Laura Mandala to Participate in National Hispanics in Travel Caucus

Washington, DC, August 04, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Laura Mandala, managing director of Mandala Research, LLC, will participate in the Hispanics in Travel Caucus in conjunction with the American Society of Travel Agents’ (ASTA) Travel Retailing and Destination Expo in Los Angeles, September 7-9, 2012. The caucus is part of an ongoing joint effort by the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and NTA, aimed at educating their members on how to better understand and service the U.S. Hispanic travel market.

Mandala recently conducted a study of Hispanic travelers in partnership with Longwoods Travel USA, providing comprehensive demographic data and analysis on the U.S. Hispanic Traveler, including spending habits, activities engaged in while traveling, social media usage, transportation modes, trip planning and booking behavior, most visited destinations, and more.

“This collaborative effort by NTA and ASTA to address the Hispanic market is important to the travel and tourism industry and I'm very excited to be part of it,” said Mandala. “I look forward to contributing my knowledge and insights so that travel and tourism companies can refine their strategies to reach thisinfluential market.”

The caucus is a continuation of ASTA’s and NTA’s Hispanic Business Development Task Force. According to ASTA, the Hispanic travel market is the fastest growingin the United States, with Latinos representing more than 50 percent of all growth in the U.S. travel market.

Mandala is also a featured speaker on a panel discussion entitled “25 Reasons Why Hispanics are Important in Growing Your Travel Business,” taking place during the Expo on September 7.

More information about the Caucus and panel presentation is available on ASTA’s Travel Retailing and Destination Expo website (www.thetradeshow.org/index.cfm).

Mandala Research offers travel and tourism industry market research products and services for Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. To learn more, visit www.mandalaresarch.com.