TORONTO — TICO (Travel Industry Council of Ontario) opened its annual general meeting yesterday with an update on Ontario’s Auditor General’s 2023 value-for-money audit, reporting that nearly 80% of TICO-specific action items have been completed.

The meeting, held virtually on Sept. 25, 2025, highlighted the organization’s progress on implementing the Auditor General’s 16 recommendations, all of which are aimed at strengthening the administration of the Travel Industry Act, 2002.

Opening the meeting was Ontario’s Minister of Public and Business Service, Delivery and Procurement Stephen Crawford. Describing TICO’s work as “vital to Ontario’s travel sector,” the Minister outlined several key initiatives the organization has launched over the past year, including modernizing its fee structure, improving its board governance and establishing advisory councils that incorporate both industry and consumer perspectives.

“While the travel and tourism industries play a vital role in Ontario’s economic growth, our government recognizes both the opportunities and ongoing challenges, including pandemic recovery, rising consumer expectations and efforts to combat travel-related fraud. That’s why we continue to support TICO as it delivers on its mandate to protect consumers and strengthen confidence in travel services,” said Minister Crawford.

TICO President & CEO Richard Smart highlighted other recent improvements made in efficiency and transparency, including the implementation of a new security return process, an enhanced agency search feature and a refreshed registrant toolkit that travel agencies and tour operators can use to share consumer protection information with their clients.

And though there’s been little progress from the Ontario government on the AG’s proposed assessment of the Travel Industry Act, Smart assured registrants that “as of now, these recommendations remain a priority for the Minister and the Ministry as they consider all the initiatives under their mandate.”

TICO releases regular Auditor General report updates on its website. Click here to read the reports.

ONTARIO’S RESILIENT MARKETPLACE

Smart reviewed the financial and operational health of Ontario’s travel sector, noting that despite global volatility, a decline in consumer confidence and tariff concerns, the province’s travel businesses delivered near-record sales last year. Ontario registrants reported nearly $18 billion in gross sales in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, representing 99% of the pre-pandemic record achieved in 2018–2019.

While consumer demand has remained strong, Smart acknowledged the continued pressure facing many registrants, particularly the burden of pandemic-era debt. “We know that for some registrants, it continues to be a challenging time,” he said. “Our compliance team continues to monitor and work with registrants on maintaining overall compliance.”

Consumer awareness of TICO also remains high. Surveys conducted with Ontario travellers showed that 80% believe TICO is valuable to them, and 75% consumers who are aware of TICO prefer to book with a registered agency, compared to 43% of the general public. For agencies, said Smart, these figures represent a valuable marketing opportunity, underscoring the importance of promoting their registration status as a competitive advantage.

On the industry side, about 70% of registrants expressed confidence in TICO, with similar levels of satisfaction regarding fairness in enforcement and consumer protection outcomes. “We saw favourable responses when it comes to TICO creating a level playing field, working to ensure positive consumer protection outcomes, and being fair and consistent in enforcing regulations,” said Smart.

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW & COMPENSATION FUND

TICO launched a new funding framework and fee model on April 1, 2024, in response to the Auditor General’s recommendations. According to Smart, the organization’s operating costs are now funded through registration and other fees paid by registrants.

TICO reported revenues of $7.8 million for the last fiscal year, an increase of nearly 7% from the year prior. The main source of revenue under the new model was renewal payments, now representing 57 per cent of the total. Expenses totalled almost $6 million, up 16% from the previous year, largely due to investments in implementing the Auditor General’s recommendations including new resources to TICO staff.

Consumer claims against the Compensation Fund rose to $403,000 from $109,000 in the previous year, though the figure remains well below actuarial expectations. As a result, the fund’s balance as of March 31, 2025, was just under $24 million, about $200,000 higher than the previous year.

REGISTRATION NUMBERS & NEW ENTRANTS

Chief Operating Officer & Registrar Dorian Werda reported that TICO’s registrant base remains stable, with 1,894 registrations as of March 31, 2025, compared to 1,921 the year before. There were 141 voluntary terminations during the year, along with 114 new registration applications, one of the strongest totals in recent years.

“It’s a strong signal that entrepreneurs see growth opportunities in Ontario’s travel industry,” said Werda.

In addition, nearly 9,000 individuals completed TICO’s certification exam during the year. Although this figure is down 11% from the previous year’s peak, it remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. This suggests that travel sales continues to be seen as a viable career path in Ontario.

TICO is currently finalizing an updated certification program that will be delivered as an interactive online course. The revised program, designed in partnership with an adult education provider, will place greater emphasis on applying regulatory knowledge in real-world scenarios, moving away from rote memorization. More information will be coming in the months ahead.

NEW RISK-BASED FRAMEWORK

One of the most significant updates from Werda was the development of TICO’s new risk-based framework for compliance, created in direct response to the Auditor General’s recommendations. The framework assigns risk scores to travel agencies and tour operators beginning at registration and will guide oversight activities starting later this year.

“This will allow us to be more proactive and targeted in our oversight, ensuring our resources are focused and go where they are needed the most,” Werda said.

Werda also noted a 50% increase in warnings issued this year to unregistered travel sellers, many involving short-term rental agencies, special interest or hobby-based travel organizers. Despite the sharp increase, TICO achieved a success rate of over 90% in bringing these operators into compliance, while the remaining 10% were referred to TICO’s investigations department. As Werda noted: “Our approach is always to educate and support first and enforce only when necessary.”

SUPPORTING CUSTOMERS

TICO fielded thousands of consumer inquiries over the past year, with written complaints declining to 116 from 281 the year before. The regulator assisted consumers in obtaining $121,441 in restitution compared to $354,000 in the previous year. While a high volume of airline-related issues was redirected to the Canadian Transportation Agency, TICO did assist consumers with other complaints involving cancellations, improper or lack of disclosures, and dissatisfaction with services and destination.

BOARD ELECTIONS & AUDIT REPORT

The meeting concluded with the election of Mike Foster, Travel Consultant, Nexion Travel Group Canada, to the industry director position on TICO’s Board of Directors, while Heather Colquhoun was elected for the Public Director role.

TICO’s financial statements received a clean audit opinion from BDO Canada, confirming that they fairly reflect the organization’s financial position in line with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations. BDO Canada, which has served as TICO’s auditor since 2016-2017, was once again voted to be its auditor for the 2025-2026.