TICO - Travel Industry Council of Ontario Advertising and Pricing Standards Questions and Answers

Question 1

A TICO-registered travel agency places an online advertisement for a one-week all-inclusive vacation package. The ad prominently displays a price of '$999 + taxes'. Which TICO regulation does this advertisement violate?

Accepted Answer

The requirement for all-in pricing.

Answer

According to Ontario Regulation 26/05, any representation that refers to a price must set out the total amount a customer is required to pay. This includes all fees, levies, service charges, surcharges, and taxes. Advertising a price as 'plus taxes' is not compliant with the all-in pricing requirement.

Question 2

A travel agency is creating a large print advertisement for a local newspaper. According to Section 31 of Ontario Regulation 26/05, which of the following pieces of information MUST be included in the advertisement?

Accepted Answer

The agency's registered business name, address, and TICO registration number.

Answer

Section 31 of the regulation requires that representations, such as print ads, must include the registrant's business name, address, and TICO registration number. While a phone number is common, it is the registered business details and TICO number that are mandated.

Question 3

Which of the following statements about advertising travel services in Ontario is considered false, misleading, or deceptive under the Travel Industry Act, 2002?

Accepted Answer

Using a photo of a hotel's beachfront, when the advertised package is for a room with no view.

Answer

Section 28 of the Travel Industry Act, 2002, and Section 32 of the Regulation prohibit false, misleading, or deceptive statements. Using a picture that does not accurately represent the travel services being offered, such as showing a premium view for a standard room, is considered misleading.

Question 4

An Ontario travel agency wants to promote a 'Deal of the Day' on its Instagram story. Due to the limited space and temporary nature of the post, which information is NOT required on the individual story post itself?

Accepted Answer

The registrant's business address and TICO number.

Answer

While social media is not exempt from advertising rules, TICO recognizes that individual posts or stories are limited space mediums. Therefore, these posts are exempt from Section 31, which requires the business name, address, and registration number. However, this information must be present on the main profile page (e.g., the Instagram bio/profile). All-in pricing rules still apply if a price is mentioned.

Question 5

A travel agency advertises a cruise with pricing 'From $1,200'. To be compliant with TICO's advertising standards, what else must the agency include in this representation?

Accepted Answer

A 'to' price and the applicable range of dates.

Answer

TICO's guidelines state that if you advertise a 'from' price, you must also include a 'to' price and the corresponding date range for which those prices are available. This ensures the consumer has a clear and realistic understanding of the potential costs.

TICO - Travel Industry Council of Ontario Practice Test

TICO - Travel Industry Council of Ontario Practice Test

TICO - Travel Industry Council of Ontario Advertising and Pricing Standards Questions and Answers