Assignment-2

Starting a Travel Agency in Canada

Group Members: Anandakrishnan Pradeep

Jyothish Mohanan Nair - 1174009

Licence and Legal Requirements

Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia have particular laws governing the sale of travel. This
implies that a travel agent must adhere to the laws of each province if they conduct business in
one of these provinces or sell to any residents of those provinces.

Requirements by Provinces

Ontario

 A travel agent must have Travel Agents in Ontario (TICO), Canada Certification,
which applies to both agency and all employees.
 For new agencies, the application fee is $3,000 CAD.
 A Travel Agent must provide financial documentation demonstrating they have
$5,000 in working capital.
 A $10,000 security deposit (refundable)

 Agent must open a trust account.

 Each applicant's listed owner, officer, director, shareholder, and designated
manager's criminal history.
 Copy of Government issued ID card for each owner, officer, director, shareholder
and designated manager named on the application.
 Copy of approval from Municipality.
 Trade name should be registered with the Ministry of Public and Business Service
Delivery - Service Ontario

 At least one officer or director of the registrant must be a Canadian citizen.

British Colombia

 Register the business with British Colombia corporate registry

 Apply for a licence to sell through Consumer Protection BC with a fee of $1293.

 Proof of Registration of incorporation

 Municipal Business Licence
 Criminal Record check for owners and staff.
 Provide proof of financial security, including Letters of Credit, Cash, Security
bonds and safekeeping record in favour of consumer protection BC.
 Business Phone number, which is easily found on your website, receipts and other
business documents.

 Provide financial documents with enough working capital to operate.

Quebec

 A travel agent must pass Travel Agency Managers exam, which costs 70 CAD.
 Cost of Permit CAD 75 per month.

 Agent must provide a bond of $25000 CAD; this will act as compensation for
services promised and then not rendered.
 Must have 5000CAD working capital.
 A copy of the agency's opening papers, together with the financial institution's
signature on each trust account.
 Must pass the Travel Counsellors exam conducted by the Institute of Tourism and
Hotels of Quebec.

Physical Requirements

There are no mentioned physical requirements for particular travel agents in Canada.

To create an ideal workplace for travel agents, there are a few general recommendations and
considerations to take into account:

Office Space: To run the travel agency's activities, the agent will require a separate office space.
Their personnel and customers should be able to work comfortably at the office.

Location: The location must be accessible by public transport and visibility in a commercial
area.
Reception Area: The reception area must be a welcoming and professional reception area where
clients can comfortably wait for their appointments. This area should have comfortable seating
and informational materials about travel destinations.

Infrastructure: Make sure the office has a reliable connection to the internet, phone systems,
and the required software for handling reservations, bookings, and client communications.