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ARTA Canada Calls for Proper Canadian Wholesaler Invoicing
Out-of-Province Invoicing May Put Consumers at Risk
Toronto, 30 June 2009: ARTA Canada has been advised by some of its Ontario travel agency members that after making a booking with an Ontario office of a TICO registrant wholesaler, the travel agency receives invoices for these transactions showing only the identification of the wholesaler's Québec office and no TICO registration number.
Such "out-of-province" invoicing transactions are contrary to the proper handling of the consumer's payment via the Ontario retailer, and, furthermore, would not provide the protection of TICO to the consumer. In doing due diligence, ARTA Canada spoke with TICO and Québec's Office of Consumer Protection (OPC) yesterday.
TICO confirmed that it would not be able to protect the consumer without a proper Ontario wholesaler invoice. The OPC was more flexible, particularly given the clear wording on its web site that it would also not protect the consumer. However, the OPC indicated that its position might allow protection of the consumer under Québec statutes in certain cases.
"This poor adherence to the wholesaler invoicing requirements has caused unnecessary confusion. What if the invoice had been issued from a non-regulated province? This certainly puts the consumer at risk as such transactions would not be protected by TICO", said ARTA Canada President Bruce Bishins, CTC.
ARTA Canada was provided with several examples of such invoices issued by Intair (a brand of Thomas Cook Canada). For its part, Intair advised that it was aware of the problem and that it was attempting to resolve the invoicing concerns once provincial authorities provided guidance.
"I'm not sure what the provincial regulators could add to clarify this situation. The solution is clear, particularly from TICO's point of view. If a retailer buys from an Ontario registered wholesaler, they should get an Ontario issued invoice. End of story", added Bishins.
ARTA Canada has put the Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) on notice that wholesalers must issue invoices in the province where the booking is made and where the retailer has the belief that the wholesaler has an office in that province and where the retailer believes to be dealing with and paying to such an office.
ARTA Canada asks all wholesalers which have already issued "out-of-province" invoices to reissue proper invoices within the province concerned so as to assure that consumers are fully and properly protected under the appropriate and expected provincial compensation fund.
Agencies which continue to receive such "out-of-province" invoices should contact ARTA Canada for assistance.
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. | 
