irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $0MARKETING - THE ASSOCIATION, BY MEMBERSHIP PARTICIPATION, WAS ABLE TO ADVERTISE IN ALL FORMS OF MEDIA THE BENEFITS OF DEALING WITH RELIABLE TOUR OPERATORS WHO HAVE MET HIGH ETHICAL STANDARDS.
- #2 $0PROMOTED PUBLIC RELATIONS BY DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION RELATIVE TO TRAVEL FROM ALL SOURCES OF THE MEDIA IN THE INTEREST OF CONSUMERS.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Marketing and Public Relations
Conducts media advertising and public outreach to promote the benefits of booking with ethical, reliable USTOA-member tour operators
USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program
Provides financial protection for travelers in the event of a member tour operator's bankruptcy or insolvency, safeguarding deposits and payments up to $1 million collectively
USTOA Sustainability Promise
Initiative encouraging member companies to commit to responsible and sustainable tourism practices
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Union and Association Benefit Funds 1 activity
- Administer Travelers Assistance ProgramOperates and maintains a $1 million Travelers Assistance Program that protects consumers by ensuring reimbursement for lost deposits or payments in the event of member company bankruptcy, insolvency, cessation of business, or failure to refund within 120 days. Each Active Member is required to hold $1 million in securities such as bonds, letters of credit, or U.S. Treasury bills.
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Public Awareness and Educational Outreach 1 activity
- Conduct consumer awareness and education campaignsRuns ongoing public education campaigns to promote the benefits of packaged vacations and informed travel choices, including support for Great Outdoors Month and distribution of the USTOA Digital Guide to travel advisors.
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Industry Research and Benchmarking 1 activity
- Conduct industry research and surveysCarries out regular surveys of tour operators to assess industry trends, growth, and outlook, providing data-driven insights to stakeholders.
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Professional Networking Events 1 activity
- Facilitate member capacity building and partnershipsOrganizes professional development opportunities including seminars, webinars, workshops, and an annual members-only Conference & Marketplace to foster business partnerships. Also supports product development trips and networking events to strengthen member capabilities and collaboration.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Advocate for open borders and pro-tourism policiesEngages in advocacy with U.S. government agencies including the Department of Transportation and the U.S. State Department to promote policies that facilitate international tourism and support open borders.
- Distribute consumer travel informationProvides a searchable directory of certified travel advisors and maintains a consumer information center on ustoa.com to inform travelers about their rights, available booking options, and developments related to member insolvency. Also serves as a clearinghouse for press and public during member insolvency events.
- Enforce membership standards and ethical conductAdmits only tour operators meeting rigorous membership requirements and mandates adherence to a defined framework of professional conduct and ethics. Requires each parent company to maintain $1 million in security as a condition of membership.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$4.97M
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$4.80M97%
Investment income$171K3%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$4.26M
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$1.57M
Grants paid out$16K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$5.99M
Cash$4.73M
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.56M
Net assets$4.43M
Liquid reserves13.3 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +8.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TERRY DALE | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $742K |
| MARGARET M MURPHY | VICE PRESIDENT | 40 | $251K |
| DOMINICK MARRONARO | VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE | 40 | $209K |
| LUIS MARAVI | DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP & PROGRAMMING | 40 | $156K |
| MOLLY LAYCOB | GSI MANAGER | 40 | $126K |
board members · 15
- BOB DRUMM — DIRECTOR
- DANA SANTUCCI — CHAIRPERSON
- EMMA COTTIS — DIRECTOR
- JEFF ROY — TREASURER
- JEREMY PALMER — DIRECTOR
- JERRE FUQUA — DIRECTOR
- JOHN HANRATTY — DIRECTOR
- KIRK DEMETER — DIRECTOR
- LAUDIE HANOU — DIRECTOR
- MADVHI BUCH — VICE CHARIPERSON
- MATT BERNA — DIRECTOR
- MELISSA KRUEGER — DIRECTOR
- NISH PATEL — DIRECTOR
- PAM HOFFEE — SECRETARY
- RAY HOURANI — DIRECTOR
relationships · 31
Who they work with
- ALG Vacations Partner — Collaborates on content celebrating the USA’s 250th anniversary through travel in the original colonies
- Abercrombie & Kent Partner — Member tour operator offering escorted travel experiences such as climbing Kilimanjaro via the Machame Route.
