Report on Legislation and Ethics in Travel and Tourism, UK

This report provides a detailed analysis of legislation and ethics within the travel and tourism sector, focusing on Elegant Hotels. It examines the legal and regulatory frameworks established by organizations such as ABTA, ORR, MCA, and CAA, covering surface, sea, and air transport laws. The report evaluates the impacts of health, safety, and security legislation, along with the Equality Act, on the industry. It further explores consumer protection, ethical dilemmas, and corporate social responsibility, offering insights into various legislations like the Unfair Contract Terms Act and the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulation. The report emphasizes the importance of adhering to these regulations to ensure passenger safety, employee rights, and ethical business practices within the travel and tourism industry.

Legislation
and
ethics in travel in
tourism

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
A) Explain the legal and regulatory framework of the travel and tourism sector.......................1
B) Discuss surface, sea and air transport law in relation to the carriage of passengers within
the legal and regulatory framework............................................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Evaluate the impacts of the principles of health, safety and security legislation on the
travel and tourism sector.............................................................................................................3
B) The Equality legislation in the English Legal System, which he should be aware of, when
recruiting and managing employees of the Hotel.......................................................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................4
A) Explain different legislations in travel and tourism sector....................................................4
B) Explain consumer protection legislation with relation to package holidays which tour
operators need to consider in order to avoid civil or criminal liabilities....................................5
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................6
A) Identification and analysis of ethical dilemmas.....................................................................6
B) Analysis of corporate social responsibility............................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Tourism refers to travel for business or pleasure. Travel and tourism is a agonistic and
impulsive sector which must be able to cope up with changing needs of customers, their
satisfaction and safety (Becker, 2016). Legislation refers to laws which are enacted governing
bodies or legislatures. In this report Elegant Hotels is taken into consideration. It is a group
which furnish varied mix of luxury resorts around islands of Caribbean. This report consists of
legal and regulatory framework provided by ORR (Office of rail and road), MCA (Maritime and
coastguard agency) and CAA (Civil aviation authority), categorization of laws, court system and
different sources of laws. Role of regulatory body is also discussed in travel and tourism
industry. Moreover, impact of health, safety and security has been evaluated. Also, equality
legislation and different acts in travel and tourism sector are analysed. Apart from this, ethical
dilemmas and corporate social responsibility.
TASK 1
A) Explain the legal and regulatory framework of the travel and tourism sector
In UK, travel and tourism sector is regulated and operated by Association of the British
Travel Agents where it look towards major issues and try to solve them which are common in the
industry. The association also operates and regulates the booking procedures, then the travel
code and travelling processes. There are various parties which involved in tourism sector such as
suppliers, customers, contractors and so more. When such parties are communicate or interact

with each other and the main role of legislations being important and significant (Dawson and et.
al, 2011) . The major aim of this industry is to operate and regulate the safety of tourists and their
desired customers. In this, health and safety regulation play an important role providing safety
and security to the tourists. With the same purpose, the legal associations and guidelines are to be
followed in order conclude the travel experience along with standard approach.
ABTA – It is refer as the tourism process under Wales, Britain and Scotland which are
regulated and operated by the ABTA. The main reason behind the formation of ABTA is to
make sure about the travel bookings and the permits are derived as per the rules and legislations
which are formulated by ORR. Its main aim is to regulate and operate various offers provided to
the tourists by different organisation. The ABTA is responsible for the provision of booking,
extra services and insurance services.
Strategic Rail Authority (SRA)- The main aim of management services and laws are
prescribed under the Transport Act of 2000. ORR is responsible for safety and economic
regulations of Britain's railway. For example, Virgin Group has been prepared and designed for
the transportation purpose and strategies so it is undertaken in better manner.
Health and Safety Commission – The commission main aim is to providing safety and
security benefits to the local people and their staff members under the tourism industry. The Act
of 1947 is applied on such situations and in this occupiers responsibility is to manage and
maintain residential in safe manner which ensure about the safety of employees. For example,
Virgin Group are expected to offer accurate equipments and hospitable environment in order to
maintain the cleanliness of the organisation. The health and safety regulation should be
organized or regulated accordingly (Fenclova and Coles, 2011) .
International Air Transport Association – An organisation main aim at maintenance of
the licenses and support provided in the facilities providers in terms of holiday offers and
packages so that it will provided under UK tourism industry.
B) Discuss surface, sea and air transport law in relation to the carriage of passengers within the
legal and regulatory framework
In this, the mode of transport is used while carrying out tourists from one place to another
and main responsibility of the carrier is to strict in terms of safety and injuries which has been
caused due to transport. In addition to this, mode of transport can be change and it is based on
effective transportation method. The air, surface and sea transport lying within legal and

