Thomas Cook: Legislation, Ethics in Travel and Tourism Sector Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of legislation and ethics within the travel and tourism sector, focusing on the legal and regulatory frameworks, including surface, air, and area transport law. It explores the impacts of health, safety, and security legislation, as well as the equality act, on the industry. The report also examines contract and consumer protection legislation, while also analyzing ethical dilemmas and corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies, using Thomas Cook as a case study. The study delves into the role of business ethics, the challenges of controversial destinations, and foreign-owned locations. The report also highlights the importance of sustainability and environmental responsibility, emphasizing the need for ethical practices and the development of a good market image. The report concludes with a discussion of how companies like Thomas Cook can fulfill CSR to enhance their market position. The report provides insights into the ethical and legal considerations that shape the travel and tourism sector. The report is contributed by a student and is available on Desklib.

Legislation and Ethics in
Travel and Tourism Sector

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Legal and regulatory framework of travel and tourism sector..............................................1
1.2 Surface, area and air transport law in relation to carriage of passengers within legal and
regulatory framework..................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Impacts of principles of health, safety and security legislation on travel and tourism sector
.....................................................................................................................................................3
2.2 Analyse legislation that relates to equality............................................................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................4
3.1 Contract legislation in relation to travel and tourism customers...........................................4
3.2 Consumer protection legislation in relation to travel and tourism customers.......................4
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................4
4.1 Analyse ethical dilemmas faced by travel and tourism sector..............................................4
4.2 Analyse corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy of specified travel and tourism
business.......................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5
.........................................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Legislation and ethics in travel and tourism sector which contributes essential role in
economic growth of country. There is increase number of people travelling from one place to
another either for new exposure, education, trade and many other tactics. There are different tour
agencies and firms which provide facilities to visitors. For this, government had formulated laws
and framework for making them function legally (Guttentag, 2015). Present report is based on
Thomas Cook which is a travel agency providing services to tourists in respect to hotel,
transportation, etc. This assignment specifies legal and regulatory framework of travel and
tourism sector. Besides this, impact of principles of health, safety and security legislation on this
industry is mentioned. In addition to this, consumer protection legislation in relation to travel and
tourism sector is stated. Furthermore, role of business ethics in this industry is defined in the
report.
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TASK 1
1.1
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1.2
TASK 2
2.1 Impacts of principles of health, safety and security legislation on travel and tourism sector
Health, safety and security are three most important aspects for each and every person.
Travel and tourism industry help government to make growth and development of country. They
have formulated various laws and rules in respect to obligations of rights of people which have
connection with this sector. In organisation, management and staff members consists essential
role in respect to execution of business activities. They require to get safe and secure working
environment for retention for longer time (Whitfield and Dioko, 2012).
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Management of Thomas Cook takes care that employees and clients get safe
accommodation and facilities. For this, Health and Safety at work, 1974 is act which is followed
for providing safe and secure working environment to staff members. Policies and strategies are
formulated by seniors for directing and guiding workers to perform tasks in effective manner.
Hand book, demonstration, induction are various facilities which are provided to each members.
Thus, they are able to deliver appropriate services and facilities to travellers.
Health and safety at work have described different protocols to the employers so that they
may perform their duties effectively. They may run proper functioning at their workplace with
the help of three different options that are as follows:
Guidelines: Health and safety principles assures that all the individuals have idea about
the legislations. It facilitates the individuals to comply with all the laws that are related to the
health and safety.,
Regulations: It is the main liability of the employers of the company to take care of all the
basic requirements of their organization. It includes first aid, lightning etc. different types of
regulations are launched for the companies like to conduct induction for new employees,
providing training to the existing workforce, conduct mock drills which is related to evacuation
and fire fighting and it needs to be practiced regularly etc.
Approved code of practices: It direct the employees of the health and safety organization
to fulfil all their duties ethically. It includes take immediate steps to ignore accidents, reporting
instantly at that time when hazards occur or there is a possibility of the same. Providing effective
training to the employees so that they may deal with hazards effectively.
For example, Thomas Cook have affected with the introduction of the health and safety
principles now the organization provide proper training to its employees and conduct induction
programs for new employees so that they may have proper idea of their job responsibilities.
2.2 Analyse legislation that relates to equality
In UK, government had formulated laws for taking care that in organisation all staff
members get fair working and facilities. For this, equality act are formulated by them to provide
instruction to tour agencies to treat everyone equally. It is necessary that management of Thomas
Cook consider laws while delegating responsibilities and tasks to employees. This help male and
female get duties in according to their capabilities. Along this gender, age, race effect on
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selection and staffing is not made. Thus these are various law which have relation with equality
are stated below (Scheyvens, 2012):
Equality Act, 2010: This law define that each person right is to get fair treatment and
rights. Sex discrimination, equal pay, race relations, employment equality, disability
discrimination are various constituents of this act. It is essential that management of Thomas
Cook take care that employees are given duties and tasks in according to their skills and abilities.
This help them to treat members equally through which seniors are able to retain people for
longer time.
Sex Discrimination Act 1975: This act protects to people from discrimination on the
bases of sex and ground of marriage. It promotes to equality between men and women in
working place by considering on education, harassment, employment and training.
Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978: This act is formed by UK
parliament and central part of labour law and related to employee's rights which arises to their
employment. It has consolidated in two parts first is Contracts of Employment Act 1963 and
another one Redundancy Payment Act 1965 (Forno and Garibaldi, 2015).
Employment Act 2002: It entitle to employees on paternity for spending time with
child, maternity when mother gives birth to her child and adoption leave and pay and tribunal
system, when employees allows for awards of costs and expenses in the United kingdom.