- Abercrombie & Kent USA Network — Member of USTOA's network of tour operators.
- Active Members Network — USTOA members who participate in the consumer protection plan and are eligible for the Travelers Assistance Program.
- Adventures by Disney Network — Member of USTOA's network of tour operators.
- Alexander + Roberts Partner — Member tour operator offering immersive travel experiences such as Wild + Wonderful Borneo + Kuala Lumpur.
- AmaWaterways Network — Member of USTOA's network of tour operators.
- Avanti Destinations Partner — Shares knowledge on astrotourism trends and celestial travel experiences
- Backroads Partner — Member tour operator offering active travel experiences such as women's hiking and walking tours on the Camino de Santiago.
- Brendan Vacations Partner — Partners on promoting culturally immersive travel in Ireland and Scotland
- Classic Journeys Partner — Collaborates on content about preserving ancient languages through cultural travel
- Collette Network — Member of USTOA's network of tour operators and signatory of the USTOA Sustainability Promise.
- Department of Transportation Government — Collaborates with USTOA's government affairs committee to facilitate tourism and advocate for open borders.
- Globus Family of Brands Network — Member of USTOA's network of tour operators and signatory of the USTOA Sustainability Promise.
- Goway Travel Partner — Member tour operator offering cultural travel experiences such as The Spirit of Thailand: A Women’s Journey.
- Intrepid Travel Network — Member of USTOA's network of tour operators and signatory of the USTOA Sustainability Promise.
- Members of UNITED STATES TOUR OPERATORS ASSOCIATION INC Network — Membership-based organization where members participate in collective marketing and promotion efforts.
- Sky Vacations Partner — Contributes expertise on the importance of local insight in luxury travel
- Tauck Network — Member of USTOA's network of tour operators and signatory of the USTOA Sustainability Promise.
- Tauck Partner — Member tour operator offering culinary-focused travel experiences such as Savoring France: Paris, Lyon & Provence.
- The Travel Corporation USA Network — Member of USTOA's network of tour operators and signatory of the USTOA Sustainability Promise.
- Trafalgar Partner — Collaborates on content related to multi-generational river cruising experiences
- Travel Weekly Partner — Collaborates with Travel Weekly to produce the 2026 USTOA Digital Guide.
- U.S. State Department Government — Works with USTOA's government affairs committee to support international tourism and open borders policy.
- USTOA Congressional Caucus Government — Engages with lawmakers through the USTOA Congressional Caucus to represent members' interests.
- USTOA certified travel advisor Network — Travel advisors certified by USTOA who are listed in the organization's directory to assist travelers with booking services.
- USTOA member tour operators Network — Member tour operators who incorporate culinary experiences into their travel itineraries.
- United States Tour Operators Association Inc. Tour Depositors Trust Partner — Holds the $1 million security posted by each USTOA Active Member for consumer reimbursement purposes.
- Uniworld Boutique River Cruises Partner — Collaborates with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises on sustainability initiatives, including food waste reduction and supply chain improvements.
- WorldStrides Network — Member of USTOA's network of tour operators and signatory of the USTOA Sustainability Promise.
+ 1 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Consumer Protection via Financial Security and Standards Enforcementmethodology: standards-based assuranceBy requiring financial security and adherence to professional standards, the organization builds consumer and advisor confidence in travel investments, because enforceable safeguards reduce risk and increase trust in the reliability of member operators.
- Empowerment Through Peer Learning and Shared Resourcesmethodology: peer-powered_learningBy providing tools, best practices, and fostering peer learning among members, the organization enables progressive advancement in sustainability and business practices, because collaborative knowledge exchange increases adoption and innovation more effectively than top-down mandates.
- Membership-Driven Advocacy for Ethical Standardsmethodology: membership-driven marketingBy leveraging collective membership participation, the organization promotes tour operators that meet high ethical standards through unified marketing campaigns, because shared advocacy strengthens industry-wide credibility and consumer trust.
- Responsible Travel Through Sustainability and DEI Integrationmethodology: responsible_travel_via_sustainability_and_DEIBy advancing sustainability and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at individual and organizational levels, the organization fosters responsible travel practices because integrating these values into operations leads to more equitable, culturally respectful, and environmentally sound outcomes.