Business travel sector gets a boost with Associations Pact

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The deal will allow the Association of Southern African Travel Agents (ASATA) to educate African Business Travel Association (ABTA) members on the importance of engaging with ASATA members when they procure travel on behalf of their corporate, while providing greater access for these Travel Buyers to ASATA's member Travel Management Companies (TMC).

ABTA founder, Monique Swart believes there are natural synergies between ABTA and ASATA. "The partnership opens up exciting possibilities for the TMC and Travel Buyer sectors across South Africa, allowing greater engagement more regularly."

ABTA, says Swart, has tremendous respect for ASATA and the strides it is making in creating a healthy Retail Travel Agent sector in South Africa. "We believe this is the foundation for a successful and thriving business travel industry," she concludes.

Similarly ABTA shares ASATA's vision to educate and promote professionalism within its respective community, says Otto de Vries, ASATA CEO. "The partnership will connect and strengthen the relationship between the Travel Buyer and Travel Management Companies, resulting in greater understanding of each others' challenges and viewpoints."

"Essentially this MOU gives ASATA an opportunity to communicate to Travel Buyers that they should be partnering with our members for their corporate travel procurement," says de Vries.