TORONTO — CATO has launched a new website that makes it easier for members to engage with each other and access travel industry news and information.
Available at www.cato.ca, the new website, says CATO Chair Brett Walker, is a “wonderful depiction of who we are and what we stand for.” Walker, along with CATO executive members Stéphanie Bishop, Richard Edwards, Nicole Bursey and Joanne Dhue, announced the launch on Sept. 23.
“Being nimble to issues and events is paramount to CATO’s organizational effectiveness,” Walker adds. “This website features communication tools that are widely accessible, social platforms that are easy to use and will enable discussion, debate and polling on issues and quickly facilitate cohesion.”
Apart from the public site, there’s also a members’ private site featuring chat rooms and open forums for existing and emerging issues and ongoing discussions. Members can also set up private chats with other members. The site also features on-demand polling of members with real-time results, as well as an extensive library of both public and proprietary information including CATO’s own industry reconnaissance.
In 2021, CATO released its new fee structure with reduced rates by as much as 75%. Membership starts at $800 per year, per company, for up to three company representatives, with access to the website as well as invitations to any online or in-person meetings. Every company members also have their brands represented on the rotating banner on the public CATO site.
CATO’S KEY PRIORITIES
Moving forward, CATO will be focusing on its new partnership with Tourism Cares and their joint mission for sustainability. To kick off the partnership, CATO executives and some members will be attending the Tourism Cares Meaningful Travel Summit in Victoria, BC on Sept. 27-29. Participants include Walker, Bishop and Emma Cottis representing Collette, Globus family of brands and Goway, respectively.
In 2021, CATO also commissioned BDO to undertake the first-ever economic impact assessment of CATO members, in which 100% of members contributed. The results enabled the organization to provide the government with verified data to support CATO’s ongoing advocacy efforts. Next year, CATO will once again engage BDO to undertake another assessment on advance booking trends and travel categories.
