The Travel Company of the Year accolade was awarded in January 2006 for top rating in the Customer Satisfaction Survey - small companies category.  AITO, the Association of Independent Tour Operators, is an organisation representing around 152 of Britain's best specialist tour operators. The common aim of all AITO members is to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction by concentrating on three main pillars: Choice, Quality and Service, enshrined in the association's Quality Charter. Companies admitted to AITO are vetted and fully bonded for clients' protection, in compliance with UK and European regulations. They are bound by AITO's own code of business practice which includes provisions for the clear and accurate descriptions of holidays and the use of customer questionnaires for monitoring standards.

So a big thank you to all our clients without whom we would never have received this prestigious award. We will continue to maintain our high standards in creating the perfect holiday for all our clients.

AITO QUALITY CHARTER:

 
EXCLUSIVE MEMBERSHIP
AITO sets criteria regarding ownership, finance and quality which must be satisfied before new companies are admitted to membership. All members are required to adhere to a Code of Business Practice which encourages high operational standards and conduct.

FINANCIAL SECURITY
An AITO member is required to protect money paid by customers to the member for any holiday sold under the AITO logo.  This protection applies to customers who are in the UK at the time of booking or to overseas customers who have booked directly with the member.  Members have to comply with the UK Government Regulations in this respect.  Members submit details of their bonding or guarantee arrangements to the Association on a regular basis.

ACCURATE BROCHURES AND WEB SITES
All members do their utmost to ensure that all their brochures and other publications, print or electronic, clearly and accurately describe the holidays and services offered.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENTS
All members are committed to high standards of service and believe in regular and thorough training of employees. Members continually seek to review and improve their holidays. They listen to their customers and always welcome suggestions for improving standards.

MONITORING STANDARDS
AITO endeavours to monitor quality standards regularly. All customers should receive a post-holiday questionnaire, the results of which are scrutinised by the Association.

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
All members acknowledge the importance of AITO's Responsible Tourism guidelines, which recognise the social, economic and environmental responsibilities of tour operating. Those demonstrating their achievements beyond the pure acceptance of this principle are recognised by the award of 2 or 3 star status.

CUSTOMER RELATIONS
All members endeavour to deal swiftly and fairly with any issues their customers may raise. In the unlikely event that a dispute between an AITO member and a customer cannot be settled amicably, AITO's low-cost Independent Dispute Settlement Service may be called upon by either side to bring the matter to a speedy and acceptable conclusion.

Okavango Tours & Safaris is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. To contact the Association, visit www.aito.co.uk or call 020 8744 9280.