Ontario's travel industry regulator the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) has announced that annual registrant fees for travel agencies and wholesalers will be waived for a third consecutive year.
"As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge through our community and worldwide, there is an ongoing, significant financial impact to Ontario's travel agencies and wholesalers," TICO CEO and registrar Richard Smart said in a statement.
"To assist the industry through this hardship, the Ontario government will provide funding to the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO), allowing TICO to waive registrant fees for a third year. This temporary funding arrangement allows TICO to continue its operations in support of consumer protection," Smart added.
Through funding from the Ontario government, TICO has offered fee waivers to registrants for the last two fiscal years, beginning on April 1, 2020.
"Since the beginning of the pandemic, TICO has worked closely with the Ontario government to find ways to support our registrants," said Smart. "We appreciate the government's continued assistance and funding through these unprecedented times. While there are many challenges ahead, TICO remains committed to its mandate of strong consumer protection and the recovery of Ontario's travel marketplace in the years ahead."
Travel agencies and wholesalers will receive a fee waiver for annual registration renewal fees and Travel Industry Compensation Fund payments (Form-1) owed to TICO from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023.
TICO says this will allow registrants to focus on their priority business needs without the added financial stress of meeting certain payment obligations with TICO. The waiver applies to all registrants registered with TICO as of March 31, 2022.
Registrants are still required to complete and submit their Registration Renewal Form (without payment) and their Form-1 (without payment) by the filing deadline.
Any questions can be directed to [email protected] or toll free at 1-888-451-TICO (8426).
Topics From This Article to Explore
