The Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) was formed and incorporated as independent association in September 1999.

Prior to the CATO incorporation Tour Operators were associated as the Australian Council of Tour Operators (ACTW) which was a division of Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA).

CATO’s independence coincided with the restructure of AFTA in September 1999.

While Tour Operators have a professional affiliation with Retail Travel Agents, their independence allows CATO to focus squarely on the specific issues related to them and their particular network.

Today CATO is an industry hallmark and will continue to strive toward its goals.