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Advocacy
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Data Intelligence
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Collaboration
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Industry Think Tank
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Education
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Guidelines
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We value your input and encourage you to share your ideas! Don’t hesitate to suggest any topics you’d like CATO to address. Your active involvement is greatly appreciated.
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Chair’s message
In this edition you will see the link to CATO’s year end 2023 Economic Impact Analysis, commissioned by CATO and undertaken by BDO. Unlike the previous report, this report only contains results from CATO members as the response rate from ATOQ was deemed not statistically significant by BDO.
While this makes any year-to-year analysis difficult, the 2023 report exclusively showcases the incredible economic impact of CATO members and their sales revenues by region (Canada, ITC/Sun, USA and International) and total revenue.
The cumulative sales generated by CATO members in 2023 was $9,837,717,915. That’s an impressive number by itself. However, compare that to the cumulative sales of USTOA members, as published in their year-end 2022 Economic impact study, and it’s beyond impressive. In that year USTOA reported sales revenue of $15.9 billion. The USTOA report also notes “by the close of 2022, USTOA tour operator members report a recovery in sales of 87% from 2019”.
There is no true comparison between the two reports, but one thing is for sure, with a market population of 1/10th the US, CATO members are generating many multiples more than 1/10th the revenue of our US counterparts. Congratulations to all of us!
Also, I would like to congratulate and welcome our newest members: Tour Partner Group UK Ltd; Embratur | Brazilian Tourist Board; RSI GROUP SURL (Rome); Brightspark Travel.
Finally, I encourage all members to display the CATO logo prominently on all your media, just as we have displayed all our members’ logos on the CATO website. Your membership means a lot to a lot of people and through your contribution this latest Economic Impact Analysis proves it.
Brett Walker, CATO Chair
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Thank you to all of our new and renewed members!
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We are thrilled to have you as part of our community and look forward to providing you with valuable resources and opportunities to enhance your business ventures in the tourism industry.
We are pleased to welcome new and returning members to the Canadian Association of Tour Operators. It gives us immense pleasure to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to all the recently joined and re-joined members of the Canadian Association of Tour Operators.
Jean Hébert, Executive Director
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NEW TOUR OPERATOR – FULL MEMBER
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NEW SUPPORTING MEMBERS
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AG BOUTIQUE JOURNEY / RSI GROUP SURL, Italy AG Boutique Journey’s Official Website
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Advocacy
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TICO’s Funding Review UPDATE
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A New few structure is in force on April 1st, 2024. The changes represent a significant increase for most Tour Operators in Ontario. Read the details here: Notice of Fee Change
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In February, CATO met with the office staff of the Honorable Todd McCarthy, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery, to discuss the advancements in the implementation plan subsequent to the TICO Funding Review Consultation. Additionally, we sought an update on the recommendations issued by the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario (OAGO), especially recommendation 16, which pertains to a thorough review of the Travel Industry Act.
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About the Compensation Fund, we once again stated that the proposed changes are not consumer-oriented: reduction of the Fund, complaint process very complicated, no change in the coverage limits, except for the increase from $5K to $10K per person, which means that in the event of a major failure, travelers will receive a reduced proportion of the total coverage amount. In short, a competitive disadvantage with the system in Québec.
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You can read CATO statement to the Minister by clicking here: Statement
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The response from the Minister’s Office confirmed that their focus is on the OAGO Report and on the good governance at TICO. They are preparing an implementation plan in response to the recommendations. A comprehensive review of the Travel Industry Act is part of the considerations, except for the Consumer Compensation Fund. They are assessing how they are going to sequence the next steps. More information will be provided in the next couple of months, with a release of a Public Action Plan in April.
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In response to OAGO report, TICO went public with a Request for Proposal (Formal) for a post “Post Value-for-Money (VFM) Audit Services” assessment, focusing on the 9 recommendations of the OAGO Report on the TICO’s operation.
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The “new” TICO Industry Advisory Council (IAC) has been announced.
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TICO has announced the composition of the Inaugural Industry Advisory Council, and Consumer Advisory Council.
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“The CAC and IAC will play a crucial role in advising TICO’s Board of Directors and management on matters related to consumer protection, challenges and opportunities affecting Ontario’s travel industry and overall emerging trends.”
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CATO is pleased to share the news that Joanne Dhue from Sunwing and Jean Hébert, CATO’s Executive Director, have been appointed as members of the IAC. This is a great opportunity for us to advocate on your behalf and provide valuable guidance and advice to the TICO Board of Directors in fulfilling their mandate. We will keep you updated, and we also encourage you to share your insights with us at any time.
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Data Intelligence
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RESULTS of the Economic Impact Analysis (EIA) 2023.
BDO 2023 EIA Report presents an update of the 2021 EIA. You can read the full report by clicking this link:
Why join CATO? – CATO
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (From the BDO Report)
The Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO), in response to COVID-19-related impacts, has undertaken an Economic Impact Analysis (2021) to measure the economic impact of the pandemic on CATO members, the loss of economic contributions to the Canadian economy throughout the pandemic, and in 2023 the growth rate of the tour operators following the removal of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The Economic Impact Assessment relied on responses to a survey issued to CATO and ATOQ members. However, the assessment ultimately did not include responses from ATOQ, as the survey response rate from ATOQ members was not deemed statistically significant to compile results.
Not surprisingly, the assessment found an increase in employment, labour income and economic output from 2021 to 2023 from survey respondents. This followed a decline between 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of COVID-19 and the decreased demand for travel and tour packages following the Canadian government’s implementation of travel restrictions.
