CATO Accreditation Program

The Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) accreditation program is a fit-for-purpose scheme specifically for the land-supply sector (tour operators and wholesalers) of the Australian travel industry developed in conjunction with the CATO Member Code of Conduct.

The CATO Member Code of Conduct provides operational guidance for members in order to demonstrate their professional standing within the global travel ecosystem and expectations, around high standards of product and/or service delivery through sustainable best practice.

To be eligible for CATO Accreditation, full member tour operators and travel wholesalers must:

• Hold an Australian ABN or be formally represented by an entity with an Australian ABN
• Acknowledge and abide by the CATO constitution
• Adhere to the CATO Member Code of Conduct

All members must maintain insurance coverage relevant to the size of their organisation that includes (but not limited to):

• Public liability insurance with minimum cover of AUD$20 million
• Tour Operators Liability insurance (if relevant)
• Professional indemnity insurance (if relevant)
• Workers Compensation insurance in accordance with relevant State based legislation (or relevant local authority)

CATO Accredited Members are expected to adhere to the CATO Member Advertising Code of Conduct when marketing and advertising travel goods and services.

CATO Accredited Members are expected to adhere to the CATO Member Code of Ethics when dealing with the public.

The annual renewal of CATO membership is acknowledgment that a participant (member) is aligned with, understands, and complies with all aspects of the CATO Member Code of Conduct, and is compliant with all obligations relating to financial reporting relative to the jurisdiction in which the member is domiciled.