About Us

Innovative Group Travel is Canada's expert in group travel. We are a division of the Merit Travel Group, a privately held, owner managed company that has grown to become Canada's largest independent specialty travel company, serving up to 500,000 travellers every year. We have been operating since 1974 and have 50 offices in Canada as well as hundreds of affiliate offices worldwide.

Our Initiatives

We are truly a diverse travel company. We have developed unique and exclusive travel products over the years including SWAP Working Holiday Programs, Volunteer Abroad, Internship Programs Abroad, Studying Abroad and Language Learning Abroad. In addition, we have negotiated specialized student, youth and teacher airfares, an exclusive travel insurance product and a wide selection of specially priced tour product.

Other Divisions and Companies

  • Travel CUTS
  • The Adventure Travel Company
  • Odyssey Travel
  • Odyssey Learning Adventures
  • Volunteer Abroad
  • SWAP Working Holidays

Our Mission Statement

We will share our passion for learning through exploration by creating travel opportunities that enable our clients to experience the world close-up and first-hand in order that, together, we may develop a greater appreciation of the world’s diversity and a better understanding of our place in the global community.

Our Staff

Our staff are the life blood of the company. Simply put, they are the best. Conscientious, knowledgeable and well travelled, they make us stand out in the industry. Our large repeat clientele are a testament to the dedication and skills of our staff.

Responsible Tourism

We have been strong proponents of Responsible Tourism since our inception. We do the due diligence on our suppliers to ensure, as best we can, that their code of practices meets the criteria of Responsible Tourism. For our clients, we promote our belief that responsible travellers explore the world in all its facets with an open mind and that they learn about other cultures and people, offering their hand in friendship while respecting and celebrating diversity. But the concept of Responsible Tourism is both complex and controversial. We invite our clients to research for themselves what responsible tourism means and how they, as the traveller, can incorporate, in their travels, a code of practices that make positive differences and limits negative impacts.