Checking the Pulse of the Travel Industry
In early 2021, TICO conducted comprehensive registrant and consumer surveys to understand the value both registrants and consumers place in TICO, as well as confidence and satisfaction with TICO’s services and overall travel industry regulations. The results of the surveys were used to plan how TICO executed its services over the past year. We recently completed brief pulse surveys to measure progress on several important metrics. “The COVID-19 pandemic has been an exceptionally challenging time for Ontario’s travel agents and tour operators,” said Richard Smart, TICO’s president and CEO. “Since the start of the pandemic, we have been focused on supporting the long-term viability of the industry, while ensuring consumers remain protected. It’s positive to see that the relief and support put in place over the last year has been well received and valued.” TICO will continue to use the feedback in the survey to plan and refine programs and services for registrants in the year ahead. For consumer survey results, flip to page 5.
Overall perceptions of value, confidence and satisfaction increased from 2021 to 2022:
- 73% of registrants are very confident or confident in TICO as a regulator (up from 64% in 2021);
- 68% of registrants have an excellent or good overall perception of TICO (up from 58% in 2021);
- Over 3-in-5 registrants (63%) feel TICO and its services provide significant or good value to registrants, up from 54% in 2021;
- 19% increase over 2021 in the number of respondents who perceive TICO is interested in the feedback of registrants;
- 15% increase over 2021 in the number of respondents who believe TICO understands registrants’ needs; and
- 13% increase over 2021 in the number of respondents who believe TICO is effective at finding solutions for consumers.
Pandemic support
- 87% of registrants felt the fee waiver was valuable, including nearly 3-in-4 who felt it was very valuable. This is an increase from 2021 (80%).
- 82% of registrants were very satisfied or satisfied with TICO’s pandemic support (up from 75% in 2021).
- 85% of registrants said an extension of the temporary financial reporting requirement exemption would be valuable to their company.
Preferred method for communication Registrants told us that the best way to communicate with them is through: the website and online resources (73%), calling/emailing directly (69%), TICO Talk newsletter (63%), bulletins and advisories (61%) and webinars, seminars and workshops (47%).
We will continue to strive to provide the service, programs and communication that registrants have come to rely on and expect from TICO.
