Dear Jessica,

I am sending this short note to you today with good news! The Louisiana state legislature adjourned June 12, effectively halting legislation to levy a sales tax on a variety of goods and services deemed “non-essential,” such as travel.

This probably isn’t the end of the story, but it is the end of this chapter.  

While ASTA was poised at the ready to engage on the issue, it appears that legislators received our message loud and clear: there’s no appetite to tax more things when the state is not facing a budget deficit. Travel is not a luxury; it’s essential.

We will celebrate this as a win in the ongoing fight against misguided tax legislation targeting travel advisors. However, we know this is not the end of the battle, and we are prepared to fight again when the time comes. To ensure we have the resources to do so, I ask that you consider making a contribution in support of ASTA’s advocacy efforts on your chapter team page.

Thank you for your support of the travel advisor industry. 

Sincerely, 

Jessica Klement

Vice President, Advocacy

American Society of Travel Advisors

P.S. Did you know that the Greater New Orleans chapter recently won the ASTA John Haskins Chapter Advocacy Award for the work you did to fight the sales tax during the special legislative session last year? You answered the call when we needed it, and your action did not go unnoticed. Thank you and congratulations!