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ARTA Canada Welcomes Verónica Pacheco-Sanfuentes:
Travel Agency Commissioner
Toronto, 05 February 2009: ARTA Canada welcomed the appointment of Canadian-resident Verónica Pacheco-Sanfuentes as the newly-designated Travel Agency Commissioner for IATA Area 1 which includes Canada. Based in Sechelt, British Columbia, Ms. Pacheco-Sanfuentes is originally from Caracas, Venezuela and is fluent in English, French, and Spanish.
Ms. Pacheco-Sanfuentes' professional qualifications include a Law degree and a Master's degree in Public Law from the Université de Paris II, in France, as well as practicing law as a partner in one of Venezuela's most prestigious law firms. She was also granted a scholarship by the Canadian Foundation of Human Rights to participate in Prince Edward Island University's Human Rights Program. Ms. Pacheco-Sanfuentes also maintains a thorough familiarity with IATA resolutions.
The Travel Agency Commissioner Program is an essential component of the IATA/travel agency relationship and is jointly financed by IATA-accredited travel agencies and IATA member airlines. The program is designed to afford an effective, barrier-free review and resolution of certain disagreements which stem from the IATA Agency Program and the Billing and Settlement Plans (BSPs).
"We are very pleased with the final selection of Ms. Pacheco-Sanfuentes as Travel Agency Commissioner for Area 1. ARTA Canada made it very clear to UFTAA, which played a key role in the appointment process, that a strong legal background was among the most important criteria for this position. We are grateful that our request in this regard was fully met with this fine appointment", said ARTA Canada President Bruce Bishins, CTC.
Other new Travel Agency Commissioner appointments include Ms. Helene Cedertorn of Sundbyberg, Sweden (IATA Area 2) and Mr. Jo Foged of Auckland, New Zealand (IATA Area 3).
ARTA Canada also takes this opportunity to thank retiring Commissioners Brian Barrow and Stephen Lonergan, both having worked extensively on Commissioner reviews in Canada. Their service to the agency community is gratefully appreciated.
ARTA Canada provides assistance to its members in understanding the process of Travel Agency Commissioner reviews. For more details on the role and mandate of the Commissioner, please visit www.travel-agency-commissioner.aero.
About ARTA Canada
ARTA Canada is the largest non-profit federally incorporated professional association of travel retailers in Canada, the members of which consist exclusively of travel agencies and travel agents. In addition to advocating fair and equitable treatment of travel consumers, ARTA Canada represents the commercial and strategic interests of its member travel agencies and travel agents in a variety of national and provincial domains including regulatory and legislative matters, automation, technology, sales and marketing, and distribution.
ARTA Canada is the strategic partner in Canada of the U.S.-based Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA). ARTA Canada is the Canadian member of UFTAA, the United Federation of Travel Agents' Associations. To join ARTA Canada, complete details and online membership application and secure payment are available on the ARTA Canada web site at www.artacanada.ca/join. |
