Report on Legislation and Ethics within the Travel and Tourism Sector

This report provides a comprehensive overview of legislation and ethics within the travel and tourism sector. It begins by emphasizing the importance of these factors for traveler rights and industry growth, particularly within the UK context. The report then delves into specific areas of legislation, including health, safety, and security, using Costco Travel as a case study to illustrate adherence to relevant acts like the Health and Safety at Work Act, Occupiers Liability Act, and Data Protection Act. It further examines legislations related to equity, such as the Sex Discrimination Act, Race Discrimination Act, and Disability Discrimination Act. The report also discusses ethical dilemmas faced by the industry, focusing on areas like green issues, responsible marketing, and consumer ethics, using TUI Group as an example. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is also addressed, providing a balanced view of the industry's challenges and obligations. The report concludes by highlighting the crucial role of ethical practices in the travel and tourism sector for sustainable development and consumer trust.

Legislation and Ethics
in Travel and Tourism
Sector

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................1
2.1 Impact of principle of health, safety and security legislation on tour and travel mechanism.
......................................................................................................................................................1
2.2 Legislations related to the equity...........................................................................................3
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................4
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................4
4.1 Ethical dilemmas faced by the travel and tourism sector......................................................4
4.2 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy of a specified travel and tourism business...5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFRENCES ..................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Legislation and ethics are very crucial for the tour and travel mechanism. Due to these
ethics and legislation, travellers can ensure about their rights(Swanson and Edgell, 2013). As
well as no one can harm their legal protection rights. Eventually, tour and travel industries play
an important role for growth of a country and that's why government of different countries
establish various kind of rules and regulation for this industry. In the context of tour and travel
mechanism there are wide range of legislations and ethics which must be followed by those
organisations that are involved in this field. The project report contains detailed information
about the various kind of laws and legislation in the UK. The main purpose of this report is to
attain knowledge about the legal and regulatory framework, health, safety, protection laws in the
tour and travel business.
TASK 1
COVERED IN LEAFLET
TASK 2
2.1 Impact of principle of health, safety and security legislation on tour and travel mechanism.
Health, safety and security legislations are very important in the tour and travel
mechanism(Forno and Garibaldi, 2015). There are various kind of rules and regulation which are
related to the health, safety and security. All these legislations are required to be followed by the
travel agencies(Gössling, Scott and Hall, 2013). Herein, Costco travel agency is chosen that
should follow all the legislation of above mentioned factors. It is established at UK and offers
various travelling services to the clients. There are various kind of acts which are designed by the
European legislation. The Costco travel agency is following below mentioned acts:
 Health and safety at work act, 1974- Health and safety at work act is related to
managing the health and safe environment for the customers. Travel agencies are
needed to follow this act because it is necessary to keep the clients away from the
unhealthy and unsafe tourism place. The Costco travel agency is applying this act
in their travelling packages and try to satisfy the customers by sending them at
safe places. As well as this act is also helpful for providing healthy food and other
services at the tourist places.
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 Occupiers liability act, 1984- Occupiers liability act is an act that includes the
liability of the initiator(Cohen, 2014). Eventually, this act protects the liability of
the workers at the workplace. This act is adopted by the Costco company for
completing their liabilities towards the tourists.
 Data protection act 1984- Data protection act is related to protecting the data
which is recorded in the system of organisations. The aim of this act to provide
additional security to the data of any entity. The Costco travel agency is applying
this act to protect the data because they have the data of various customers as well
as own. Additionally, this act is very important because personal can not be
spread in the public. So this act ensures to the customers about protecting their
data.
 Duty of care and vicarious liability- This states the liability of an individual
towards the other person that has to be completed by the individual. In Costco
travel agency their staff members are responsible for arranging the travelling
facilities. As well as this forces to the travel agencies to care the passengers on the
travelling.
Impact of principle of health, safety and security legislation.
 Health and safety- Health and safety is compulsory element in any kind of the
organisation(Ram, 2018). Specially, in tour and travel companies it is very important to
manage the health and safety of the travellers. Due to effective implementation of health
and safety act, clients can be assure for their security. The above mentioned agency
applies this act which impact the health and safety of travellers positivity. Apart from it,
without this, it would be difficult to protect the health of the travellers.
 Fair trading- Fair trading refers to maintaining the fair transaction in the businesses. It
consists both the parties seller and buyer to regulate their liabilities(Day and Cai, 2012).
With the effect of various legislation, fair trading is increasing. Eventually in the travel
and tour sectors, agencies are tend to make fair transaction with the clients, they can't
fraud. For purpose of fair trading there are many acts like data protection act which is
followed by the Costco travel agency.
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 Employment law- Due to different legislation of tour and travel industries, many travel
agencies are adopting the employment laws. This is protecting the rights of the
employees. The Costco travel agency company is implementing the employment law in
reference to the tour and travel legislations. Due to this act, the travel agency can't make
fraud with the employees and travellers.
 Equity and diversity legislation- This is related to the maintaining the equity and
diversity, in the organisation. It is evolved due to impact of other travel and tour
legislations. It is very necessary to behave equally with all employees at the workplace.
