ASTA’s Travel Retailing & Destination Expo (ASTA-LA) (Los Angeles, Sept. 7-9, 2012) will deliver a fresh approach to traditional travel trade shows, combining targeted, revenue-boosting sessions and the opportunity for high-level networking to provide travel agents a combination of new business contacts and enhanced sales skills to help them better run their businesses.

Agents may choose from a series of high-level educational sessions, including three courses taught by Microsoft-certified expert trainers, each providing agents with real-life skills they can use to control expenses, balance their bottom line and fuel new business opportunity. Only at ASTA-LA can attendees hear from renowned tech expert James Spellos and legal analyst Jonathan Howe, both of whom take complicated issues and make them easily understandable to the layman. The event also features industry luminaries Marc Mancini, Lisa Buckner and Tim Smith who will deliver insight honed from years of industry experience to help agents leverage every technological and sales and marketing resource available to boost their business and increase their profits.

Said ASTA CEO Tony Gonchar: “Given the high number of travel industry tradeshows, it’s important agents choose an event that will deliver workable business solutions so they can return home with easy-to-implement business plans to increase their overall productivity.”

Training sessions are organised by track, giving attendees the opportunity to select from a variety of topics, which provide in-depth hands-on experience that will best help them advance their professional skill set and close more sales.

Business Productivity (Tools to run your business better)
*  Microsoft: Outlook Is Much More Than Email – Better Connect with Your Customers. Learn from Microsoft experts how to better manage your life and work with email and calendar tools that simplify staying connected.
*  Microsoft: Your Business Depends on Online Access and Email – Tips for Keeping Your PC Secure and Maintained. Practical tips on how to help protect your computers, Internet-connected devices and sensitive personal information.
*  Microsoft: Office Can Help Actuate Your Graphics - Use Your Photos and Videos to Promote Travel. Learn to transform photos and videos with digital painting and editing.
*  Hot Technologies 2012: It’s Social, Mobile & Local. This fast-paced seminar examines the technology that’s trending now and what’s coming in the near future.
Secrets of the Search: How to Find Anything on the Internet. This tech-focused session will demystify the various search tools currently available.

Leadership/Industry Affairs: (Tools to help you protect your business)
*  Building Your Business with Leadership. This session covers how to most effectively utilize your leadership skills and ensure profits remain a part of day-to-day planning.
*  Is it Legal? - The Do’s and Don’ts for Travel Professionals. This is for everyone who has questions or concerns regarding travel industry law and how it impacts their business.
*  Business and Leisure Group Travel: Protect Yourself and Maximize Revenue. This session reviews the key legal issues surrounding the MICE industry and provides a roadmap to success.
*  Southern California Roundtable: The Power of Personal Relationships. Divided into three, 20-minute sessions, attendees have the chance to discuss a variety of business challenges with their peers. It’s the ultimate “best practices” session.
*  The Power of Travel: Partnerships for Protecting the World’s Treasures & Preserving Them for Future Generations. Take a look at how an industry generating roughly 9.2 percent of global GDP and employing 235 million individuals is addressing key sustainability issues.

Industry Session (All-delegate sessions)
*  Thought Leader Series - Tapping Into Emerging Opportunities. Sponsored by Best Western. A discussion featuring industry experts who know the marketplace and understand the issues like no one else.
*  Leadership and Business Productivity. Sponsored by Amadeus.  Hear from a cross section of successful executives on how strong leadership can drive business productivity and success.

Marketing (Innovative, business-building solutions)
*  Think You Know LA? Repositioning Los Angeles Tourism. Get an overview of Los Angeles’ new strategic direction, as well as creative examples of where Los *  Angeles Tourism is headed in the next 12 to 24 months.
*  Secrets of Hollywood: Clever Promotional Ideas from Movieland’s Pros. A panel of movie and TV experts will discuss ideas they believe might work in the travel business.
*  You Are Your Brand (NACTA session). Attendees will walk away with the tools they need to immediately implement an eBranding program in their business.