Starting Your Business
Whether you are a new TICO-registered travel business or thinking of becoming a TICO-registered business, the following resource has been designed to help you find the right information quickly.
REGISTRATION
TICO provides all the resources you need to register your travel business in Ontario. This includes detailed registration information, including a step‑by‑step registration checklist and a complete registration kit.
Once registered, your business must renew its registration every year. Renewal fees are calculated based on your reported Ontario sales from the previous fiscal year. You can review additional details about renewal fees and the renewal process.
TICO CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
Successfully completing the TICO Certification Program and exam is a requirement to sell travel services on behalf of an Ontario registered travel retailer. Please click here for an overview of the process.
BUSINESS CHANGE NOTIFICATIONS TO TICO
If you make any changes that affect the registration information TICO has on file for your business, you are required to notify TICO within specific timeframes. The required reporting period varies depending on the type of change.
To ensure compliance, review the full list of changes that must be reported and the applicable notification timelines.
Learn more about reportable changes and notification requirements.CONSUMER AWARENESS TOOLKIT
As a TICO-registered travel agency or tour operator, your clients have consumer protection on their side each time they book with you. Help new and existing clients understand what being registered with TICO is all about and how booking with a TICO-registered company can give them added peace-of-mind to enjoy their travels.
Our shareable resources speak to the knowledge and professionalism that TICO-certified travel advisors bring to the booking process.
COMPENSATION FUND
Learn about the consumer protection of Ontario's Compensation Fund and the requirements regarding paying assessments into the industry financed Travel Compensation Fund:
Overview of the Compensation Fund
Remittance information
FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS
All registrants must adhere to the legislated financial requirements. The following will provide useful information to ensuring financial compliance:
Filing of Financial Statements
Trust Accounting Guidelines
Working Capital
Compensation Fund Remittance
INSPECTIONS
Inspections are conducted to ensure ongoing compliance of the Travel Industry Act and the Regulation. All new TICO registrants are inspected within 6 months of receiving registration.
GUIDELINES & CHECKLISTS
TICO offers guidelines and checklists designed to assist you with meeting the legislated requirements. View all guidelines and checklists here.
ENFORCEMENT, COMPLIANCE
Stay up to date with the current enforcement action being taken by TICO. TICO publishes a list of revoked agencies, suspensions, charges and convictions:
Revocation List
Closure List
Suspension List
Charges & Convictions
LEARNING CENTRE
TICO is dedicated to enhancing your knowledge base. TICO conducts seminars, roundtable sessions and are adding webinars in the future on various topics and timely issues. Make sure you subscribe to TICO's email list to be the first to know when an opportunity to attend becomes available.
Upcoming Webinars and Seminars
Compliance Tutorials
NEWS
What is happening at TICO?
Press Releases
Registrar Bulletins
Advisories
TICO Talk Newsletter
FAQ
Q. I just designed my invoice and I want to know if it is compliant.
A. Please review TICO’s Invoicing Checklist or you may contact our Compliance Department for a thorough review of your invoices.
Q. I’m an agency owner and I want to hire some Outside Sales Reps, what precautions should I be taking?
A. TICO has designed Outside Sales Representative Guidelines for Agency Owners. Please review the document online and contact TICO’s Compliance Department with any questions you may have.
Q. I want to publish an advertisement, what rules should I be following?
A. TICO has a very useful Advertising Checklist that you can use to help with designing your advertisement. As always, you can also contact us for assistance.
Q. What information am I supposed to be providing to my clients during the booking process?
A. As an agent you have some responsibilities at the time of making the sale. As such, TICO has made it easy to comply with the legislated requirements. Please review our Booking Checklist and use it for all your bookings.