regulatory framework provided by MCA (Maritime and Coastguard agency) which govern
surface law, sea law and air law. ORR regulates network rail by providing fund requirements ro
ensure train operators to provide fair access to railway network. Such laws are described as
under:
1. Surface law – This is that law which is regulated and governed by “The International
Carriage of Passengers by Road Act, 1979”. This will help in protecting rights of the
passengers in proper manner. There are various claims which are related to physical
damages or mental disorder of the passengers which are taken care by this law. In this,
loss of luggage of the passengers is also governed by “Carriage by Railway Act 1972”.
Office of Rail and Road ensures that organisations are following these laws to ensure
safety of passengers.
2. Sea Law – In this, transportation security and safety is covered under this contract law.
The environmental factors are regulated by such laws and regulations (Fennell, 2011).
The sea craft with at least 12 number of passengers are related to fire security along with
life guards equipments which are covered under “The International Convention for the
Safety of life at Sea (SOLAS)”. Maritime and Coastguard agency makes sure that
organisations follow certain laws so that lives are not lost at sea and also ensures that if
any kind of accident occurs then rescue operations are carried out as soon as possible.
3. Air Law - The rules of global equipment and its documentation are referred by “The
Warsaw Convention of 1919”. The travellers death compensation and rights are claim
against the personal injury which are covered under “The Five Freedom Agreement of
1944” which involves all rules and regulations which are related to landing across the
border for traffic, non traffic, passenger's landing. Civil Aviation Authority regularise all
the aspects related with civil aviation within UK. They ensures that pilot have necessary
licences, calibration of navaids and testing of equipments. Furthermore, they are
responsible for maintaining security standards and also oversees national protection
schemes.

TASK 2
2.1 Evaluate the impacts of the principles of health, safety and security legislation on the travel
and tourism sector
Health, safety and security legislation are mainly focus on manageable damages and risk
in the travel and tourism sector and it is make sure about the risk of accident minimised (Fowler,
Forsdick and Kostova, 2013). In this, primary objective is to maintain and manage safety in all
respect in the working environment. This is the main responsibility of manager and employee is
to recognise in advance if there is any possibility of damages and hazard in the working area and
complain about all hazardous situation in proper manner. Under the Health and Safety at Work
Act 1974, employer under UK are provide health and safety protection to their employees and
some other individuals are presented in the premises. It means that employees, visitors and
service which are offered to customers execute tourism procedures that are kept in check by
managers. As a Health and Safety Officer at Elegant Hotel, it is the main duty of employer to
ensure about working environment and safety provisions that are maintained on the residential
within safety regulations.
It can be analysed that it is complex situation for the hotel industry where staff members
are face difficult condition related to health and safety. It is necessary that customers, employees
and crewmembers help the safety rules and legislations within an organisation. Along with this,
training should be provided to their staff members in the tourism industry which make sure about
safety of people on premises and duration of the journey (Gauthier and et. al 2015). The main
responsibility is to ensure about security which is expand across different managers, hierarchies
and team members. The health and safety legislation describe that rights and responsibilities of
the management assist in handle emergencies which are explicit.
B) The Equality legislation in the English Legal System, which he should be aware of, when
recruiting and managing employees of the Hotel
The equality Act is develop by parliament of United Kingdom in year 2010. Major
purpose behind developing this act is to protect right of every individual from getting
discriminated. By following this act an organisation able to develop appropriate environment at a
workplace and by this employees feel motivated (Gibson, 2016). This is so because by it
employees are treated equally which leads to workplace satisfaction, increase in productivity,

