The American Society of Travel Advisors has entered into a new partnership which will boost its membership rolls next year.

Travel advisor members of the OASIS Travel Network—a host agency that provides services to independent travel advisors—will automatically become ASTA members on Jan. 1, 2021, the news site Travel Pulse reported. OASIS has more than 1,000 members and is one of the largest host agencies in the U.S.

In a statement, ASTA CEO Zane Kerby said the agreement came a critical time for the industry, which is reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"With this vote of confidence, we intend to redouble our efforts to promote and defend the travel advisor community—especially with regard to securing the maximum amount of coronavirus financial relief for agencies and protecting the independent contractor business model so critical to the success of OTN and other host agencies," Kerby said.

In recent years, ASTA has sought to expand its membership by entering into similar agreements with different consortia, which are groups of independent travel advisors who join together to increase their buying power and get other advantages typically enjoyed by larger businesses.

The agreement with OASIS is the association's first partnership with a host agency, and ASTA intends to seek out other partnerships with other agencies. The group did not say what the partnership meant in terms of pricing for OASIS members.

MORE CEO DATELINE

• Events Industry Council announces business recovery task force
• Associations launch effort to ensure supply chain
• Coatings, corrosion industry associations to merge
• Associations: Hospitals, airlines losing billions of dollars
• Associations unveil plans for reopening the economy