Travel CUTS
Encyclopedia
Travel CUTS is a Canadian travel agency
catering to student
, youth, educational, and budget travellers. Under its original ownership, Travel CUTS was operated as a hybrid commercial enterprise and non-profit organziation.
s to students; however, it has since expanded to serve the general public as well. Travel CUTS operates over 30 locations in Canada and the United States
, often on or near university
and college
campuses ("CUTS" was originally an acronym for "Canadian University Travel Service"). In the province of Quebec, the company operates as Voyages Campus. Travel CUTS also owns and operates several specialty divisions, catering to different categories of travellers:
As a result of legislation passed by the Canadian government requiring airline tickets to be sold through travel agents, in 1974 the AOSC incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary, "Canadian University Travel Services Limited" ("CUTS").
In 1979, CUTS established its "Student Work Abroad Program" ("SWAP"), which is still in operation. SWAP assists students to obtain the necessary documentation to travel and work in foreign countries.
In 1981, the Canadian Federation of Students
("CFS") was founded and replaced a large number of provincial and national student organizations. After its creation, CFS incorporated a separate division, CFS-Services, which took over operation of the services previously operated by the AOSC, including CUTS. At that time, CUTS adopted the trade-name "Travel CUTS".
In 1996, the University of Western Ontario
University Students' Council initiated a lawsuit against CFS-Services, alleging that it illegally transferred assets from the AOSC to itself at a 1987 meeting. The student societies of three other universities (Alma Mater Society of the University of British Columbia
, Queen's Alma Mater Society and University of Alberta Students' Union
) later joined the suit as co-plaintiffs. The parties settled the action out of court, resulting in the plaintiffs acquiring a minority interest of the shares of Travel CUTS and two seats on its board of directors. As a result, the CFS held 76% of the shares and the Canadian Student Horizons Group (the plaintiff student groups) held 24%.
Travel CUTS went into receivership
on October 23, 2009 and several offices in Canada closed. On October 26, 2009, the Merit Travel Group, a privately held company, purchased Travel CUTS.
Travel agency
A travel agency is a retail business that sells travel related products and services to customers on behalf of suppliers such as airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, sightseeing tours and package holidays that combine several products...
catering to student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
, youth, educational, and budget travellers. Under its original ownership, Travel CUTS was operated as a hybrid commercial enterprise and non-profit organziation.
Operations
Travel CUTS was founded with the purpose of providing discounted travel and International Student Identity CardInternational Student Identity Card
The International Student Identity Card is a photo identification card that identifies the holder as a full-time student. It is currently a form of identification that is internationally recognized .Cardholders gain access to special discounts with many companies, particularly on travel-related...
s to students; however, it has since expanded to serve the general public as well. Travel CUTS operates over 30 locations in Canada and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, often on or near university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
and college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
campuses ("CUTS" was originally an acronym for "Canadian University Travel Service"). In the province of Quebec, the company operates as Voyages Campus. Travel CUTS also owns and operates several specialty divisions, catering to different categories of travellers:
- The Adventure Travel Company
- Volunteer Abroad
- Student Work Abroad
- Innovative Group Travel
History
Travel CUTS had its origins in the 1950s with travel services offered by the now-defunct Canadian Union of Students ("CUS") through an unincorporated operation. After the CUS dissolved in 1969, a group of Ontario university student councils formed the Association of Ontario Student Councils, which took over the operation of the student travel service. In the next few years, the Association of Ontario Student Councils expanded across Canada and came to be called the Association of Students' Councils ("AOSC").As a result of legislation passed by the Canadian government requiring airline tickets to be sold through travel agents, in 1974 the AOSC incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary, "Canadian University Travel Services Limited" ("CUTS").
In 1979, CUTS established its "Student Work Abroad Program" ("SWAP"), which is still in operation. SWAP assists students to obtain the necessary documentation to travel and work in foreign countries.
In 1981, the Canadian Federation of Students
Canadian Federation of Students
The Canadian Federation of Students is the largest student organization in Canada. Founded in 1981, the stated goal of the CFS is to work at the federal level for high quality, accessible post-secondary education.-Structure:...
("CFS") was founded and replaced a large number of provincial and national student organizations. After its creation, CFS incorporated a separate division, CFS-Services, which took over operation of the services previously operated by the AOSC, including CUTS. At that time, CUTS adopted the trade-name "Travel CUTS".
In 1996, the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
University Students' Council initiated a lawsuit against CFS-Services, alleging that it illegally transferred assets from the AOSC to itself at a 1987 meeting. The student societies of three other universities (Alma Mater Society of the University of British Columbia
Alma Mater Society of the University of British Columbia
The Alma Mater Society is the student society of UBC Vancouver and represents more than 48,000 students at UBC's Vancouver campus and the affiliated colleges. The AMS also operates student services, student owned businesses, faculty constituencies, resource groups and clubs...
, Queen's Alma Mater Society and University of Alberta Students' Union
University of Alberta Students' Union
The University of Alberta Students' Union is the student society that represents undergraduate students at the University of Alberta. Originally established in 1909, it is a non-profit corporation that operates under the authority of the Post-Secondary Learning Act...
) later joined the suit as co-plaintiffs. The parties settled the action out of court, resulting in the plaintiffs acquiring a minority interest of the shares of Travel CUTS and two seats on its board of directors. As a result, the CFS held 76% of the shares and the Canadian Student Horizons Group (the plaintiff student groups) held 24%.
Travel CUTS went into receivership
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
on October 23, 2009 and several offices in Canada closed. On October 26, 2009, the Merit Travel Group, a privately held company, purchased Travel CUTS.