reduction in employees turnover ratio and many more. According to government of United
Kingdom, every organisation has to follow respective legislation so that will be positive and
effective environment at a workplace. By this legal framework every individual get equal
opportunities and rights in order to conduct work at workplace. The equality Act, 2010 is
consider as combination of various laws like Equal payment Act, 1970; Sex discrimination Act,
1975; Race relation Act, 1976; Disability discrimination Act, 1995; Employment equality
Regulation, 2003 and many more.
All these are essential for an organisation to adopt it in effective and efficient manner so
that employees conduct work in proper manner within peaceful environment. In context of
respective hotel by adopting these legislation with are included in equality act, management able
to motivate employees which directly leads to increase in productivity, profitability and market
shares. The equality Act also help hotel in recruiting and hiring appropriate employees through
which they able to attain goal and objective in effective manner (Greenwood and Dwyer, 2015).
Along with this, by respective act every candidates get fair as well as equal chance to present
their skills and knowledge in appropriate and effective manner. By following all legislation
which are include in equality act hotel able to serve their employees in effective manner by
giving them proper salary according to regulation. Through which they able to reduce or
diminish conflict situation that leads to reduction in employees turnover ratio in effective
manner. Moreover all employees who are even disable get equal opportunities to conduct
particular work as well as they also get equal respect as others.
TASK 3
A) Explain different legislations in travel and tourism sector.
1. The Unfair Contract Terms Act, 1977: This is an act of UK which administer contracts
by constrictive legality and operations of contract terms. This act imposes restrictions on
extent up to which liabilities can be breached or other rupture with respect to duty can be
deflected by usage of contractual provisions. An example can be taken to understand this
like Virgin Holidays Limited has restricted a abilities of guest to complaint about their
services and make same reviews on their websites (Kask, Kull and Orru, 2016) .
2. Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulation, 1999: This act safeguard customers
from unfair standard terms in standard term contracts. This act states that, if any terms are

made by customers, then must be seen as fair. It is statement of unfairness. An example
can be taken in context of Virgin Holidays Limited, management should not impose
untenable amount of money for their services like for some high and for other low.
3. Sale of Goods Act, 1979: This act modulates sales of good which are sold and bought
within UK and contract among them. This act states that customers who have bought
faulty product is eligible to free refund either complete or in parts. For example if Virgin
Holidays Limited is offering stale food to their customers then as per this act it is
provision to give refund to customer.
4. Supply of Goods and Services Act, 1982: This act make sure that traders offer
satisfactory standards of workmanship. This act provides customers with enhanced
protection when they bought services to ensures that customers have received services
with reasonable quality. Again an example can be considered to interpret this act. Virgin
Holidays Limited is following this act to ensure that services which they are offering to
their guests or customers are perfect with respect to prices they are being offering.
5. The Consumer Rights Act, 2015: This act comprises major consumer legislations, they
are Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations, The Sale of Good Act, Supply of
Goods and Services Act. This act contains what consumer can do if products are not up to
mark, different unfair terms and digital content (Lovelock and Lovelock, 2013). In
context of Virgin Holidays Limited an example can be take. When customers make
online booking for suppose after two months from present date and make payment for
same. If at that moment of time rooms are not available with them then they must refund
complete amount within 30 days.
B) Explain consumer protection legislation with relation to package holidays which tour
operators need to consider in order to avoid civil or criminal liabilities.
Consumer protection act deals with activities which misleads customers. Any wrong
statement which are made by tour operators are against this legislation. It is necessary that
information which is furnished by travel and tourism sector is accurate and do not misguide
customers (Medlik, 2012). If any legislation is broken by them then they are entitled to penalties.
Like if Virgin Holidays Limited make incorrect statements related with prices of holiday
package then this means that they are not following this act. There are certain legislations to
protect customers, some of them are mentioned below:

Trade description act 1968: This act forbid service industry, retailers or manufacturers
from being dishonest towards their customers with respect to what they are buying. This
legislation ensures that organisations who make false statements related with their services to
their customers. An example can be considered like if Virgin Holidays Limited has said that they
will provide their visitors with accommodation in 7 star hotel and after this if they provide
accommodation in 5 star hotel then this means that they are breaching this act.
Consumer protection act, 1987: This act gives individual right to claim for repayment
or recompense if they have received a abnormal product which has caused injury, damage or
death. Consumer can averment when there is damage in product, effect to property infra £275.
Tour operators need to make sure that they charge customers as per services rather than with
motive to earn more profit (Schenker, 2011). In this context Virgin Holiday Limited must ensure
that they maintain standard of services which they have promised to their customers and also
need to make sure that illegal prices are restricted.
TASK 4
A) Identification and analysis of ethical dilemmas.
Structure of travel and tourism industry is complex as this is a growing sector and it must
be regulated. This sector needs to have valued relationship with customers so that they can retain
them in future. It is mandatory for them to furnish services at reasonable prices. There are certain
factors which affect this sector such as political, economical changes, economical instability and
many others. Unfavourable and negative conditions of some places lead to decline in services of
travel and tourism sector up to greater extent (Scheyvens, 2012). Cultural and social factors also
have negative impact on travel and tourism industry with respect to communities, societies, etc.
in which they are operating. In organisations like Virgin Holiday Limited customers are
separated on basis of economy and age. Some countries have strict procedures for visa like US,
UK, etc. but some gives convenient visa without much documentation. Ethics are related with
activities which are either good or bad with reference to moral duties and values of individual.
These issues vary from one industry to other and sectors they are dealing with. There are certain
dilemmas which affect travel and tourism sector, they are mentioned below:
 Assets of organisation are exploited, heavy consumption of alcohol and drugs.

