TORONTO — Changes are coming for the Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO).

CATO will be holding its year-end general meeting this Thursday, Nov. 25, says CATO Chair Brett Walker, and topics on the schedule for the meeting include …

• New guiding principles as well as a new mission and new vision for the future
• New fee structure and payment schedule for members
• New logo
• New soon-to-be-unveiled website and community hub for CATO members
• More collaboration with CATO’s natural partners USTOA, ETOA, Council of Australia Tour Operators and others on issues involving public safety, risk management, sustainability and more

Walker says CATO’s “jewel in the crown” during this tumultuous pandemic year was the work CATO did, alongside consultancy firm BDO, that resulted in two published reports used to advance the needs of “not just CATO members but the industry as a whole,” says Walker. “These reports, perhaps more than any others, demonstrated the foundations on which our industry is built and the immediate effects of the pandemic on financial and human resources as well as the long-term structural damage.”

The reports received participation from 100% of CATO members.

Adds Walker: “That was this year but now we focus on 2022 and the future beyond.”