Tuesday, March 18, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
An organization representing 28,000 travel agents worldwide is endorsing the U.S. Air Tour Association's stance opposing air tour restrictions over the Grand Canyon.
While an organization representing Grand Canyon tour operators in Southern Nevada welcomes the support, environmentalists say they aren't surprised, since the backing is economically driven.
The board of directors of the American Society of Travel Agents, based in Alexandria, Va., voted unanimously to support "reasonable air access to U.S. national parks and public lands and oppose the Department of Interior's new proposed rules restricting air tour overflights in the Grand Canyon."
In a letter to Jim Santini, the USATA's director of legislative affairs, John Bennison, vice president of government affairs for ASTA, wrote, "Seeing the Grand Canyon by air is the most practical way to view its beauty and awesome expanse. As travel agents, we would hope that as many of the traveling public as possible could take advantage of this program.
"Consequently, since the present program appears to be working well, we oppose any additional restrictions," Bennison wrote.
But environmental spokesmen say the endorsement is no big deal.
"It's not surprising," said Tom Robinson, director of conservation policy for the Flagstaff, Ariz.-based Grand Canyon Trust. "They get a commission on all of it (air tours). Their decision is purely economic. Some of the eco-tourist variety of travel guides would probably support our position."
Jim Petty, chairman of the eight-member Grand Canyon Air Tour Council and president of Air Vegas Airlines, welcomed the backing from the travel agents and said it should help generate more support for the air tour operators.
"As we get the word out, more and more people will understand the improprieties of these new restrictions," said Petty. "The travel agencies have determined it could have a big impact on international travel. Anytime you curtail travel, it could have a detrimental economic impact."
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