CAA - CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY

Amongst other things, the CAA is the body that issues the ATOL which any tour operator needs to be able to sell packaged holidays including flights. An ATOL is an Air Travel Organiser's Licence. To check if a Tour Operator holds a licence and your money is protected, enter the company name or ATOL number in the box on the CAA website.

ABTA - THE ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH TRAVEL AGENTS

Formed in 1950, ABTA is a trade association which now represents over 6,000 travel agencies and 850 tour operations throughout the British Isles. All of them carry the ABTA logo, which stands for choice, value, and high levels of service including adherence to a strict code of conduct. ABTA is a major organisation in the UK travel industry and has played a significant part in developing trading guidelines and codes of conduct to which the vast majority of travel agents and tour operators aspire, but a Travel Agent or Tour Operator does NOT have to be a member of ABTA and many highly respected travel businesses are not members of ABTA.

AITO - THE ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT TOUR OPERATORS

AITO represents independent companies, most of them owner-managed, specialising in particular destinations or types of holidays. The common aim of all AITO members is to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction by concentrating on three main pillars: Choice, Quality and Service, enshrined in the association's Quality Charter. Companies admitted to AITO are all vetted and fully bonded for clients' protection, in compliance with UK and European regulations. They are also bound by AITO's own Code of Business Practice.

OUR MISSION IS TO BRING YOU FACTUAL UNBIASED INFORMATION ABOUT ALL ASPECTS OF THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY AND A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF TRAVEL BOOKING SERVICES IN ONE PLACE