For two years, we have watched our hopes of a rapid travel industry recovery hit a series of roadblocks. Delta and Omicron delayed border openings and prompted the U.S. Department of State to flag most of Western Europe as “Level 4” for health risks. As we write this, the current sanctions on Russia have inflated fuel costs, created more volatility for the airlines, and caused travelers to worry if the fighting in Ukraine will be contained.
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Our Approach Returning to Travel
Like all of you, we’ve watched the events of 2020 and 2021 unfold while travel took a backseat to the health and safety of those around the world. As more and more places reopen, ATA is hard at work ensuring that our partners and guests have a safe travel experience.
Checking in on our Anti-Racist Action Plan: Year 1
In October 2020, we shared our Anti-Racist Action Plan (ARAP)—a 10-year roadmap to becoming a more equitable and inclusive organization that better serves our students, travelers, employees, and communities. This initiative was created in solidarity towards the Black Lives Matter movement and in recognition of the extreme prejudice directed at Black, Indigenous, and People of Color for centuries. Our ARAP aims to challenge and transform our workplace, programs, and industries through concrete, measurable goals over a decade. The Auditing Process Each department at ATA contributes long-term action items and goals that are annually reviewed by our JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion) leadership and anonymous, internal advisors. Feedback is then returned to directors by December 31st to change or clarify their goals for the following audit cycle. What We Accomplished in 2021 Much of our work in this inaugural year focused on establishing a baseline from which we could build longer term initiatives upon. Here are a few examples of what we accomplished in 2021: Actions to Transform our Workplace Of the 4 US-based positions we recruited for in 2021, 2 hires identified as Black, Indigenous, or Persons of Color—meeting the minimum baseline of our hiring goal. Our retention efforts are further behind, with 4 out of 9 total departing staff members identifying as Black, Indigenous, or Persons of Color. We are changing the way we recruit and hire. Unnecessary education and background requirements have been eliminated, salaries are posted on all US job descriptions, rubrics to reduce bias have been introduced, external searches are performed for all positions, and managers undergo a thorough training on the hiring process. We hosted four organization-wide discussions on JEDI themes, as well as offered a number of additional, focused trainings (e.g. intentional program design, staff competencies, etc.) and related resources to all employees. Actions to Transform our Programs Our Programming team focused on expanding the diversity of program content for new tours being developed. For example, a new art trip to Santa Fe focuses on indigenous art and the group will meet with an artist-activist. All conversations regarding new trip development now include a tour idea, visit, or expert suggestion that addresses justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Our Customer Service Division revised the pre-departure information shared with travelers to give a more accurate portrayal of the destinations’ history and culture to prepare them for their trip. They focused on giving a more holistic interpretation of the destination’s history, highlighting a broader variety of food, and including recommendations to Black-owned restaurants and attractions. CET Academic Programs (our study abroad division) launched the Curriculum Review project—a 3-year initiative in which CET reviews all syllabi and field-based/co-curricular components—with a view to identify and interrogate structures of difference, power, and equity. In 2021, they developed queries and training materials to orient a comprehensive review, carried out a training session for on-site and US-based staff, and each program site established its own work plan complete with actionable goals, anticipated challenges, and a timeline. Actions to Transform our Industries Our Finance and Accounting teams conducted a thorough vendor review of our US banking partner—including an examination of their litigation history, Corporate Social Responsibility plan, and DEI action plans—to ensure we are partnering with/supporting companies that are similarly committed to a more equitable and inclusive future. As an organization, we continued our financial and in-kind support of Fund for Education Abroad (FEA)—an organization focused on providing scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented among the U.S. study abroad population. Looking Towards 2022 Here is a look at just a few things we’re focusing on this year: Actions to Transform our Workplace We will conduct a comprehensive compensation audit to ensure equity across titles and positions within the company. We will also update the Career Pathway—an internal mapping of career growth within the organization. Actions to Transform our Programs Our Marketing team plans to complete a full audit of the company website by the end of Q2, identify areas for improvement, and build a dedicated page that focuses on ATA’s JEDI-related work and initiatives. Our Programming team will build off work they began in 2021—developing and recommending trips for partners that center or highlight narratives of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, as well as continue to seek out more partnerships with businesses and suppliers owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. CET plans to stay the course for its current established Curriculum Review timeline (Summer 2021 to Summer 2022). This includes individual meetings regarding local progress reports, the second Curriculum Review training workshop, and making revisions to local work plans according to discussions held during the workshop. Actions to Transform our Industries Continue to review ATA’s vendor relationships individually and assess whether or not action needs to be taken. Continue our financial and in-kind support of the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA). In Summary Of all 2021 goals set by directors: 8 were complete, 9 had significant progress (but still considered incomplete), and 5 were incomplete. 19 of the 29 set items in the Anti-Racist Action Plan had at least some progress made. An additional 24 goals have been identified for 2022. Priorities and goals shift as realities change. 2021’s COVID-related obstacles in the travel industry meant that some of our goals and action items (e.g. enrollment, hiring, etc.) were particularly difficult to achieve. Additionally, many of the ARAP goals and action items cannot be checked off in a single year. Even those marked as “completed” in 2021 will still need to be reviewed and addressed regularly to ensure progress continues to be made. Particularly with anti-racism work, oftentimes the more you dig into an issue, the more layers you find underneath. Though we recognize that this is only the beginning and the work will never be “done,” we are proud of what we accomplished in our first year and are invigorated to continue the work as we move forth towards a more equitable future.
