These days, it’s easy for someone to claim they’re a legitimate travel company. So how can you be sure a particular tour operator or travel agency isn’t a fly-by-night operation?

Many operators are members of the United States Tour Operators Association, the American Society of Travel Agents, or the National Tour Association.

What that means is they’re required to carry a certain amount of insurance and adhere to specific standards.

But just because a company belongs to a member organization doesn’t mean you are protected.

So what you need to do is call the company directly to find out how long they’ve been in business, whether they are licensed and in what state, and how much insurance they carry.

You can always check with the Better Business Bureau in the company’s home state to see if there have been any complaints lodged against them.

Then, ask the company to give you references of former customers.

And lastly, always read the cancellation and refund policies thoroughly, and pay with a credit card, which protects you if you in many cases if you need to dispute a charge.

For more information, don’t miss Scam or Legit: Learn to Identify Credible Travel Web Sites.

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