Thus, these are various act which management of Thomas Cook require to consider while
formulating policies and designing system. They require to provide equal treatment to both male
and women. Along this, they should also prevent members from getting exploited on grounds of
religion, caste, gender, age and other aspects.
For example, A case related to equality in which gender equality has been described. In year
2010, 4000 plus women have won a case of being paid equal to men as they are paid less as
compare to men. This case is mainly related to Birmingham City in which council have found
that in different types of jobs women are paid less as compare to men. Most of them are related
to the job of cleaning, catering and care and administrative job. The judge has found that men
and women are doing same jobs but getting different pay grade and the grade was 4 time lower
than males. The judge have passed judgement to pay same to both the employees so that they
may work effectively.
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TASK 3
3.1 & 3.2
TASK 4
4.1 Analyse ethical dilemmas faced by travel and tourism sector
Ethics is subject area which define good and bad practices in respect to moral duty of an
organisation which differs from one to another. Business ethics are values and guidelines which
are formulated by management for regulating and governing functionality of firm. Travel and
tourism industry comprises agencies and operators which have stiff competition. There is
unethical rivalry situation between them in respect to their prices. For this, executive of Thomas
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Cook had formulated code of ethics for reducing and eliminating issues. Along this, harmony
with other nation and competitive advantage is established for conduction of business activities
effectively (Cohen, 2014).
Ethics on travel and tourism sector: This industry comprises ethical issues which are
related with supply chain, local community and workplace. It is essential that workers are not
forced and exploited in an organisation. Management of Thomas Cook faces ethics dilemma in
respect to their business activities. Company require to maintain sustainability at global level for
creation of environment conditions stable. It is necessary that top personnel takes care that
advertisement are formulated properly. Along this, they should design system through which
environment and natural resources are not exploited. This help Thomas Cook to provide healthy
working environment to employees and travellers. Their contribution is to manage greenery for
taking care that secure environment is maintained.
Since last decade the ethics in travel and tourism sectors have grabbed more attention
from travellers and local public. Different types of Dilemma have taken place in the travel and
tourism sector. Some of them are explained below:
Controversial countries: There are various controversial countries where there is higher
involvement of political parties in local human life and there is a lack of human rights. It creates
issues for the travellers and they are not able to enjoy their whole trip. The countries with this
dilemma are Russia, Turkmenistan, Iran, Zimbabwe, Sudan and Tibet.
Travelling to the countries that are dangerous: These are the countries that are
considered dangerous and mostly ignored by travellers. It includes the country Afghanistan.
Foreign owned places: Most of the places provide jobs to the visitors and creates stimuli
among the travellers to stay there. These countries are Kenya, South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam
etc.
4.2 Analyse corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy of specified travel and tourism business
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to integrated and self-regulate business
model that supports to business development activities. It includes various aspects such as
corporate governance, working conditions, investors, external environmental affects, health and
safety measures. It plays major role in long term profitability and enable to more efficiency by
employee's efforts. Thomas Cook is travel agency, so it is necessary that management conduct
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corporate social responsibility for enhancing their brand image and reputation in market (What is
Corporate Social Responsibility. 2018).
Role of CSR: These are different responsibilities which management of Thomas Cook
conduct are stated below:
Sustainability: corporate social responsibility ensures to environmental and economic
development sustainability. Thomas group promotes to green friendly operations and encourage
to employees for nature friendly activities which contribute to sustainable tourism. Company
should concern on customer meeting requirement, ethical values, human rights and corporation
in order to achieving organizational goals.
Business conduct: by following ethical rules and regulations conducting business polices
becomes easy. Thomas Group can apply it through allowing travelling packages on reasonable
prices and makes offers for festival seasons which will fascinate to potential customers in
market. Low and perfect prices of services provide convenience tour operators managers can
spread their business in large area (Jayawardena and et al., 2013).
Environment: Travel and tourism sector require that appropriate market conditions are
maintain. For this, management responsibility is to implement technologies and equipment’s
through which natural resources are used in efficient manner. Thomas Cook is travel firm which
require to provide good working environment to employees and clients. This help company to
enhance their market position and brand image.
For Thomas Cook it is very important to fulfil all its corporate social responsibilities so
that it may establish a good image in the market. For example, if the organisation is not bale to
contribute toward social welfare than its market image can be decreased and also affect its
business. It is compulsory according to the law that to contribute a fixed percent of profits to
social welfare. According to Anu Jhamb every private or public organisation should fulfil their
responsibility toward society so that a good market image can be established. If the organisations
are not bale to do the same than it may harm their operational efficiency because it is the main
requirement in current era. It is essential for the all the companies who are operating their
business under this sector may get benefits with the help of corporate social responsibility as it is
a technique which is used to establish a good market image in the market.
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CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be comprehended that legislation and ethics are formulated
by authorities for regulating travel and tourism sector. There are legal and regulatory framework
that instruct tourism service providers to consider every tourist equal regardless of their religion,
age, gender, sexual orientation, belief, race or disability. There are factors which discovers moral
measurement and identifies policies to manage managers to deal with the issues. It also describes
health and safety act which emphasises on health, safety and security in tourism sector and Sex
discrimination act emphasise on equality among all the individuals. Business, marketing,
accounting ethics and decision making depends upon knowledge and experience of all these
ethics. Sustainable development is very important for a business to grow that is facilitated by
doing Corporate Social Responsibility for assuring growth. Every business has to be ethical and
should implement CSR activities to attain effectiveness and efficiency.
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