The above mentioned travel agency is applying this legislation for keeping all the
employees equal and for managing cultural or other diversity.
2.2 Legislations related to the equity.
Equity is a kind of element that is very crucial in the context of all kind of organisations.
In the absence of there can be lot of conflicts in the companies(Singh, 2012). There are various
kind of legislations regarding to the equity in the tour and travel entities. The Costco travel
agency implements different legislation for the equity that are mentioned below:
 Sex Discrimination act, 1975- This act was evolved in 1975 for the purpose of
behaving equally with male and female. In addition it also focus on the providing
equal rights to man woman. There should not be any discrimination in behaving
and offering rights with all workforce. The Costco travel agency applies this act
for the treating equally and this reduce the possibility of conflicts. Additionally,
due to this act travel agency afraid to make any discrimination at the work places.
 Race Discrimination act, 1976- Race discrimination act is related to avoid
discrimination on the field of race including nationality, colour, religion(Smith
and Puczkó, 2014). In other words it protects the employees from the preventing
the discrimination related to colour, religion etc. The Costco travel agency use
this act for preventing discrimination. Eventually, now these days this act is in the
trend because in many organisation employees face the race discrimination.
 Employment Protection act, 1978- This is a kind of act which protects the right
of the employees as well as helps the employees in any unfair matter. It is very
important for all the organisations that they need to acquire this act. The Costco
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travel agency applies this act for the safety of rights of their staff members and
offer the security in the jobs.
 Disability Discrimination act, 1995- It is an act that is developed to prevent the
discrimination regarding to any disability to the employees. The disability can be
of any types like blindness, handicap etc. The Costco travel agency avoids the
discrimination with those employees who are physically disabled. The disable
employees are treated in same manner as the other common employees.
 Employment act, 2002- Employment act ensures the opportunities of the
employment as well as providing the monetary and non monetary act(Gibson,
2016). The staff members of the Costco travel agency gets the deserved financial
and non financial benefits and gets the opportunity of work. Apart from it, this act
gives assurance to the employees that they will be maintained in the organisation
in future.
 Human Rights act, 1998- This act protects the right of human beings at the work
place. It is the right of all human beings to be treated with same dignity and
behaviour. The Costco travel agency acquires the act for protecting the right of
the employees. This act consists normal values, beliefs that are needed to be
followed by the companies.
TASK 3.
COVERED IN LEAFLET
TASK 4
4.1 Ethical dilemmas faced by the travel and tourism sector
Business ethics helps in examining policies with practices and understanding problems
which has chances to arise in the business(Sigala, 2018). It is the responsibility to provide fair
judgements for the problems. They benefit the business by formulating critical decisions to
enhance the productivity as well as employee morale for the betterment of whole organisation.
Employment ethics includes the rules, practices and obligation to follow all the laws by the
employees at workplace. Finance ethics are related to management of the available capital with
the company. Investment ethics includes the investment process by considering the external as
well as internal factors for selecting the investment tool. Ethics in advertising includes defined
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principles and techniques used to communicate the information between seller and buyer. Global
ethics are related to understanding the nature of values as well as norms related to the issues in
the international market. Consumer ethics refers to the consumer activities which uses the
published information.
The travel and tourism sector is growing rapidly by providing various services to distinct
tourists along with potential clients. It provides various employment opportunities, generate
demand of commercial activities as well as growth of several industries. But at the same time,
various demerits are also faced by such sector which includes destroying natural environment,
unwanted behaviour, creation of over gathering, supporting political governments and many
more. In addition, it has been analyse by several reports that the travel and tourism sector is
facing ethical dilemmas like green issues morals, leaking of revenue, false promotion, ethics of
employment and unethical clients issues. For understanding the ethical dilemmas faced by the
travel and tourism sector, TUI Group is selected. Some of the ethical dilemmas faced by the
selected business are the following:
 Green issues: green issues are also known as environmental issues. These are results of
human activities which leads to the harmful effects on the environment(Cohen, 2012). In
the current scenario, it has been analysed that the tourists activity leads to have stress on
the natural resources and increases the pollution level as well as destroy the natural
resources of the environment. The chosen business uses various resources for building
image and profitability to attract the clients towards it. The dilemmas faced are the
emission from jets, pollution created by tourists as well as polluting the local resources.
The managers of the business formulates strategies to overcome such dilemmas by
optimum utilisation of available and natural resources in effective along with efficient
manner to survive in the competitive market(Van der Wagen, 2015). This helps in
sustaining the natural resources as well as adding social values in the tourism industry. It
is very important for the TUI Group to prepare for the uncertain situations which have
chances to rise in the future time period.
 Marketing tourism responsibly: Tourism marketing refers to marketing the activities or
packages which the tourist agency is providing to various clients. The organisations uses
various modes of marketing mix to promote the services to the end customer. Tourism
marketing strategy is done to inform an individual regarding the tactics, plans,
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programmes, destinations, packages by using master marketing strategies. The marketers
also performs the marketing mix strategies to promote and attract various customers. The
TUI Group faces the dilemma of unethical advertisement by doing marketing in incorrect
manner to convince the targeted customer to take the holiday packages. Unethical
marketing is a promise made by the company through advertisements or promotional
campaigns to provide various services but fails to provide them. It depends in individual
consciousness to protect themselves from such marketing. The managers of such tourism
business formulated certain strategies and plans to overcome from such dilemmas.
