The Commission for Aviation Regulation completes the Spring (2019) Licensing Round for Travel Agents and Tour Operators
The Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) issues licences for travel agents and tour operators twice a year. The first round of licences are issued on the 1st May (the Spring round) and the second round of licences are issued on the 1st November (the Autumn round). A licence is valid for a period of twelve months from date of issue.
The Commission today, 10th May 2019, has announced the completion of the Spring 2019 licensing round for travel agents and tour operators offering travel departing from Ireland. A total of 91 travel agents and 9 tour operators were licensed in this round. Click here for up-to-date listings.
The following travel companies have applied to have their licences renewed but, at this time, do not have a licence:
- Greenlife Tours Limited (TA0756)
- Robert Kilkelly (Travel) Ltd (TA0158)
The Commission is continuing to engage with these firms and may issue licences in the future; if so, we will update details on our website.
The companies listed above must not take any new bookings for overseas travel from 1st May 2019. At this time, customers are advised that any such bookings made with these companies on or after 1st May 2019 will not be covered. Passengers that have made an overseas travel booking before this date are covered.
The CAR operates a travel protection scheme to give protection to people booking overseas travel packages in the event that the tour operator or travel agent ceases trading and passengers are (a) stranded abroad or (b) their travel contracts are not fulfilled before the due date of travel. If a company is unlicensed, any bookings for overseas travel packages made by passengers are not covered by these protection arrangements.
Based on applications received, travel agents have indicated a projected licensable turnover of €609 (2018 €635) million for the year ahead. The projections for tour operators is €2.3 (2018 €1.9) million.
The reductions in both the number of licenced entities and turnover is based on the fact that under Directive 2015/2302 (Package Travel Directive), which came into force on the 1st July 2018, companies established in other EU member states are now regulated from the member state in which they are established and can trade in Ireland without needing a licence provided they have sufficient insolvency protection in place in their country of establishment, they must provide evidence of same to the Commission. The net effect of the Directive is that EU established companies no longer need to be licenced separately in Ireland. Twelve such entities, previously licenced by the Commission up to the 30th April 2019, no longer hold an Irish licence.
- Broadway Travel Services (Wimbledon) Ltd
- Dnata Travel (UK) Ltd
- Jeka Holidays Ltd
- GBT III B.V
- Great Rail Journeys
- Holidays.ch AG
- Jetline Travel Ltd
- Travel Solutions of Belfast Ltd
- Truly Travel (Ire) Ltd
- Ulster Travel Ltd
- Virgin Holidays Ltd
- World Travel Centre Ltd.
Two entities, both travel agents, did not apply to have their licences renewed for a variety of reasons:
Travel Agents
- Friends of the National Gallery TA0712 (Voluntarily letting licence lapse)
- E Travel Ireland Ltd TA0708 (Business Transferred to Core Travel TA0548)
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Updated 10th May 2019