Legal and Regulatory Framework Impact on Travel and Tourism Sector

This report provides a detailed analysis of the legal and regulatory framework impacting the travel and tourism sector in the United Kingdom. It covers various aspects, including the legal and regulatory frameworks, transport laws (surface, sea, and air), health, safety, and security legislation, and equality legislation. The report also evaluates ethical dilemmas, corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies, contract legislation, and consumer protection legislation within the context of the travel and tourism industry, with a focus on a UK tour operator and travel agency. The report delves into relevant acts, such as the Airport Act 1986, Data Protection Act 2018, Health and Safety Act 1974, and the Equality Act 2010, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the legal and ethical considerations that govern the industry. The report emphasizes the importance of compliance with these regulations to ensure customer safety, security, and fair treatment, alongside the ethical responsibilities of businesses in the sector.

1

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................3
1.1– Explain the legal and regulatory framework of the travel and tourism sector with
reference to England and Wales..................................................................................................3
1.2 Discuss surface, sea and air transport law in relation to the carriage of passengers within
the legal and regulatory framework of the United Kingdom.......................................................7
Task 2.............................................................................................................................................10
Introduction................................................................................................................................10
2.1 Evaluate the impacts of the principles of health, safety and security legislation on the
travel and tourism sector with reference to a UK tour operator and travel agency...................10
2.2 Analyze legislation that relates to equality with reference to a UK tour operator and travel
agency........................................................................................................................................11
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................13
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................14
3.1 Explain contract legislation in relation to travel and tourism customers.............................14
3.2 Explain consumer protection legislation in relation to travel and tourism customers.........15
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................18
Introduction................................................................................................................................18
4.1 Analyze ethical dilemmas faced by the travel and tourism sector.......................................18
4.2 analyze the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy of a specified travel and tourism
business......................................................................................................................................20
Conclusion:....................................................................................................................................21
References:....................................................................................................................................22
2

3

Introduction
The laws and legislation of the United Kingdom have several impacts on the travel and tourism
sector of the United Kingdom and the organizations under this sector needs to felicitate these
laws and legislation. This laws and legislation give guidelines and code of conduct of business
for the business organization under this sector. The first task of this assignment is to understand
the laws and legislation which the organization needs to follow under this travel and tourism
sector. The second portion refers to the safety, health, data protection, and security. The third
part of this assignment refers to the development of leaflets consisting of contract law and
consumer protection law. The fourth task of this assignment is to produce a report which consists
CSR and ethics of travel and tourism industry. Thomas Cook is an organization which comes
under the travel and tourism industry.
4

Task 1
1.1– Explain the legal and regulatory framework of the travel and tourism sector with
reference to England and Wales
Poster Introduction: Legal framework basically refers to outlines for specific laws and the
system of the court which control the entire system of the country. Whereas regulatory
framework refers to the comprised of various organizations that are responsible for enforcing the
laws (Fertilisation and Authority, 2016). The Scottish system, The English system, and the
Northern Ireland system are the three different class distinctions of the legal system of the United
Kingdom. The laws of the English legal system designed under the British constitution. England
and Wales come under this English legal system. The laws and regulations of tour and travel
industry come under this system.
The legal framework of England and Wales:
There are various laws which the travel and tourism sector of UK and Wales must need to ensure
as a part of the English system.
1. Airport Act 1986: this Act refers to the economic regulations for the airport authorities.
Instance ticket fair, security of the airport comes under this act.
2. Transport act 1980/1985: This act refers to the controlling the transport system. Private
and public buses come under this act.
3. Road act 1974: This act refers to the regulations for passenger’s carriage.
4. Tourism Act 1969: British tourism authority first proposed this act, and it refers to the
regulations of tourism activities.
5. Data Protection Act 2018: This act refers to the data security of the customers of any
organization. Travel and tourism industry needs to follow this act (Carey, 2018).
6. Holiday Regulations 1992: This act refers to controlling packages travel and tour
operators and imposes regulations on their activities.
The court system: First instance and appellate the public and criminal law and the English legal
system are classified as private law. Crown court, high court, magistrate court, tribunals, country
court, and Supreme Court are five different courts of each class. Arbitration also a part of these
5

classes and the main focus of arbitrations are on the settlement of the disputes through
negotiations. The jury member helps the main judge to give the order or the judgment.
Fig 1: Hierarchy of British courts
Source: (Carey, 2018)
Fig 2: The court structure of the English legal system
6

Source: (Carey, 2018)
Regulatory framework: The following bodies are associated with the English legal system for
the regulatory framework of England and Wales.
International air transport association (IATA): This body monitors the economic regulation
on air companies.
Maritime and coast guard agencies (MCA): This body monitors the voyage using a water
body
Association of British travel agents (ABTA): This body associated with all the registered
travel agencies of the United Kingdom.
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA): This body monitors the airport's regulations in the United
Kingdom.
Office of Rail and Road Regulation (ORR): This body monitors all the law associated with the
rail transport and implementation of the order (McHanwell et al., 2019).
Health and safety executive (HSE): This body monitors the safety and health of the
organizations which are related to the tour and travel industry.
7

8

1.2 Discuss surface, sea and air transport law in relation to the carriage of passengers
within the legal and regulatory framework of the United Kingdom.
Background: Organizations related to surface transport, sea transport, and air transport needs to
follow the transport law of the English legal system (Huang et al., 2016). This law ensures the
fair economic value, the safety of the passengers.
9

Transport through Air: all public transport through air and airline industry is the responsibility
of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The domestic and international flights of UK are coming
under the domestic, European and international law. Managing Air Travel Organizer licensing is
the responsibility of CAA. Airport order 1984, Airport Act 1986, The Civil Aviation (Insurance)
Regulations 2005, The Aeroplane Noise Regulations 1999, The Civil Aviation Regulations 2005
and Air Navigation Order 2005 are monitored by this body.
Transport through sea: passengers transport, ticker fare of boats and ships are the
responsibilities of MCA. A new sea transport law has been announced where the customers can
claim a refund for their ticket fare if the ship or boat delayed more than 90 minutes.
Surface transport: Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 refers to the concession for the senior
citizen and disables. Local transport act 2008 is responsible for controlling the transport system.
Discrimination Acts of 1995 and 2005 also comes under the surface transport because it refers to
any discrimination based on age, sex, color while traveling (Uysal and Sirgy, 2016). There are
various laws for controlling the surface transport regulations.
10

11

Task 2
Introduction
Thomas Cook has been one of the travel and tour company of the United Kingdom which has
spread in various areas and countries and operating through multiple retail outlets. The company
has been known for serving people with quality services, and it also provides a number of health
and safety measures and policies due to which the company has been gaining success. The
various health and safety policies along with the safety legislation would be a part of the
concerned report, and by the end of this report, the reason for Thomas Cook's success would be
known to the reader. Being a manager at such a renowned organization has helped in serving
people with pride and grace.
2.1 Evaluate the impacts of the principles of health, safety and security legislation on the
travel and tourism sector with reference to a UK tour operator and travel agency
Being safe and secured is demanded by every customer and while traveling and touring, the
safety measures become a compulsion. Even the companies providing the travel and tourism
services have to follow a number of policies and legislation so that their customers felt safe and
secured while receiving the services (Ross, 2018). The principles of health and safety commands
and demands quality of life, and security of life while travelling under the company's name. The
travel and tourism business follows a number of policies which makes its goodwill in the
industry and thus the success of the company gets revealed. Thomas Cook has been following
almost all the laws and legislation that should be followed by any such company under the
concerned industry. The various laws and policies could be discussed as follows
12