Norwegian Cruise Line will donate $250,000 to ASTA to bolster the Society's training programs for advisors who are new to the industry.
ASTA said it is the largest single donation from a cruise line toward training efforts.
"Our travel advisors are incredibly important to the company, and this investment further showcases our complete commitment to the travel agent community," Norwegian Cruise Line president and CEO Harry Sommer said in a release. "ASTA has been a great partner to NCL and to travel advisors all around the world, and we are extremely proud to be able to support them with providing advisors with extensive training and educational programs."
ASTA is providing access to its Becoming a Travel Advisor resource guide for free. The guide helps prospective advisors determine their path in the industry, covering business models, how to make money as an advisor and more. It was recently updated by ASTA's in-house staff.
The Society believes training new talent to join the industry as advisors will help alleviate pain points in the industry today, like strains on customer support due to the volume of consumers interested in both traveling and using an advisor.
ASTA plans to use NCL's donation to enhance its presence on the web and drive more traffic to its resources via digital advertising, social media and targeted search.
"There are so many ways someone can join the ranks of our industry," ASTA president and CEO Zane Kerby said in a release. "First, we must show them the range of exciting possibilities. This generous support from Norwegian will help us rapidly build the top of this essential talent funnel."
The donation to ASTA marks another investment in the trade from NCL. The cruise line last week announced it would eliminate noncommissionable fares (NCFs) for advisors who book sailings at least 120 days in advance.