{"id":570,"date":"2017-10-24T05:00:42","date_gmt":"2017-10-24T09:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tico.ca\/blog\/?p=570"},"modified":"2023-08-09T14:01:10","modified_gmt":"2023-08-09T18:01:10","slug":"3-ways-tell-home-based-travel-agency-registered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ticostage2.singleentrypoint.com\/blog\/3-ways-tell-home-based-travel-agency-registered","title":{"rendered":"3 Ways to Tell if a Home-Based Travel Agency is Registered"},"content":{"rendered":"<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Travel is a global industry and like many other global industries, the trend of working out of home and being mobile has crossed over in a big way. In Ontario, the travel industry has experienced a dramatic increase in home-based travel agencies and travel counselors working as outside sales representatives on behalf of travel agencies. While registered home-based travel agencies are completely legal, consumers should take the same precautions they would when dealing with a brick and mortar or online travel agency. To ensure you are not forfeiting the consumer protection available in Ontario when booking with an out-of-home agency, you need to check to make sure they are TICO registered. \u00a0<\/span>\n\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-595\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tico.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Untitled-design.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"778\" height=\"327\" srcset=\"http:\/\/ticostage2.singleentrypoint.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Untitled-design.png 778w, http:\/\/ticostage2.singleentrypoint.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Untitled-design-300x126.png 300w, http:\/\/ticostage2.singleentrypoint.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Untitled-design-768x323.png 768w, http:\/\/ticostage2.singleentrypoint.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Untitled-design-256x108.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 778px) 100vw, 778px\" \/>\n\n<!--more-->\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>All travel agencies and websites located and operating in Ontario must be TICO registered<\/strong> and must follow specific legislated requirements. These include following trust accounting and other financial requirements, education standards, advertising standards, and rules around providing proper disclosure at the time of booking. There is also a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tico.ca\/consumers\/overview.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Travel Compensation Fund<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which provides consumer protection in the event of bankruptcy or insolvency. <\/span>\n<h1><\/h1>\n<h2><b>Here Are 3 Questions to Ask to Make Sure a Home-Based Travel Agency is Registered:<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>1. Can the Home-Based Travel Agency Provide a TICO Registration Number?<\/b><\/h3>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the travel industry in Ontario is regulated, <\/span><b>all home-based travel agencies are required to be registered with the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and must follow the legislated consumer-protection provisions when selling travel services. \u00a0Selling travel services in and from the Province of Ontario without TICO registration is a violation of the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Travel Industry Act, 2002<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and may result in charges being laid. <\/span>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once registered, each travel agency is given their own unique registration number. To find out if an agency is registered, look for the <\/span><b>TICO logo<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the agency\u2019s <\/span><b>Ontario registration number<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You can also use TICO\u2019s online<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tico.ca\/search\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">travel agency search<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> feature to find out if a particular home-based travel agency is a TICO registered agency or not.<\/span>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><b>2. Is Your Home-Based Travel Agent TICO Certified?<\/b><\/h3>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anyone selling travel services, even if they are a home-based travel agent <\/span><b>write and pass the legislated TICO Travel Counsellor Exam<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and become Certified prior to selling travel services on behalf of a registered Ontario travel agency or website. The exam tests the individual on the laws in Ontario that regulate the sale of travel services. \u00a0Be sure to ask your Travel Counsellor if they are TICO Certified.<\/span>\n<h3><b>3. Has Your Home-Based Travel Agent Provided You With Complete Disclosure?<\/b><\/h3>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regardless of how and where the transaction takes place, all TICO registered travel agencies and TICO Certified Travel Counsellors are <\/span><b>required by law to provide certain disclosures to you regarding the travel services you wish to purchase<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> prior to accepting payment.<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These include:<\/span>\n<ul>\n \t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The total price of the travel services including all taxes and fees<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The travel dates<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A fair and accurate description of the travel services to be provided<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cancellation penalties<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Availability of insurance<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Travel documents required for each person traveling<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1996 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tico.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Tweet-10A.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"http:\/\/ticostage2.singleentrypoint.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Tweet-10A.png 1024w, http:\/\/ticostage2.singleentrypoint.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Tweet-10A-300x150.png 300w, http:\/\/ticostage2.singleentrypoint.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Tweet-10A-768x384.png 768w, http:\/\/ticostage2.singleentrypoint.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Tweet-10A-256x128.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\n\n<hr \/>\n\n<h2><b>Book with a TICO Registered Travel Agency<\/b><\/h2>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">To verify if a travel agency or website is TICO registered, check<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tico.ca\/search%22%20\/t%20%22_blank\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">our online directory<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:270,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span>\n\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Take the<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tico.ca\/quiz\/%22%20\/t%20%22_blank\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">TICO Traveller Quiz<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">to see what type of traveller you are.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:270,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span>\n\n\n\nSign up to receive quarterly travel consumer protection <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/visitor.r20.constantcontact.com\/manage\/optin?v=001p8NOiSxIZC12oVOmEkGz3mpJax73Yi5s2-_VlwcuwvUYDtJi7HEUhKSbixYTzRTonN5SkQMZqB-b9x1BDdZjnTH2KgUTqnhhgKWfgCKo4vouIG6xNwWzZtP4BVFs0ieDuxrNbX2R9XyTFulZz_ra7A%3D%3D\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">email updates<\/a><\/strong>.\n\n \n\nFor more travel tips and information, visit the\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/tico.ca\/consumer\/info.html%22%20\/t%20%22_blank\"><strong>Smart Traveller Guide<\/strong><\/a>.\n\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">All travel agencies and websites located and operating in Ontario are regulated by TICO. Registered travel agencies and websites provide additional consumer protection for your travel investment that may not be available when booking with travel agencies and websites based in other countries or provinces. For more information about<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tico.ca\/blog\/tico-help-consumers%22%20\/t%20%22_blank\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">how TICO helps, click here<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:270,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span>\n\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Any questions can be directed to tico@tico.ca or 1-888-451-TICO (8426).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:270,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Travel is a global industry and like many other global industries, the trend of working out of home and being mobile has crossed over in a big way. In Ontario, the travel industry has experienced a dramatic increase in home-based travel agencies and travel counselors working as outside sales representatives on behalf of travel agencies&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":594,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[4,20,19],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\r\n<title>3 Ways to Tell if a Home-Based Travel Agency is Registered - Travel Industry Council of Ontario Blog<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"To ensure you are not forfeiting consumer protection in Ontario when booking with an out-of-home agency, you need to make sure they are TICO registered.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/ticostage2.singleentrypoint.com\/blog\/3-ways-tell-home-based-travel-agency-registered\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"3 Ways to Tell if a Home-Based Travel Agency is Registered - 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