4.2 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy of a specified travel and tourism business
Corporate social responsibility leads to contribute towards the sustainability. It helps in
integrating social as well as environmental aspects with the business operations(Hall, 2014). It is
a continue commitment of several entrepreneurs to plan the activities, strategies while
considering the legal regulations. To understand the corporate social responsibility policies, TUI
Group is taken into consideration. The managers of such group are responsible for planning the
programmes in such a manner which leads to optimum utilisation of the scarce resources in
appropriate and effective manner, protecting biodiversity with the cultural heritage, involvement
of local communities, minimising wastage as well as pollution. Various tourism hotels have
adopted such policy to improve the standard as well as contribute towards the economic
developments. CSR performs various roles and functions. Some are discussed as:
 Community involvement: It reflects the powers to bring changes in the community as
well as in business(Sharpley, 2012). It brings positive and measurable changes by
reflecting positive returns to both. Various community involvement programs helps in
showcasing the products and services offered by the business. The managers of TUI
group focuses on providing the appropriate proportion of shares to the community and
society fort the purpose of societal developments. They also plans to return the used
resources to the society by allocating the resources in efficient manner. This enhances the
bonding between corporation and community and develops multiple relationships.
 Sustainability: Suitability refers the ability to maintain and protect the environment for
the purpose of meeting the needs of current as well as future generations(Greenwood,
and Dwyer, 2015). Sustainable tourism leads to have positive impact on society,
environment and economy. The CSR policies enhances the scope of transforming the
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organisations for long term sustainability purposes. The managers of chosen tourism
business formulates and implement corporate social responsibility policies for building
and maintaining the sustainability to achieve the desired objectives for expanding the
business in international market(Leslie, 2012). The company analyses the environmental
impacts for adding values by ensuring such practices to sustain the resources for future
generations also.
CONCLUSION
From the above business report it can be concluded that there are various legal and
regulatory framework of the travel and tourism sector with reference to England and Wales. It
includes surface, sea and air transport law in relation to the carriage of passengers within the
legal and regulatory framework of United Kingdom. It describes 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. In addition, various legislation related to equality with reference
to a UK tour operator and travel agency are clearly defined. Some of the contract legislation as
well as consumer protection legislation in relation to travel and tourism customers are there. It
also includes the ethical dilemmas faced by the travel and tourism sector. In addition, analyses of
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy of a specified travel and tourism business.
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REFRENCES
Books and journals:
Swanson, J .R. and Edgell Sr, D .L., 2013.Tourism policy and planning: Yesterday, today, and
tomorrow. Routledge.
Forno, F. and Garibaldi, R., 2015. Sharing economy in travel and tourism: the case of home-
swapping in Italy.Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Touris. 16(2). pp.202-
220.
Gössling, S., Scott, D. and Hall, C .M., 2013. Challenges of tourism in a low‐carbon
economy.Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change. 4(6). pp.525-538.
Cohen, I .G., 2014.Patients with passports: medical tourism, law, and ethics. Oxford University
Press.
Ram, Y., 2018. Hostility or hospitality? A review on violence, bullying and sexual harassment in
the tourism and hospitality industry.Current Issues in Tourism. 21(7). pp.760-774.
Day, J. and Cai, L., 2012. Environmental and energy-related challenges to sustainable tourism in
the United States and China.International Journal of Sustainable Development & World
Ecology. 19(5). pp.379-388.
Singh, T. V. ed., 2012.Critical debates in tourism(Vol. 57). Channel View Publications.
Smith, M. and Puczkó, L., 2014.Health, tourism and hospitality: Spas, wellness and medical
travel. Routledge.
Gibson, S., 2016.Mobilizing hospitality: The ethics of social relations in a mobile world.
Routledge.
Sigala, M., 2018. New technologies in tourism: From multi-disciplinary to anti-disciplinary
advances and trajectories.Tourism management perspectives. 25. pp.151-155.
Cohen, I .G., 2012. How to regulate medical tourism (and why it matters for
bioethics).Developing world bioethics. 12(1). pp.9-20.
Van der Wagen, L., 2015.Events & Tourism Essentials. Pearson Higher Education AU.
Hall, C. M., 2014. Regulating the international trade in tourism services. In International
Business and Tourism. (pp. 47-68). Routledge.
Greenwood, V .A. and Dwyer, L., 2015. Consumer protection legislation: A neglected
determinant of destination competitiveness?.Journal of Hospitality and Tourism
Management. 24. pp.1-8.
Sharpley, R., 2012. Whose responsibility?.The Routledge Handbook of Tourism and the
Environment. p.382.
Leslie, D., 2012. The responsible tourism debate.Responsible tourism: Concepts, theory and
practice. pp.17-42.
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