Otto de Vries has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA).

Mr. de Vries, who is located in Cape Town, South Africa, holds the position of CEO at the Association of Southern African Travel Agents (ASATA), which is one of the founding members of WTAAA. As part of his global responsibilities within WTAAA, Mr. de Vries will offer strategic guidance to the organization in promoting a harmonious balance between consumer rights and the interests of travel agencies on a worldwide scale.

Mr. de Vries stated that the organization’s main goal is to prioritize consumer transparency by providing them with various choices and options, irrespective of the travel distribution channel. Additionally, WTAAA aims to promote enhanced cooperation between agencies and other travel partners within the travel ecosystem through open communication and inclusive engagements that unite both parties.

WTAAA’s objective is to revive the Passenger Agency Program Task Force in collaboration with IATA and its member airlines by 2024. The primary aim is to develop practical business solutions for the airline and travel agency sectors that effectively address and handle risks. These solutions will be based on commercial principles to enhance customer value and instill confidence.

Furthermore, WTAAA aims to tackle concerns related to IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC), which, although it offers specific features and retailing abilities, is currently lacking in terms of travel agencies’ firsthand encounters. Mr. de Vries elaborated, stating, Our objective is to collaborate alongside IATA to ensure the comprehensive adoption of NDC, in a manner that benefits all stakeholders and does not impede the accessibility of travel information and pricing for the general public.

WTAAA is evaluating its partnerships with various organizations such as WTTC and UNWTO, in addition to airlines. This evaluation is focused on advocating for the travel industry across a range of areas including taxation, sustainability, and market access. The alliance’s objective also includes representing agencies in matters related to the well-being and essential requirements of travelers, specifically duty of care.

Otto De Vries has accumulated 35 years of expertise in the travel industry, having held prominent positions as a senior executive at ASATA, Comair, and Holiday Tours in South Africa.

“I’m excited to take on this global leadership role at such a crucial time for the travel community,” said Mr. de Vries. “My role is to ensure that WTAAA member organization’s voices are heard in critical discussions on matters that impact the travel and tourism industry and to collaborate on the sustainable growth of our sector.”