Handbook Contents:

2024 MAST Member Handbook

2024 MAST Member Handbook

Programs

Your ASTA Membership through MAST

As a benefit to our members, MAST processes ASTA membership dues. This means that rather than paying MAST and ASTA separately, members will pay MAST on your MAST Membership invoice and MAST will remit your ASTA membership dues to ASTA on your behalf. MAST Membership Renewals are issued in January every year. This way, your MAST and ASTA memberships will run on a January to December basis and you can renew both at one time in one place!

For new members, if you are a current ASTA member, you will only be invoiced for the number of months between your renewal date and December 31, 2024. MAST and ASTA are working closely to align membership information and payments. You should not pay ASTA directly going forward. For questions please contact Director of Membership & Brand Strategy, Stephanie Werner, at stephanie.werner@mvptravel.com.

Your agency’s ASTA membership extends to your W2 employees as well. Sign up your employees for ASTA access by logging into your asta.org account, go to My Profile on the top right, then click on your agency’s name in the box on the left, then scroll down to Add/Manage Employees. If you’re having trouble with this you can contact ASTA’s Director of Membership, Andrea Caulfield, at acaulfield@asta.org.

Independent Contractors can sign up for their own membership at a discounted rate of $178/year only for ICs of MAST agencies (originally $228/year for ICs). ICs should sign up directly online at https://my.asta.org/ASTA/join with the MAST promo code: MASTIC50

MAST Rewards Program

Make the most of your membership and receive rewards in return! After completing a rewards status level (Ruby, Emerald, or Diamond), your agency will receive a discount on your membership for next year. Ruby status earns $50 off, Emerald status earns $100 off, and Diamond status earns $150 off your yearly MAST membership fees. MAST Rewards will accrue annually and begin to accumulate the 1st of the year. Tracking: MAST will do all the tracking. That’s one of the best features in the design of this program. MAST will email quarterly updates on your agency’s status. Learn more about the program HERE.

Referral Rewards

MAST Referral Rewards is a way to offer members a way to receive more MAST benefits, for less. MAST believes referrals are the best way to grow our organization. MAST appreciates each and every one of our members, and all the referrals we have received. If an agency you refer to MAST Travel Network joins, you are eligible to receive one MAST Reward Point and $200 off your Membership Dues the following year!

*An agency can only receive the $200 discount once per year.

*If the referred agency fails to renew their membership the year after joining MAST, the referral agency will not receive the Referral Reward. The MAST Reward Point will still apply.

Please direct all agency referrals and membership inquiries to Director of Membership & Brand Strategy, Stephanie Werner at stephanie.werner@mvptravel.com.

MAST JV Young Professionals Program

MAST JV is a group of travel professionals under the age of 40 with a focus on networking, education and career development. JV hosts exclusive networking hours at MAST events throughout the year.

Being a part of this group will enable you to establish strong business contacts in the travel industry. Agency membership with MAST is required to be a member of JV. Receive exclusive monthly newsletters, invites on exclusive FAM trips and other networking events.

Additional benefits will be offered to those JV members who belong to ASTA, such as; a private Facebook group to connect with their peers on a daily basis, industry training and invitations to young professional retreats. JV members will also be invited to join the MAST Team on Tourism Cares projects. For information and to sign up your young professional employees or ICs visit http://jv.mvptravel.com.

All Star Program and MAST Awards Night

All Star Awards and MAST Awards are our way of rewarding you for your hard work and amazing achievements. Each year, the awards are given based on an agency or agent’s annual sales achievements, and are presented to recipients at MAST Awards Night.

All Star Awards
All Star Awards honor members with the highest sales, sales growth, and highest sales with individual preferred suppliers. Recipients of the All Star Awards are also awarded a supplier-hosted trip (nominal cost to trip participants) to accommodate two people from the agency. Twenty-five All Star Awards are given each year as follows:

  • 10 awards: Agencies with highest preferred supplier sales overall
  • 10 awards: Agencies with greatest preferred supplier sales growth, based on percent of increase year- over-year, with sales over $1,000,000
  • 5 awards: Agencies with greatest preferred supplier sales growth, based on percent of increase year- over-year, with sales over $500,000 and under $1,000,000

President’s Award
This award is presented to the MAST member who has given much of his or her time in dedication to the overall success of MAST, its Board, and its members.

