The travel industry grows with each second that ticks away because the more the world becomes globalized, the more its occupants feel the need to travel. Being a travel agent is ranked to be one of the trendiest jobs in the century, because of the challenge, novelty and fun it entails. Even if this is true, the role of a travel agent also associates with constant risk. One cannot merely raise his/her hand and be qualified as a travel agent. The job is about taking people to places, making their experience a pleasantly memorable one, and bringing them back home safe. This is not as simple as it sounds; given the different rules and regulations, one has to agree to in different countries of the world. What someone might love to do in one country might be illegal and punishable by law in another. The travelers might not be aware of the weather conditions, legal aspects, language, customs, and social construct of the country they are traveling.
This is why the travel agent who escorts them must know what he/she is doing. Taking all these into consideration, different states of the world have put up specific rules and regulations about starting up travel services. In Canada, British Columbia is one of the three provinces that have particular rules and regulations about selling travel.
This applies for travel agents who either have their business located inside the province, or sell their services to residents living in the province despite being located elsewhere. If a travel agent who comes either comes from or sells to British Columbia does not agree to these terms and does not get a license as a travel service provider, you must completely stop trusting that service to be real.
There is a set of rules and regulations you have to abide by if you plan on becoming a travel agent, or you have to consider if you plan on hiring one.
Before being a travel agent in BC, a registration fee of $40 must be paid to the BC Corporate Registry. Making sure this is done leads to another step to be completed; which is that an application for a license should be sent to the Consumer Protection BC. The last time I checked, the fee was $1,126 for travel agencies, while those who want to start branch offices of existing travel agencies are charged $675. It must also be noted that travel agency branches that are located in different locations need to obtain separate travelers’ licenses. British Columbia requires you to follow these steps in obtaining a license:
Apply for a travel agency head office application
Residential address declaration
Confirm financial information
Security requirements and working capital requirements
Annual financial report
Agreement of safekeeping
Letter of credit
Surety bond
Authorizing of credit card payment
Consumer protection BC logo request
Upon completion of these steps, you are to get a travel agency license that allows you to sell travel services to people. If your agency is located in British Columbia, you are bound by the regulations put up by the province for its own good and yours. In addition to these legal steps, you have to vow to yourself to serve the community honestly and legally. If you are a traveller looking for a trustworthy travel agency in BC, make sure to ask them to show you their license granted by the province. Because unlike travel agents in other areas, a BC travel agent needs a BC issued license.
Who Needs to be Licensed to Sell Travel in BC?
Travel agents: Travel agents are those who sell travel to the Canadian public. They provide guidance and active assistance in escorting travelers to their destinations.
Branch offices: A branch office is connected to the corporate headquarters, in this case, the host travel agency. According to the BC law, even a home-based unit is also considered as a separate branch. Each branch needs to be licensed separately by paying the $625 payment required by the Consumer Protection BC. The head office is what takes care of applying separate licenses for its branches, at the same time settling payments, managing the financial reports, and handling the documents.
Wholesalers: These are sellers of travel services through a third party. They need to be licensed, just as much as independent travel agents.
Independent travel agents: Independent travel agent is an agent of a travel agency. He/she works under commission and is bound to the host travel agency on a contract basis. But this does not allow them to work without a separate license; they too have to obtain a license as a branch office. If any independent travel agent fails to supply a travel agent license when you ask them, he/she is either on malpractice, or is employed by an irresponsible travel agency that does not recruit its agents legally.
Accommodation providers: An accommodation provider is the one who arranges vacation rentals, lodges, and locations for travelers. They need to have a wholesaler’s license if they are serving in British Columbia.
Travel Agent Regulation in British Columbia, Canada
A set of regulations binds travel agencies in British Columbia. The reason for this is that several cases of fraud travel agents in the area have been reported, and many people who wanted to be accompanied by a respected travel agent ended up being disappointed. Virtual companies who have not obtained a travel license must be rejected immediately because failure to show proof of the license is regarded as a felony. Finding out whether they have a BC travel seller’s permit is the healthiest way to start your relationship with a travel agency. If you are planning to be a travel agent yourself, start by applying for the license because you can do nothing without it. Accepting and adapting to the regulations makes you an eligible travel agent, and clients would eventually be glad that they hired you.