TICO - Travel Industry Council of Ontario TICO's Role and Mandate 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In what year was TICO established to administer Ontario's travel industry regulations?
- 1990
- 1994
- 1997 (Correct answer)
- 2002
Correct answer: 1997
TICO was established in 1997 as a self-regulatory body to administer Ontario's travel industry legislation on behalf of the provincial government.
Question 2: Which fund does TICO administer to provide financial protection to consumers who suffer losses due to the failure of a registered Ontario travel agency or wholesaler?
- Canadian Travel Guarantee Reserve
- Ontario Travel Industry Compensation Fund (Correct answer)
- Consumer Travel Indemnity Trust
- Ontario Tourism Protection Fund
Correct answer: Ontario Travel Industry Compensation Fund
TICO administers the Ontario Travel Industry Compensation Fund, which reimburses consumers who experience financial loss caused by the insolvency or bankruptcy of a TICO-registered registrant.
Question 3: Which Ontario provincial ministry is responsible for oversight of TICO and the travel industry regulatory framework?
- Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport
- Ministry of Finance
- Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery (Correct answer)
- Ministry of Economic Development and Trade
Correct answer: Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery
TICO operates under the authority of the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery (formerly Ministry of Government and Consumer Services), which is responsible for marketplace regulation in Ontario.
Question 4: Which of the following entities is NOT required to register with TICO under Ontario's travel industry legislation?
- Travel agencies selling travel services to Ontario consumers
- Travel wholesalers packaging tours for Ontario-based agents
- Airlines operating scheduled routes from Ontario airports (Correct answer)
- Home-based travel agents selling to Ontario residents
Correct answer: Airlines operating scheduled routes from Ontario airports
Airlines are federally regulated carriers and are not required to register with TICO. TICO registration applies to travel retailers and wholesalers, including home-based agents, who sell or distribute travel services to Ontario consumers.
Question 5: TICO's Code of Ethics requires registered travel agents and wholesalers to adhere to which core obligation when dealing with consumers?
- Guarantee the lowest available market price on all travel products sold
- Provide accurate information and conduct business fairly, honestly, and in good faith (Correct answer)
- Resolve all consumer complaints internally within 14 business days
- Maintain a minimum of three years of verified industry experience before registration
Correct answer: Provide accurate information and conduct business fairly, honestly, and in good faith
TICO's Code of Ethics establishes that registrants must deal with consumers fairly, honestly, and in good faith, and must provide accurate, complete information to enable informed purchasing decisions.
Question 6: When TICO receives a consumer complaint against a registered travel agency, what is TICO's primary regulatory role?
- To mediate binding financial settlements between the consumer and the registrant
- To investigate potential violations of the Travel Industry Act and take disciplinary action where warranted (Correct answer)
- To provide consumers with free legal representation in civil proceedings against the registrant
- To immediately reimburse the consumer from the Compensation Fund while the dispute is ongoing
Correct answer: To investigate potential violations of the Travel Industry Act and take disciplinary action where warranted
TICO's primary role in the complaints process is regulatory — it investigates whether a registrant has violated the Travel Industry Act, 2002 or its regulations, and can take disciplinary action including fines, conditions on registration, or revocation.
TICO - Travel Industry Council of Ontario TICO's Role and Mandate 1
In what year was TICO established to administer Ontario's travel industry regulations?