October 24, 2024 - Convicted: Former travel agent Jie Yu (Jenny) Ai of World Travel Inc. sentenced to 100 days in jail
Mississauga, ONT. – After being charged by the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO), Ontario’s travel regulator, Jie Yu (Jenny) Ai and World Travel Inc. were convicted of a total 11 charges:
World Travel Inc.:
- Four counts of failing to hold money collected from customers for travel services in a trust account;
- Two counts of furnishing false information or documents; and
- Two counts of operating as a travel agent without TICO registration.
Jenny Ai:
- Three counts of being an Officer and Director of a corporation and failing to take reasonable care to prevent the corporation from committing an offence.
Jenny Ai was sentenced to 100 days in jail. Jenny Ai also received a two-year probation order, which includes making restitution payments totalling $32,350.
World Travel Inc. received a suspended sentence and a two-year probation.
World Travel Inc. was previously a TICO-registered travel agency located in Toronto, Ontario. World Travel Inc. had its registration under the Travel Industry Act, 2002 suspended on November 1, 2022, and revoked effective February 24, 2023.
Consistent with the findings from the Licence Appeal Tribunal, the Ontario Court of Justice determined that Jenny Ai, the sole Director, Officer and Supervisor/Manager at World Travel Inc. accepted consumer funds to book airline tickets but used these funds for other purposes. The requested airline tickets were not booked, and the consumers were presented with falsified booking documents.
Jenny Ai continued to operate World Travel Inc. and sell travel services after its TICO registration was revoked.
TICO prosecutes unregistered companies and individuals to maintain a level playing field and the integrity of Ontario’s travel marketplace to ensure consumers are confident purchasing travel from registered professionals.
About TICO
Formed in 1997, the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) regulates Ontario’s approximately 1,925 travel agencies, booking websites and tour operators. TICO administers the Travel Industry Act, 2002 on behalf of the Ontario government. As a consumer protection organization, TICO facilitates a consumer complaints process and administers the Ontario Travel Industry Compensation Fund. By booking travel with a TICO-registered business, consumers have access to added protection. To verify if a company is registered with TICO, and for helpful information and resources, visit www.tico.ca.
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Media contact:
Kristina Wilson
Stakeholder Relations Manager