Industry Guidelines
Disclosure Guidelines
DISCLOSURE PRIOR TO BOOKING
Section 36 of Ontario Regulation 26/05 pursuant to the Travel Industry Act, 2002 sets out the requirement that a travel agent must disclose certain information to a customer before completing a travel sale with the customer. This requirement must be met whether the travel agent is dealing with the consumer in person, on the phone or over the internet.
CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL
The agent must bring to the customer’s attention any conditions related to the purchase of travel services that the travel agent has reason to believe may affect the customer’s decision to purchase. This would include such conditions as construction at the resort, health or travel warnings. Read more by downloading the Guidelines for Disclosure in PDF format:
Advertising Guidelines
Under the Travel Industry Act, 2002 and Ontario Regulation 26/05, there are very strict advertising requirements to which Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) registrants must adhere:
To ensure a fair and equitable marketplace for the travel industry and consumers, registrants are required to comply with the requirements outlined in the new Regulation. Read more by downloading the Advertising Guidelines for Ontario in PDF format:
Outside Sales Reps
Many individuals and registered travel agents have questions about the ability to sell travel services through an outside sales representative / counsellor. Multiple sections of the Travel Industry Act, 2002 and Ontario Regulation 26/05 outline the provisions and the requirements of outside sales representatives to which registrants must adhere. Read more by downloading the Guidelines for Outside Sales Representatives in PDF format:
Guidelines for Outside Sales Representatives
Event Planners Guidelines
Meeting planners (Event Planners) sometimes engage in activities that are similar to travel agents. In order to comply with the Ontario Travel Industry Act, 2002 and Ontario Regulation 26/05, Event Planners should review the following Event Planner Guidelines.
School Trip Guidelines
Many schools, elementary and secondary, conduct trips for the students of the school from time to time. Some of these trips are exempt under the Act and do not need to be made through a travel agency registered under the Act.
Section 2 (7) of Regulation 26/05 made under the Act allows a person who is employed to teach in an elementary or secondary school, university or a college of applied arts and technology to conduct trips under certain conditions that can be found in the School Trip Guidelines.
Trust Accounting Guidelines - Retail
One of the purposes of the Travel Industry Act, 2002 is the protection of customer monies received for the purchase of travel services, including travel services to be provided by an air carrier.
"Trust Accounting" recognizes this purpose by considering that all customer monies received for travel services are deemed to be held in trust to be used only for the purchase of the travel services contracted for by the customer... Read more by downloading the Trust Accounting Guidelines for Retail in PDF format:
Trust Accounting Guidelines - Retail
Trust Accounting Guidelines - Wholesale
One of the purposes of the Travel Industry Act, 2002 is the protection of customer monies received for the purchase of travel services, including travel services to be provided by an air carrier.
"Trust Accounting" recognizes this purpose by considering that all customer monies received for travel services are deemed to be held in trust to be used only for the purchase of the travel services contracted for by the customer when the booking is accepted and the payment received. Any monies in a trust account are considered to not belong to the travel agent or wholesaler. These monies are received "with a direction", which by the nature of the transaction need not be... Read more by downloading the Trust Accounting Guidelines for Wholesalers in PDF format:
Trust Accounting Guidelines - Wholesale
TICO Fee Schedule
Section 3(1) of Ontario Regulation 26/05 provides that an application for registration or for renewal of registration as a travel agent or a travel wholesaler shall be accompanied by the relevant fee set by the administrative authority under clause 12 (1) (b) of the Safety and Consumer Statutes Administration Act, 1996. This Fee Schedule sets out TICO registration and renewal fees... Read more by downloading TICO's Fee Schedule in PDF format:
TICO Payment Schedule
Clause 12 (1) (c) of the Safety and Consumer Statutes Administration Act, 1996 allows TICO to set the payments that persons are required to make to the Compensation Fund. It is the TICO Board of Directors that approves the Payment Schedule and any changes to the contribution rates.
This Payment Schedule sets out TICO Compensation Fund Contribution Rates for travel agents and travel wholesalers... Read more by downloading TICO's Payment Schedule in PDF format:
