Registrar Bulletin: Compliance and COVID-19
In recent days, TICO has had many conversations with consumers and registrants about the severity of the current pandemic environment including the hardship on Ontario’s travel agencies and tour operators.
We understand the pressures and challenges your businesses are facing. We’re also hearing many stories of travel agencies and tour operators going above and beyond to help not only their own customers navigate these difficult times, but also other travelers who have been left without any support. Your professionalism and dedication to consumer protection are shining during this time of uncertainty.
TICO has also received questions from registrants about regulatory compliance, including fees payable to TICO and other required submissions. Please know that TICO is exploring every avenue to assist registrants with these added pressures and will share more details as soon as they are available.
In response to the questions TICO is receiving from the industry, we have published a Registrar Bulletin to help registrants understand their responsibilities under the Travel Industry Act, 2002 and Ontario Regulation 26/05. We are continuing to review and update the information in this document as it becomes available. Please note that any enforcement decisions always take into account the circumstances of a contravention and what type of enforcement action may be appropriate. TICO would consider all factors, including the current state of emergency and registrants’ efforts to meet their obligations, when making a decision concerning appropriate enforcement activity.
TICO’s focus in the near future will be on ensuring consumers and registrants receive the information they need in a rapidly-changing environment. Any further information will be sent to all registrants by email and also posted in the Registrar Bulletin section of TICO’s website.
To contact TICO
TICO will be operating remotely from Wednesday, March 18, 2020 until Friday, April 3, 2020. For more information, please click here.
Any questions can be directed to TICO’s compliance team at