IAA completes the Spring (2025) Licensing Round for Travel Agents and Tour Operators

The Irish Aviation Authority completes the Spring (2025) Licensing Round for Travel Agents and Tour Operators.

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) issues licences to travel agents and tour operators twice a year.  The first round of licences is issued on the 1st May (the Spring round) and the second round of licences are issued on the 1st November (the Autumn round). A licence is valid for a period of twelve months from date of issue.

The IAA today, 14th May 2025, has announced the completion of the Spring 2025 licensing round for travel agents and tour operators offering travel departing from Ireland.  A total of 69 travel agents and 8 tour operators were licensed in this round.

The following travel companies have applied to have their licences renewed but, at this time, do not have a licence:

• Lee Travel Ltd (TA 0162)
• Navan Travel Ltd (TA 0202)
• Phoenix Travel Limited (TA 0095)
• Strand Travel (Waterford) Limited (TA 0338)
• Strand Travel (Waterford) Limited (TO 211)
• Earth’s Edge Limited (TA 711)

The Irish Aviation Authority is continuing to engage with these firms and may issue licences in the future. If so, we will update our website.

The companies listed above must not take any new bookings for overseas travel from 1st May 2025. At this time, customers are advised that any such bookings made with these companies on or after 1st May 2025 will not be covered.  Passengers that have made an overseas travel booking before this date are covered.

Based on applications received in this round, travel agents have indicated a projected licensable turnover of €529,390,193 (2024 €524,242,325) million for the year ahead. The projections for tour operators is €3,932,083 (2024 €2,979,250) million.

Following the transposition of EU Directive 2015/2302 (Package Travel Directive) into Irish law, only Irish established entities may be licenced by the Irish Aviation Authority.

EU established entities have to comply with requirements to inform the IAA of the insolvency protection they have in place (according to the law of the country in which it is established) for selling or offering for sale packages and/or linked travel arrangements in Ireland. The IAA currently list 21 such entities on its website.

Non-EU established entities must provide evidence of having insolvency protection in place that covers 100% of all monies taken from customers, the IAA currently list 31 such entities on its website.

The following entities did not apply to have their licences renewed:

• Grenham Travel Ltd (TA 0360)
• Atlantic Sky Team Tours Limited (TA 0751)
• Vernon Travel Ltd (TA 0402)

For a variety of reasons, they either no longer need or are required to have a licence/insolvency protection in place.

Details on travel agents and tour operators that are licensed by the IAA and organisations that have the relevant insolvency protection in place can be found on the IAA’s website.