who want to join ASTA to do so."
ASTA also outlined its lobbying strategy and list of priorities for the new year ahead.
The association will continue to challenge states which want to apply sales and hotel occupancy taxes to agency fees and to push for a continued streamlining of travel insurance regulations in all states.
ASTA will also continue support for the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act aimed at completely ending the decades old travel ban for Americans.
