USTOA President & CEO Terry Dale
Looks Forward

USTOA: An Essential Partner

An essential partner can be defined as one that is absolutely critical to a healthy, growing relationship. USTOA is dedicated to being an essential business partner to our Active and Associate members and their travel advisor partners, and as such, we are proud of our reputation as a trusted leader in advocacy and innovation in the travel and tourism industry.

Education and enhancement of knowledge are major pillars of our mission, and all stakeholders – members, travelers, and travel advisors – will find valuable resources on USTOA.com.

We provide members with up-to-date industry knowledge, best practices, and expertise across a range of relevant issues, from sustainability to artificial intelligence. 

Our continued advocacy programs are driven by the legislative and economic interests of our members and the industry. At the centerpiece is the annual Congressional Caucus where we meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to discuss critical legislative issues. USTOA advocacy also runs through a year-long calendar of domestic and international events that allow us to champion our members and discuss meaningful topics that address trends and issues such as effective tourism management, and responsible travel.

Sustainability and diversity, equity, and inclusion continues to be a focus for USTOA. The USTOA Sustainability Promise provides a blueprint for the association moving forward. Designed to enhance member efforts to begin or continue their sustainability journey, the Promise details over-arching goals to ensure a sustainable future for the travel and tourism industry.

The annual Sustainability is Responsibility (SIR) Summit, held in May in Singapore, has become a “must attend” event for members. Travel industry professionals, government officials, and non-profit organizations came together to discuss tourism practices and how to promote responsible travel through interactive learning sessions as well as out in the community.  This year’s SIR Summit brought the opportunity to learn how an urban destination is embracing sustainability and making a deep impact for travelers.

USTOA will continue to look forward in the coming years by committing to ongoing education, advocacy, responsible travel practices, and so much more as an essential partner to our members, advisors, and the greater tourism industry.  I look forward to continuing the work with all USTOA’s members and you, our valued travel advisor partners, to address issues, develop solutions, and build a long-lasting future. 

— Terry Dale
USTOA President & CEO