The Israel Association of Travel Agencies and Consultants was established in 1909 (hereinafter – “The Association“). The association aims to improve and strengthen the travel industry, to expand its member’s knowledge and use of advanced methods, to improve its member’s welfare and to protect consumers’ rights regarding tourism services.

The Association unites approximately 400 travel agencies and about 4,500 tourism consultants in Israel and represents their interest, challenges and needs to the Israeli parliament (Knesset), government-institutions in Israel and abroad, public organizations, foreign embassies and consulates, etc.

On the legislative level, the Association takes an active part in the lawmaking process concerning tourism laws and regulations (including consumer-protection laws and regulations regarding tourism services). The Association is an active participant in Parliament (Knesset) committees and professional meetings in various government offices and regulators in order to promote the travel industry. At present, the Association is working to obtain government funding to promote inbound and domestic tourism.

In the educational arena, the Association acts for its members by providing them with various professional training programs and seminars. The Association also cooperates with academic institutions by developing grants and scholarships programs to promote academic and empirical research in the field of tourism.

The Association promotes Mediation and Conflict Resolution between travel agents and consumers using “The Committee of Public Inquiries” (hereinafter – “The Committee“). The Committee holds a formal procedure for raising any grievance towards Associations’ members, by their clients, regarding the services they received (or failed to receive), quality of said services, etc. The Committee’s services are offered to Associations’ members’ clients free of charge and include either mediation or arbitration – depending on the parties’ wishes.  

Globally, the Association represents its members in international organizations led by The European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association (hereinafter – “ECTAA“) – where the Association’s CEO acts as a member of The Air Matters Committee. In addition, on 2014, the Association signed on behalf of its members on The Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (hereinafter – “GCET“) and is working to promote green and sustainable tourism and to eradicate sex tourism and other negative and insufferable phenomena.