ACTA's update on TICO AGM

The Travel Industry Council of Ontario held its 15th annual general meeting in Mississauga on September 18.

A complex motion was presented at the TICO AGM that included the relevance of review engagements. The ACTA Ontario council (your elected representatives) took a survey to members for feedback. Based on this feedback and dedicated discussions on this topic, the ON council took their position:

“ACTA Ontario acknowledges that although the system TICO currently has in place is not a perfect system and that the consistent fee increases for review engagements is becoming a growing burden and having a greater impact on an agencies bottom line, they are a critical step towards maintaining regulation and offering the consumer true protection on their travel bookings.”

Leading into the TICO AGM, member owner/managers in Ontario were informed of the motion and the position ACTA was taking. Members were encouraged to come out and vote in which they did. In the end this motion was defeated, 133 – 69. Although a costly independent review of TICO’s operating expenses will not be conducted, the message to TICO from those in attendance including large ACTA member agencies, is that TICO needs to be sensitive to the economic landscape and reign in expenses where possible.

Registrants also found out that their Compensation Fund payments will be increasing from $0.05 per $1,000.00 in sales to $0.15 in April of next year and continue to go up through April 2015.