The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) has launched a consultation process to gather feedback on proposed changes to its Certification exam fees, with the public comment period open from May 28 to June 30, 2025.
The move comes as TICO prepares to introduce a revamped Certification program later this year.
The updated program, designed in partnership with an adult education provider, will shift from a static manual-based approach to a fully interactive e-learning format.
TICO says the new course will focus on applying regulatory and consumer protection concepts, aiming to improve learner engagement and industry readiness.
“Enhancing the Certification program will strengthen travel professionals’ consumer protection knowledge as they enter the industry, which in turn will benefit the consumers they guide in their travel purchases,” said Richard Smart, TICO’s CEO.
“As part of this enhancement, we’re reviewing the related fees to ensure they remain fair, transparent and aligned with cost recovery.”
The Certification exam fee has remained unchanged since 2009, when the Ontario government mandated that individuals selling travel on behalf of a TICO-registered agency must be certified. TICO says the fee will need to be adjusted once the new program launches to reflect the development and operational costs of the upgraded offering.
Notable changes include a combined exam that covers both Travel Counsellor and Supervisor/Manager content, streamlining the process for new industry entrants. Current certificate holders seeking the Supervisor/Manager designation will be given a transition period, with at least 60 days’ notice before the existing program is phased out.
According to TICO, since its inception, nearly 112,000 individuals have completed TICO’s Certification exams.
Stakeholders are encouraged to review the proposed changes and submit feedback through an online survey. The consultation will close at 4 p.m. on Monday, June 30, 2025.
For more information, questions can be directed to: [email protected].
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