The Directors Achievement Award
MAST is comprised of many successful small volume sales producers. With this award the MAST Board of Directors recognizes one high achievement member agency with preferred suppliers sales under $500,000, which has met the following criteria:

  • The agency must attain Premier status in MAST Rewards
  • The agency must be in a Silver, Gold, or Platinum membership plan
  • At least 80% of total sales on MAST preferred suppliers, with highest percentage of increase year over year

Member Highest Sales Awards
Agencies with the highest sales on each preferred supplier will be recognized for their accomplishments.

Individual Travel Advisor Sales Awards
Agency owners can help MAST to show appreciation for sales agents’ achievements by nominating them for individual awards based on annual sales figures. The call for submissions is released to agency owners in January and must be submitted approximately three weeks before MAST Awards Night. Individual travel advisors are eligible for the following awards:

  • Million Dollar Travel Advisor Sales Award
    Awarded to agents who have sold more than $1,000,000 in leisure sales with 70% or more to MAST preferred suppliers.
  • Outstanding Travel Advisor Sales Award
    Awarded to agents who have sold more than $750,000 in leisure sales, with 70% or more to MAST preferred suppliers.

Business Development Awards

  • Award for Best Group Promotion
    This award recognizes one MAST member agency for their creativity and effort in generating group tour and cruise business through their own sales and promotional efforts using personal contacts, reputation, advertising, marketing, and word-of-mouth.
  • Award for Best Travel Show
    This award recognizes one MAST member agency for their creativity and effort in hosting and presenting a consumer travel show or client appreciation event (Examples include: a honeymoon night, cruise night, family travel night, etc.), within the agency or at another business establishment.

Best Supplier Awards
The Best Supplier Awards are presented in ten categories determined by the votes of members and their sales staffs for the supplier they feel is most deserving of the award in each category:

  • Best Sales Managers
  • Best Inside Sales Support
  • Best Reservations Department
  • Best Group Department
  • Best Customer Service
  • Best Marketing Support
  • Best Training Program
  • Best Client Documents
  • Best MAST Sales Sensation Exhibit
  • Best Support of Travel Agents in Consumer Marketing

Business Coaching

Does your agency need to step back to see where you have been, and where you are going? If so, this MAST program may be for you. Business coaching starts with an evaluation of your agency’s strengths and opportunities, done via a series of questionnaires.

Then you schedule a confidential meeting with senior MAST Staff to discuss your needs. We cover all aspects of agency operations to include sales, marketing, finance, personnel and operations. After that initial meeting we come away with an action plan, designed to improve the overall performance of your agency. The process is a win- win for both parties. Contact john.werner@mvptravel.com for more information and cost.

Become a MAST Shareholder

MAST is member-owned and member-driven. This program was designed to increase profit for MAST and it’s members. Ask about the benefits of becoming a MAST Shareholder. Visit https://mvptravel.com/member/handbook/mast-shareholder-plan/ for more information and for questions contact john.werner@mvptravel.com.

Best Price Program

Having trouble closing a sale over unfair competition in the travel business? No other agency group offers to cover part of the cost. Contact john.werner@mvptravel.com for assistance.

MAST Specialist Designation

The MAST Specialist Designation program gives Member agencies that specialize in certain Destinations and/or Travel Styles recognition on their Agency Profile. Learn more at https://mvptravel.com/member/programs/mast-specialist-designation/

M.A.P. Live (MASTer Advisor Program)

M.A.P. Live is a full-day immersive workshop, dedicated to one supplier, presented live and virtually. Watch for registrations throughout the year. Participation will earn you agency a MAST Reward Point.