Travel Industry Act

Act: Travel Industry Act, 2002
Regulation: Ontario Regulation 26/05

To Whom Does This Apply?

Travel retailers, travel wholesalers involved in the sale or resale of travel services provided by another person.

Eligible Area

Province of Ontario

Eligible Activities

Travel retailing, wholesaling and/or the sale and resale of travel services provided by another person.

Summary

The Ontario Travel Industry Act, 2002   requires that travel retailers, travel wholesalers involved in the sale or resale of travel services provided by another person, be registered by the Travel Industry Council of Ontario.  Registrants are required to maintain certain minimum standards and consumers may be protected by an industry-financed compensation fund and may be eligible for reimbursement in the event that they do not receive the travel services for which they have paid.

All registrants are required to comply with the Travel Industry Act, 2002 and to contribute an amount based on their sales, twice yearly, to the industry-financed Compensation Fund.

Some of the conditions of registration under the Travel Industry Act, 2002 include:

• maintaining a business premises in Ontario;
• maintaining a bank account in Ontario;
• maintaining a trust account in Ontario that is designated as a "Travel Industry Act Trust Account";
• submitting proof of having a minimum working capital, the amount of which is determined by the sales generated the previous year;
• providing a security deposit of $10,000 for new registrants;
• having a supervisor/manager with sufficient travel industry experience as determined by the Registrar; and
• payment of the new business application fee of $2,375 (payable to the Travel Industry Council of Ontario).

Changes to the Act and Regulation may alter the advertising criteria and financial requirements for both existing registrants and new applicants.

For further information:
visit these web sites:
The Travel Industry Act, 2002 and Ontario Regulation 26/05: What the New Rules Mean to You  (PDF - 357 KB)
Travel Industry Council of Ontario - (TICO)

Note: This material originates with a private organization that is not subject to the Official Languages Act.

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this section is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. For particular questions, the users are invited to contact their lawyer. For additional information, see contact(s) listed below.

Ontario Contact(s):
Travel Industry Council of Ontario
Suite 402, West Tower
2700 Matheson Boulevard East
Mississauga, Ontario  L4W 4V9
Telephone: 905-624-6241
Fax: 905-624-8631
Toll-free (information): 1-888-451-TICO (8426)
E-mail: tico@tico.ca