Travel agents are seeking to calm security fears.

However, travel industry officials admitted that foreign cooperation in protecting airports against terrorist acts is not everything they would like. Gabriel Phillips of the Air Transport Assn. said his group is trying to encourage foreign governments and airport authorities to tighten security by screening passengers and others as they head for ticket counters, rather than waiting until they go to boarding areas. But, Phillips said, “we’re getting less than satisfactory responses over there.” Phillips spoke at a news conference called by the American Society of Travel Agents to announce publication of a new brochure entitled “Travel Safely.”