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A few facts and figures
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A response rate of 81% was received from CATO members.
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The survey consisted of 8 questions that focused on three most important categories; General Information, Revenue and Expenditures, and Employment, as opposed to 30 questions on four categories in 2021.
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The outputs estimated by the model are direct and indirect impacts on employment, labour income, and social and economic contributions.
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Between 2020 and 2021, tour operators experienced a 94.6% decrease of economic output in terms of employment and labour costs directly supported by tour operators.
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As the travel restrictions were lifted, the increased demand for travel enabled CATO members who responded to the survey to increase total full-time equivalent staff positions by 37% from 2020.
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Direct Full-time Employment in 2020 was 2,571, and now at 3,702 in 2023.
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Of the 3,702 direct full-time positions reported in 2023, 72% or 2,675 were held by women, an increase of 46.8% from 2020.
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Total Employment, direct and indirect, was at 13,344 in 2020, down to 3,197 in 2021, and up to 21,824 in 2023, resulting in a 64% increase from 2020.
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Direct Labour Income increased by 38% to $222.9M in 2023 from $161.5M in 2020.
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Total Direct and Indirect Labour Income was at $864M in 2020, down to $145M in 2021, and up to $1,327M in 2023, an increase of 53% from 2020.
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Total Economic Output was at $5,420M in 2020, down to $291M in 2021, and up to $8,511M in 2023, an increase of 57% from 2020.
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Total sales revenue of $9.8 billion reported in 2023.
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The complete report will also be available on the CATO website, in the members’ section.
Visit CATO – Canadian Association of Tour Operators
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Collaboration
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EXCITING NEWS! Visit to the Algarve, Portugal, in November 2024
CATO has partnered with the Algarve Tourism Bureau in Portugal to provide its tour operator members with an incredible opportunity to expand their knowledge and connect with local industry experts. The details of this initiative will be communicated soon.
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New Partnership with USTOA
We are thrilled to inform you that we agreed to work with the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) to share resources and education sessions. CATO members will be invited to join some of their educational sessions.
Stay tuned!
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OTHER INFORMATION
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Travelers to Brazil, “Great news for all the wanderlusters in Canada. The visa waiver for Canadians, which has been in effect since 2019, has just been extended to the 10th of April, 2025”. BRAZILIAN VISA WAIVER EXTENDED.
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Survey request from Embratur | Brazilian Tourist Board. They have recently become a supporting member of CATO and are looking to improve their product offerings. They have asked for CATO’s help and would like to strengthen their partnership. If you could spare a few minutes, please complete the survey by clicking on the following link.: B2B Research – Embratur (google.com)
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Industry Think Tank
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SUSTAINABILITY – Animal Welfare Protection
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Thank you for joining us for Sustainability@CATO: Animal Welfare, on March 21st . For those who couldn’t attend the webinar you can visit our website @cato.ca and Sign In – CATO to access to all documents and the recording.
For more information on World Animal Protection you can visit We move the world to protect animals. | World Animal Protection to review their checklists and guides, as well as pledges.
They also have a pocket guide for tourists: Join the campaign to end wildlife cruelty | World Animal Protection
The insights into closing the intention-action gap in sustainable travel are an interesting read: Closing the Intention-Action Gap in Sustainable Travel
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By Emma Cottis, CATO Sustainability Committee Chair
Sustainability@CATO
“There’s no difference between a pessimist who says, ‘It’s all over, don’t bother trying to do anything, forget about voting, it won’t make a difference,’ and an optimist who says, ‘Relax, everything is going to turn out fine.’ Either way, the results are the same. Nothing gets done.”
These words from Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, from “Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman” resonate and should inspire change on any level, as we approach the 55th Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22nd.
Earth Day is a time to reflect on the changes we choose to make and the impact they can have on our planet. From small changes in behavior to monumental shifts in mindset, every action creates ripples of change, and I encourage you to watch this video of How Wolves Change Rivers as a great example how small actions can have profound effects.
Importantly, in the spirit of partnership, we are working with the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) to share resources and education sessions, and invite all CATO members to join the following educational sessions:
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Climate 101 – Zoom Webinar with Malcolm Preston, Adjunct Professor, Kellogg School of Management; Visiting Faculty, Harvard Business School
Date: Monday, April 22, 2024
Time: 11:00 am to 12:30 pm ET
To register, follow this link: https://ustoa.com/events/sir-education-series-4-22-24/
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Let’s Talk DEIA - A roundtable discussion on member initiatives surrounding diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Wednesday, June 26, 2024, 11:00am to 12:00pm ET
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Sustainability Reporting and Regulations - What are CSRD regulations? Will they impact my organization or role? What are companies in Europe and Australia currently doing to prepare and comply with them? How do they play into my organization’s sustainability strategy Wednesday, July 31, 2024, 3:00pm to 4:00pm ET
To register for either sessions please visit this form.
If you’ve got any ideas or suggestions for our next sessions, don’t hesitate to drop a line to Jean, Brett, or Emma who is CATO Sustainability Committee Chair.
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Education
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Please feel free to share any topics of interest or suggestions you may have by forwarding them to jhebert@cato.ca
Thank you.
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Event Calendar
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For those who missed the last Members’ meeting on February 27th, the recording is available in the members’ portal on the CATO website.
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Jean Hébert, Executive Director — jhebert@cato.ca
Brett Walker, Chair — bwalker@cato.ca
Association Office: 33 Kern Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3B 1S9
CATO | Canadian Association of Tour Operators
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