Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO)

What Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) does

CATO is the peak trade association exclusively representing Australia's domestic and outbound land-supply sector, incorporated in September 1999 to advocate for tour operators and wholesalers previously grouped under AFTA's Australian Council of Tour Wholesalers. The association serves three member constituencies: Full Members that are CATO Accredited tour operators and wholesalers, Associate Members comprising tourist offices and travel product/service providers, and retail travel agents engaging with the CATO Touring Academy. Its four core product lines are the CATO Accreditation scheme (backed by an annual independent financial assessment and a Code of Ethics), the CATO Touring Academy e-learning platform (delivered via ABSORB LMS at $99 AUD annual subscription, certifying agents as Certified Touring Specialists), flagship events (Christmas Lunch, International Women's Day Lunch, Summit, AGM), and the annual 'Australians on Holiday' research report combining ABS data with member data and consumer surveys of 3,000+ travellers. As of 1 July 2026, CATO operates as a constitutionally protected Land Supply and Tour Operator division within the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA), with the CATO Committee retaining strategic leadership and a guaranteed ATIA Board seat. The association is run by an 11-person team headquartered in Sydney and funded through recurring membership dues, Academy subscriptions, and event ticket/sponsorship revenue.

Name

Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO)

Legal name

Council of Australian Tour Operators

Website

https://cato.travel

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CATO is the peak Australian trade association for tour operators and wholesalers, delivering accreditation, the Touring Academy e-learning certification, industry events, and the annual Australians on Holiday research report to its accredited members and retail travel agents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Industry Association Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152), Travel Agencies (561510)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services (THAHACAK)

Keywords

• Tour operator association
• Travel trade body
• Outbound land supply sector
• Travel industry accreditation
• Travel agent certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: CATO generates revenue through annual membership fees from Full Members (tour operators and wholesalers) and Associate Members (tourist offices and travel product/service providers). Membership is described as a hallmark of competence and integrity.
2. CATO Touring Academy Subscriptions: The CATO Touring Academy generates revenue through annual subscriptions at $99 AUD for travel agents seeking certification. The program offers comprehensive sector-specific training, brand training, and certification for touring specialists.
3. Event Tickets and Sponsorships: CATO generates revenue from ticket sales for industry events including Christmas Lunch, International Women's Day Lunch, AGM, and Summit. Events feature multiple sponsorship tiers including Platinum, Major Co-Sponsor, and supporting sponsors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CATO is an Australian trade association that represents the domestic and outbound land-supply sector of the travel industry. It sells membership to tour operators, wholesalers, and associate members, operates an accreditation scheme with independent financial assessment, runs an e-learning Touring Academy certifying retail travel agents, and stages flagship industry networking events such as the annual Christmas Lunch and International Women's Day Luncheon.

Product overview

The Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) is a trade association representing the domestic and outbound land-supply sector of the Australian travel industry. As of July 2026, CATO operates as a division of the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA). The organisation offers a portfolio of member-focused products including the CATO Touring Academy (an e-learning certification platform delivered via ABSORB LMS), the CATO Accreditation scheme, industry events (Christmas Lunch, IWD Lunch, Summit), the Hall of Fame recognition programme, and the annual Australians on Holiday research report. Membership is open to tour operators, wholesalers, and associate members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CATO Membership Annual membership program for Australian tour operators and travel wholesalers (Full Members) plus tourist offices and travel-related product/service providers (Associate Members). Members receive industry representation, accreditation eligibility, networking access, and government advocacy. As of 1 July 2026 new applications are processed through ATIA.
• CATO Accreditation Quality-assurance accreditation scheme for tour operators and wholesalers requiring members to adhere to the CATO Member Code of Conduct and pass an annual independent external financial assessment conducted by a CATO-appointed accounting firm. Distinguishes accredited members as a hallmark of integrity.
• CATO Touring Academy Online certification program for retail travel agents to master selling land-based holidays. Delivers mandatory modules, elective modules, brand training, destination training, and business education modules via the ABSORB Learning Management Software. Agents earn 200 points to achieve CATO Touring Certification as Certified Touring Specialists.
• CATO Industry Events Flagship in-person industry events including the annual CATO Christmas Lunch, International Women's Day Luncheon, CATO Summit, and AGM, plus member meetings and networking events across Australian cities. Events provide networking, education, recognition, and sponsorship opportunities for tour operators, wholesalers, and travel industry partners.
• Australians on Holiday Report Annual research publication providing comprehensive analysis of Australia's outbound leisure travel landscape. Built from Australian Bureau of Statistics data, CATO Member data, and independent consumer surveys of more than 3,000 international travellers. Used by members, media, and stakeholders for market intelligence.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.7 million Australians travelled with CATO Members in 2024, representing close to 1 in 4 of all outbound holidaymakers.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor, platinum and major.

• New Zealand Outbound Travel Suppliers Association (NZOTSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023MOU signed in 2023 to explore and develop synergies between the two peak industry bodies. Joint venture to distribute CATO Touring Academy to New Zealand travel agents under NZOTSA banner.
• Travel Industry Mentor Experience (TIME)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009TIME is a not-for-profit company established in 2009 to help ambitious, aspiring leaders of the Travel, Tourism, Hospitality and Aviation industries accelerate their careers through mentoring. CATO is a proud supporter of TIME.
• United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCATO Chair Dennis Bunnik met with USTOA EVP Peggy Murphy in New York to discuss collaboration on post-pandemic recovery trajectories and effects of geopolitical tensions.
• TravelPayplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerTravelPay served as Platinum Sponsor for CATO Christmas Lunch 2024, demonstrating commitment to the travel industry and CATO family.
• European Travel Commission (ETC) - Australian ChapterplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerETC served as headline sponsor for CATO Christmas Lunch 2023. ETC members include Atout France, Austrian National Tourist Office, Tourism Ireland, Italian National Tourist Board, Visit Monaco, Switzerland Tourism, Spain Tourism Board, and Visit Portugal.
• Travel Agent Day Australia (TADA '24)platinumGTM or Marketing PartnerTADA '24 became a new Platinum Partner of CATO. The inaugural event held October 2nd, 2024 at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium provides a platform for showcasing products and destinations.
• Sisterhood Women's TravelmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSisterhood Women's Travel served as Major Sponsor for CATO International Women's Day Lunch 2026.
• Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs of 1 July 2026, CATO becomes a formally constituted Land Supply and Tour Operator division within ATIA following member vote. CATO name is retained and CATO division is enshrined in ATIA Constitution. CATO Chair holds a guaranteed ATIA Board seat.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/councilofaustraliantouroperators
• Instagraminstagram.com/cato.travel.au
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cato---council-of-australian-tour-operators

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO)