ASTA exposes hotels with unpaid commissions; “It’s a real thing,” says Canadian advisor

The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) has opened its Hotel Watch List to the public through March 13, 2026, aiming to spotlight properties that have failed to pay commissions and to drive greater engagement with its Report a Hotel tool, the organization announced Tuesday (March 2).

Launched in late 2025, the tool has already helped recover nearly $15,000 in unpaid commissions, and ASTA (which represents U.S.-based travel advisors and agencies) is targeting $100,000 in recovered commissions this year.

“Commissions earned are commissions owed, period,” said Zane Kerby, ASTA's president and CEO, in a press release. “Our members should not have to chase money they are contractually due. By making the Watch List public, we are increasing pressure where pressure is warranted and reinforcing a simple standard across the industry: pay advisors on time.”

“If a hotel does not want to be publicly identified for poor commission practices, the solution is straightforward: resolve the issue and pay what is owed.”

“Transparency drives better behaviour"

ASTA's Watch List highlights properties flagged by members for failing to pay commissions within 45 days after a client’s stay has ended.

Hotels receive written notice of the complaint and are given the chance to address the issue through ASTA’s formal dispute resolution process.

If a property submits payment to the advisor or otherwise resolves the matter within 30 days, it is not placed on the Watch List.

“Transparency drives better behaviour,” said Peter Lobasso, ASTA’s senior vice president and general counsel, in a statement. “When commission issues go unreported, patterns of behavior among some hoteliers are allowed to persist. Publishing the Watch List sends a clear message that timely commission payment is not optional. It is fundamental to healthy advisor–supplier relationships.”

“It’s a real thing,” says Canadian travel advisor

In January, PAX reached out to the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors (ACTA) to discuss ASTA's campaign to recover unpaid commissions and to better understand how widespread the issue is in Canada. 

At the time, ACTA declined to comment; however, a statement from a Canadian travel advisor suggested that the practice is common.

When asked about chasing unpaid hotel commissions, Frances Gertsch of P.E.I.-based Stewart Travel Group said “it’s a real thing.”

“On their own, unpaid commissions on direct hotel bookings usually aren’t worth chasing,” Gertsch told PAX, “but when you add them up, it can be a significant amount of money for advisors.”

“When tracking and following up on these turns into yet another thing on an already long to-do list, it creates friction and slowly erodes trust with hoteliers we want to be able to depend on.”

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