2021 Q4 Newsletter
A Productive Year as Board Chair Chase Poffenberger, ATA’s Executive Vice President, just finished her year as the Board Chair of the National Tour Association (NTA). She focused her energy in this critical recovery year on the Association’s work in sustainability and advocacy for the travel industry. On her watch, NTA formalized a permanent Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Group to the Board, and joined with other travel industry leaders to commit to permanent and purposeful action to diversify the travel industry. Chase also joined a sustainability pilot program facilitated by Tourism Cares, NTA’s philanthropy partner, which invited tour operators to look at their business critically to accelerate key sustainability goals. Finally, she supported the association’s government relations work advocating for economic relief for hard-hit small businesses; equitable entry for tour groups into national parks; science-based, county-by-county COVID travel guidance (instead of blanket closures); and the urgent need for consular offices and embassies to expedite passport and visa processing. Chase remains on the board for an additional year and will continue to advocate for the industry’s recovery. New Brands Launch Travel Programs Several of ATA’s new collaborating partners launched travel programs this past fall! ARTNews, the oldest and most widely circulated arts magazine in the world, launched ARTNews Travel. ARTNews travelers will be whisked away to visit private ateliers, vibrant arts districts and iconic collections, all in the company of in-house professionals who will provide sophisticated analysis and engaging commentary along the way. Bicycling Magazine has launched an exclusive cycling tour in Tuscany along the roads of Chianti, including L’Eroica Vintage Route, and the Backroads of San Gimignano, and has appointed Editor and Racing Cyclist Dan Chabanov to lead it. Decanter, a global wine media brand, launched Decanter Wine Experiences, a series of carefully curated wine trips hosted by the magazine’s regional wine specialists. Starting with a trip to the Rhône valley, expert Matt Walls has curated a series of exclusive experiences, including a welcome dinner at award-winning Chef Phillippe Giradon’s Michelin-starred hotel and restaurant, Domaine de Clairefontaine. Fred Plotkin, world-famous opera expert and gastronome, has curated a trip to his home town of New York City that will include three operas (Turandot, Lucia di Lammermoor, Madama Butterfly) at the Metropolitan Opera and tickets to The Music Man starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. Anyone who has traveled with Fred Plotkin knows that one also eats very well with menus he creates and wines he selects! Announcing Four Sr. Level Promotions at ATA We’re proud to announce the promotions of four superstar colleagues! Emma Impavido, Senior Director, Educational Travel Programs Over the course of two decades, Emma designed and operated some of the company’s most creative, complex, and highly rated programs. As Director, she skillfully managed a talented team dedicated to telling the important stories of the organizations ATA serves through excellent educational travel programs. In October, she led a smashing culinary trip that she designed to Italy, headlined by hosts/chefs Nancy Silverton and Ruth Reichl and journalist Laurie Ochoa. But Emma’s contributions don’t stop there! Early in 2022, as Chair of ATA’s Green Committee, she will be sharing a roadmap for ATA’s sustainability journey for the next ten years. We are deeply indebted to Emma for the many ways she has contributed to ATA’s success: creative program designer, expert problem solver, inspiring leader! Shelley Jessee, Senior Director, Marketing for CET Shelley was promoted the same year she earned her MBA from UNC Chapel Hill AND gave birth to twin girls, Quinn and Kate! Indeed, “Super Woman” would be a more apt title. She has strategically managed CET’s annual marketing schedule, scholarships, and travel budget, and she’s been a valued member of the CET Executive Team. Outside of CET, she’s contributed to the field by serving on the NAFSA Education Abroad Knowledge Community Leadership Team from 2014-2018, the NAFSA Local Arrangements Committee for the DC Conference in 2019, and the Fund for Education Abroad’s Host Committee for the Scholar Gala. Shelley’s leadership and steady hand have also been put to good use in leading educational travel programs—taking Chef Edward Lee and his followers to Kentucky for an exclusive Bourbon Experience earlier this fall. Randall Salisbury, Vice President, CET Programs He served as Program Manager and Senior Program Manager for Italy, before becoming a Regional Director in 2014. In 2019, Randall was promoted and tasked with unifying the CET Program Team. He applied his management experience to balance workloads, reduce inconsistencies, and motivate the team. At the beginning of the pandemic, Randall and team brought students home, determined refunds, pivoted to pursue new opportunities, and made difficult decisions about program staff and locations. During this time, Randall’s management responsibilities expanded as he took on the leadership of Health & Safety, High School Pre-College/Gap, and Academic Affairs. Throughout the last 20 months of uncertainty, Randall has consistently demonstrated leadership, resilience, sound judgment, loyalty, and clarity of purpose. Randall’s contributions encompass the entire