1.1 TAANZ members are to treat their customers’ interests as paramount. TAANZ members must not allow the interests of principals, other parties, or their own interests to influence their duty to be objective in advising their customers of the options and alternatives that are relevant and available to satisfy the requirements of their customers. TAANZ members are to make reasonable endeavours to find out and to facilitate for their customers the best available services at the best available prices relevant to the specified needs of the customer.
1.2 It is the duty of all TAANZ members to keep themselves and their staff fully informed as to all aspects of domestic and international travel and associated services in order to be in a position to give their customers truly professional advice. As part of this responsibility TAANZ members are required to ascertain all pertinent facts concerning every tour, transportation, accommodation facility, or other travel service offered to their customers for which they accept an agency.
1.3 TAANZ members shall treat every transaction with a customer as strictly confidential.
1.4 TAANZ members shall treat their customers and the public with respect, consideration and courtesy.
1.5 It is the duty of all TAANZ members to:
(a) protect their customers and the public at large against dishonesty, fraud, misrepresentation and unethical practices in their own business and within the industry as a whole;
(b) comply with all statutes, regulations and common law rules insofar as they govern and regulate business generally and the business of a travel agent in particular;
(c) comply with the Constitution and Rules of the Association, the Membership and Bonding Criteria, the TAANZ Bonding Committee Regulations, this Code of Ethics and all agreements entered into by TAANZ on behalf of the individual members of TAANZ. In particular, it is the duty of all TAANZ members to properly receipt and account for moneys received from customers. Moneys received by TAANZ members from customers are to be held in trust for the customer and are only to be utilised by the TAANZ member for the purposes for which the customer has paid the TAANZ member such moneys. Once a TAANZ member has implemented contractual arrangements between a customer and a principal moneys received from the customer are to be held in trust for the principal.
1.6 TAANZ members shall advise their customers of the fees they charge prior to or at the time they undertake work on behalf of the customer including advice as to whether the customer will be required to pay a cancellation fee or charge in the event that a booking is changed or cancelled. When specifying cancellation fees that are applicable to a particular transaction the TAANZ member shall advise the customer as to what portion of the cancellation fee or charge is payable to the principal and what proportion of the cancellation fee or charge will be retained by the TAANZ member.
1.7 TAANZ members shall not when promoting or advertising their services or the services of their principals make false, misleading, deceptive or dishonest statements. This prohibition shall apply equally to direct communications to customers, to indirect communications to customers and the public at large, and to their advertising.