WRTA Member: ARC Signs up 360-plus Verified Travel Counselors

ARC Signs Up 360-plus Verified Travel Counselors
http://www.traveltrade.com/news_article.htm?id=2521&p=index.htm
Mon Jul 21 2008, by TravelTrade Staff

The Airlines Reporting Corporation announced that is has signed up more than 360 Verified Travel Consultants (VTC) since the non-ticketing accreditation category was introduced in July 2007. "We are very pleased with these initial results and will continue to present this unique certification alternative to qualified travel professionals," said David Collins, president and CEO of ARC. "Feedback from current VTCs indicates that they appreciate ARC's extensive approval process and appreciate our effort to uphold the security and integrity that has long been associated with ARC," he added.

ARC began accepting applications for new VTC locations on July 18, 2007, as well as transitioning existing ARC-accredited agent locations whose business model had become more aligned with the then-new VTC tier of participation. To date, ARC has received well over 400 applications and since April, applications have come in weekly at a double-digit clip.

ARC said that VTC certification addresses the needs of a significant and growing segment - those agencies that can benefit significantly from ARC's unique systems and services but are not, or are no longer, ARC-accredited for air and rail ticketing. The VTC accreditation process excludes such requirements as a bond or letter of credit associated with ticketing entities and full accreditation, according to a spokesman.

Among other benefits, VTCs are able to generate revenue through service fees by assessing their clients' credit card a fee for travel services rendered; they receive weekly payment using ARC's Interactive Agent Reporting (IAR) system. In addition, a VTC has access to the 6,000-plus commissionable products and services offered through ARC MarketPlace, such as the ARC Travel MasterCard. Recently, the ARC VTC Mark -- a logo -- was introduced to support the brand for this ARC affiliation. The downloadable logos are effective for both print and Web marketing efforts. Complementing the ARC VTC Mark is the ARC check - a new feature that has been added to the ARC Web site that allows anyone to check the VTC status by simply entering the VTC number.