Affliations & Recognitions

United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) is a professional, voluntary trade association created with the primary purpose of promoting integrity within the tour operator industry.

USTOA was founded in 1972 by a small group of California tour operators concerned about tour operator bankruptcies. These founding members recognized the need for a unified voice to protect the traveling public, as well as to represent the interests of tour operators. In 1975, USTOA became a national organization with headquarters in New York.
Today, USTOA Active members represent some of the top names in travel and tourism, and account for a sizeable portion of the tour operator market in North America.
The USTOA was started to foster trust in tour operators, and its motto, “Integrity in Tourism” requires members to adhere to the highest standards in the industry. Among these is the principle of ethical conduct, which requires members to conduct business according to a set of professional standards which include representing all facts, conditions and requirements relating to tours and vacation packages truthfully and accurately.

Truth in Advertising requires that members advertise and quote prices which are totally deliverable; accurately identify facilities, accommodations and services; and communicate any substitutions promptly to the travel agent and/or their client.

Members must also demonstrate ethical and financial responsibility in their business conduct in order to instill confidence in their financial stability, reliability and integrity.