TICO increases fee for registrants with sales exceeding $10 million

The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) has announced an “inflationary adjustment” to renewal fees for registrants with sales exceeding $10 million.

For payments due on or after April 1, 2026, TICO will implement a 2.4 per cent inflationary increase on renewal fees, which only applies to registrants with Ontario gross sales greater than $10 million.

The adjustment affects about 10 per cent of TICO’s registrant base, the council said in a press release Wednesday (Jan. 28)

There are no other fee changes being introduced, including for the Compensation Fund. For 90 per cent of registrants, fee rates will be maintained at the levels set in April 2024.

“We recognize that businesses continue to face challenging economic conditions, and we have kept this adjustment as modest as practicable,” said TICO CEO Richard Smart in a statement. “TICO remains focused on protecting travel consumers, while being mindful of the financial realities faced by Ontario’s travel businesses.”

Why is the change being made?

TICO says the adjustment is being implemented to ensure “continued sustainability, quality, and reliability of services provided to Ontario’s travel consumers and registrants, in the context of rising operational costs driven by inflation.”

The organization noted that its funding levels remained unchanged from 2011 to 2024.

“While this helped limit short-term increases, it also meant that funding did not keep pace with inflation or the evolving environment of delivering consumer protection and regulatory oversight," TICO said. “As a result, a more significant review and funding realignment took place in 2024.”

TICO noted that it is committed to a “proactive funding approach that includes regular reviews and more modest inflation-based adjustments, only when necessary.”

The organization says its operating costs have increased due to inflation.

“This fee adjustment keeps fees aligned with cost pressures – it does not generate surplus revenue,” TICO said, calling the fee structure “fair and proportional, without creating undue burden on small and medium businesses.”

There is no fee change for registrants with Ontario gross sales of $10 million or less.

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook