TICO’s Research Finds: Ontarians Believe Travel is More Complex. Here are 3 Ways to Simplify it.
Ontarians are excited to travel – a recent survey conducted by TICO found nearly 70% intend to travel over the next few months – but they know it’s not always a smooth experience.
Despite the excitement, 71% of Ontarians feel that travel is more complex now than it was prior to the pandemic.
Here are three steps to protect yourself from possible travel pitfalls:
- Know who you are booking with.
Two-thirds of Ontarians (66%) already consider the reputation of the travel agency or tour operator they are booking with, but they might be missing out on additional consumer protection.
Any travel agency or booking website that’s based in Ontario has to follow consumer protection laws and be registered with TICO.
So, if something goes wrong, you’ve got TICO’s support to help you sort it out. You don’t get that if you book with a company located outside the province.
TICO’s agency search feature helps you quickly check if a travel agency or website is registered.
2. Check these two details before you book.
The cancellation penalties and the change fees. In case something comes up, you want to know if you can change or cancel your trip without losing it completely.
The good news is Ontarians are increasingly considering the flexibility of their booking.
73% of Ontarians said they are more likely to book travel options with flexible rebooking and cancellation policies.
It’s a good idea to have options in case something comes up.
3. Make sure you have the right travel insurance.
We’ve all come to expect the unexpected over the past few years, so having the right protection is a good idea.
Our survey found that 60% of Ontarians are concerned about being stranded when they’re away, so travel insurance may help offset costs that could come up if travel plans are unexpectedly cancelled or delayed.
Consider trip interruption, cancellation and medical insurance. While your credit cards or group insurance may offer some coverage, there might be gaps in the protection being offered.
To verify if a travel agency, website or tour operator is registered with TICO, check our online directory.
Book with a TICO Registered Travel Agency
To verify if a travel agency or website is TICO registered, check our online directory.
Take the TICO Traveller Quiz to see what type of traveller you are.
Sign up to receive quarterly travel consumer protection email updates.
For more travel tips and information, visit the Smart Traveller Guide.
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 how TICO helps, click here.
Any questions can be directed to tico@tico.ca or 1-888-451-TICO (8426).