organization—from leading culinary trips to Italy with world-famous chefs to orchestrating fun field days and magical Fund for Education Abroad annual galas. We are not sure how he does it all—and so well—but he does! Vanessa Sterling, Director of Health and Safety Vanessa was hired to standardize, organize, and elevate CET’s response to health and safety. Since early 2020, Vanessa has taken point on COVID response with parents and university partners, successfully represented CET in almost 100 program post-COVID reapprovals with study abroad offices and represented CET in three national webinars. She provides consulting to university partners on health and safety, and designed, wrote, updated, and promoted the CET COVID Playbook. While Vanessa’s tenure at ATA is not long, she has known us longer than most, having been a CET student in China in the day. We feel privileged to have such a fine, wise mind devoted to protecting our most precious charges: our students! Our Annual Year In Review As is tradition, we’ve spent time reflecting on our challenges, celebrations, and growth over last 12 months. Please read our 2021
2021 Year in Review
A Year In Recovery Closing the books on 2021 looks vastly different than a year ago. I’m delighted to report that our recovery in travel and international education is underway! ATA in the World In 2021, often despite long odds and unique challenges, we made travelers’ and students’ travel dreams come true in many places around the world: We paired travel and gastronomy on culinary trips led by brilliant chefs and food writers, including Nancy Silverton, Ruth Reichl, Laurie Ochoa and Edward Lee. (Chef-led experiences) Early in the year, when American students could not cross international borders, we operated successful international student programs in China; virtual language programs for Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic; a DC-based internship program for Dickinson College; custom language training in Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic; AND a virtual internship program with students interning remotely for organizations in Brazil, Colombia, Greater China, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Jordan. We paid tribute to the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor during a commemorative week in Hawaii that travelers shared with civilian and military survivors. (Smithsonian Journeys) As New York theater reemerged, we invited travelers “into the room where it happens” for a week of behind-the-curtain conversations, workshops, performances and discussions with creatives and creators of the theater world. (New York Times Journeys) We helped a family celebrate a father’s 91st birthday in Andalusia, Spain. (Private group) We oversaw the return of study abroad programs as our first groups of students from the US headed out to Prague (CET Film Production at FAMU) and Jordan (Wellesley College Custom Program). We facilitated the unveiling of a permanent marker in Amsterdam at the very site where John Adams, America’s First Ambassador to the Netherlands, accepted banker Jan Willink’s funds in 1782 to help finance the American Revolution. (Daughters of the American Revolution) New Relationships We welcomed the following new partners to the ATA family in 2021! Back in DC: Our Priorities at Headquarters to “Build Back Better” We made significant progress this year in two areas critical to our evolution as an organization. Led by our JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) facilitators, each department within the company shared its annual progress report on our anti-racism action plan. We created a decarbonization fund and named Cool Effect as our investment partner. We will also join other tourism industry colleagues in signing the Glasgow Declaration. Watch for more progress reports in these areas in 2022! Our Incredible Team Previous Next Despite spending most of the year working physically apart from each other, we cherished the occasions where we did get see each other! Our “hybrid” plan to return to the office in 2022 will balance flexibility with “irreplaceable moments of togetherness” that foster our sense of community, collaboration, synergy, and serendipity! Our Thanks and Gratitude Never have our partnerships, both personal and professional, been tested more than during the last two years. We have new insight into each other’s lives: we’ve met each other’s kids, pets, and spouses who’ve wandered into our virtual meetings. We’ve held space for each other during our bleakest moments, and shared concerns about the health of our travelers, students and teams. Yet, our collective wins have been especially sweet, and celebrating them will never again be taken for granted. May we carry our resilience, courage, sense of humor, and commitment into the years ahead! With fortitude and optimism for all that awaits us in 2022,
ATA Partners with ARTnews
ATA Partners with ARTnews We are pleased to announce our partnership with ARTnews and share in the unveiling of their new travel program! Beginning in 2022, ARTnews will take readers across the globe to explore vibrant cities through the lens of art. The first departures will take readers to Santa Fe, Berlin, South Korea, and Los Angeles. Each itinerary has been carefully curated in partnership with editors of ARTnews to provide an exclusive experience of each destination’s art, culture, and creative atmosphere. To learn more, read the official ARTnews announcement here.
