Priorities
Here are a few of our main priorities
The Vision is simple:
Accelerate change towards a fully secure transaction environment for participants in the travel distribution network in Canada
Our fraud prevention activity is done at a National level as fraud is not a local problem. Our efforts therefore benefit the entire travel distribution network in Canada.
ATOQ plays an active role in the Canadian Travel Fraud Prevention Group (CTFPG) as well as participating in IATA’s worldwide Airline Debit Memo User Group (ADMUG) with a particular focus on the Credit Card Chargebacks sub-group.
Fraud
Standardization of the language used in our members terms and conditions.
Given the common challenges we face in small claims Court concerning the “obligation de resultat” we have towards consumers, the ATOQ has determined that there is good value in investing time and resources to improve the tour operator’s chances of favorable judgements.
After discussion with legal counsel, it was determined that with some standardization of certain language used within our existing terms and conditions and the proper highlighting and presentation of key points, our experiences and success rate in court could be improved.
While tour operators must always respect their responsibilities, by working together we can make sure our rights are also properly protected.
Annual seminar is held each spring.
Obligation of result
Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC)
The ATOQ has a two permanent seats on the Advisory Board of the Office de la protection du consommateur (« OPC ») and in this role provides industry input concerning the law and the regulations governing travel agents as well as the Compensation Fund for Customers of Travel Agencies (FICAV).
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New OPC regulations:
The efforts of our 2 representatives on the Advisory Board of the OPC have resulted in positive changes to the regulations that govern the travel industry and the FICAV-
Consumer coverage will be increased, which will help reduce tour operator costs
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Compensation will be made available much faster and is more flexible
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The maximum amount of compensation has been increased
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We are in regular contact with the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) as well as the Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) to bring about the necessary changes to our business model in order to provide a safer transactional environment for us all.
An example of our cooperative efforts is the joint campaign launched every March, the month of fraud prevention in Canada. We need to work together to find solutions that work for the industry.
We also all work together closely on the Canadian Travel Fraud Prevention Group (CTFPG) along with IATA and other important travel industry representatives.