TORONTO In a year that saw the global grounding of planes, the closure of international borders and a halt on tours and cruises around the world, there’s no question that the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the travel & tourism sector, across the chain, at all levels. Here in Canada, with little-to-no bookings coming in, over 800 store-front travel agency locations have been forced to close from March 2020 to March 2021, while members of CATO (Canadian Association of Tour Operators) and other tour operators are faced with year-over-year revenue drops of more than 90%, says CATO Chair Brett Walker.
With many travel and tourism businesses being forced to shutter their doors, concerns over consumer protection are at an all-time high as travellers scramble to get refunds for cancelled flights, cruises and tours. In the case of Ontario retailers that were unable to provide travel services due to bankruptcy or insolvency, Ontario’s Compensation Fund, put in place to cover such an