 Environment gets polluted through different activities and methods of visitors but at the
end of the day, localites of particular country have to go through them.
 Gender discrimination may be faced by employees of Virgin Holiday Limited in respect
to their recruitment and promotion (Becker, 2016) .
 Visitor cause harm to natural species by throwing waste on sea side, hunting and many
other factors.
 Corruption, extortion and bribery which create negative impact on society.
 They are related with values which are used within industry. There are certain guidelines
and moral values which are used by Virgin Holiday Limited to monitor and control
behaviour of employees within working premises.
 Ethics within Virgin Holiday Limited comprises of issues such as supply chain, affects in
local community and heterogeneous work places.
 Rate of child labours has also increased in developing countries to meet requirements of
visitors as employment option to them (Whitfield and Dioko, 2012).
B) Analysis of corporate social responsibility.
CSR refers to combination of social beneficial practices and programs into corporation
culture and business model. It aims at enhancing long-term profits for both online and offline
organisation by enabling them to be more effectual and attract more number of customers for
efforts which they are investing (Dawson and et. al, 2011). CSR comprises of responsibilities of
individual and organisations towards society. Organisation can aid society in certain ways, they
are mentioned below:
 Virgin Holiday Limited need to make sure that resources of economy are used in
appropriate manner so that they do not get de4pleted with passage of time.
 They can render their services to society by contributing in cultural, educational and
social activities within organisation.
Virgin Holiday Limited: It is a private organisation which operates in travel and tourism
industry. It headquartered in Crawley, West Sussex, UK. It was founded in 1985. They must
focus on doing good for society rather than making good image of brand as it will itself enhance
their brand image. They have decided to spend some part of their annual budget on society. They
are:

Health and sanitation: There are certain problems which are associated with sanitation
at tourism places. For this Virgin Holiday Limited has ensured that they provide effective and
clean toilet facilities to people as a step towards corporate social responsibility.
Education and employment: They are provided education to backward classes of
society so that they can raise their standards of living. Virgin Holiday Limited also donate some
part of their profits to these sections of society (Fenclova and Coles, 2011) .
CONCLUSION
From above it can be concluded that, travel and tourism sector deals in different areas and
are affected by factors like environment and their corporate social responsibility towards people
with respect to this sector. Tourism sector is important part to raise the economy of country and
have become effective part of developed countries. Health, safety and security is foremost
priority of travel operators. They have certain regulations and legislations which they have to
abide. Effective knowledge of dilemmas has strong impact on decision-making of travel and
tourism industry.
REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Becker, E., 2016. Overbooked: The exploding business of travel and tourism. Simon and
Schuster.
Dawson, J. and et. al, 2011. Ethical considerations of last chance tourism. Journal of
Ecotourism. 10(3). pp.250-265.
Fenclova, E. and Coles, T., 2011. Charitable Partnerships among Travel and Tourism
Businesses: Perspectives from Low‐Fares Airlines. International Journal of Tourism
Research. 13(4). pp.337-354.
Fennell, D. A., 2011. Tourism and animal ethics. Routledge.
Fowler, C., Forsdick, C. and Kostova, L. eds., 2013. Travel and ethics: Theory and practice.
Routledge.
Gauthier, S. and et. al 2015. Suicide tourism: a pilot study on the Swiss phenomenon. Journal of
medical ethics. 41(8). pp.611-617.
Gibson, S., 2016. Mobilizing hospitality: The ethics of social relations in a mobile world.
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.
Kask, S., Kull, T. and Orru, K., 2016. Understanding of sustainable tourism among Russian
tourism managers. European Journal of Tourism Research. 14. pp.101-105.
Lovelock, B. and Lovelock, K., 2013. ETHICS OF TOURISM. TAYLOR AND FRANCES..

Medlik, S., 2012. Dictionary of travel, tourism and hospitality. Routledge.
Schenker, J. G. ed., 2011. Ethical dilemmas in assisted reproductive technologies. Walter de
Gruyter.
Scheyvens, R., 2012. Tourism and poverty. Routledge.
Whitfield, J. and Dioko, L. A., 2012. Measuring and examining the relevance of discretionary
corporate social responsibility in tourism: Some preliminary evidence from the UK
conference sector. Journal of Travel Research. 51(3). pp.289-302.