The World Travel Dispute Center

Alternate Dispute Resolution

IFTTA, through its affiliate corporation, The World Travel Dispute Center Inc., has established an Alternate Dispute Resolution program specific to the travel industry. The World Travel Dispute Center both trains travel industry professionals and attorneys in mediation techniques and maintains a worldwide listing of available mediators and arbitrators. Non-attorney mediators who pass the course requirements are used for pre-litigation mediation unless they are also certified, if required by their local jurisdictions as certified mediators. ADR trained Attorneys are available for mediation of disputes during the litigation, pursuant to local jurisdictional rules, as well as for service as arbitrators, if locally certified. The ability of a trained mediator or arbitrator to understand the dispute from the travel industry perspective offers a distinct advantage to potential settlement.

Courses have been conducted in Las Vegas, Nevada, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and shipboard in the Caribbean. UFTAA has shown serious interest in IFTTA’s ADR program during its joint meeting with IFTTA in Monte Carlo, as well as through a highlight program at the annual The United Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations (UFTAA) congress, which took place in Damascus, Syria. It is anticipated that a joint training program will follow. IFTTA’s ADR chair was recently requested to address The United States Maritime Administration due to its interest in the potential of ADR’s application to the tourism industry.

IFTTA members who are already locally certified as mediators and/or arbitrators, need only participate in a short introductory course to qualify for listing. The World Travel Dispute Center encourages the use of standardized ADR clauses in travel industry contracts. Further information concerning the World Travel Dispute Center may be found on the internet at www.Worldtraveldisputecenter.com.

For more information on IFTTA certified Alternative Dispute Resolution, please contact Laurence Gore gorel@msn.com.