Analysis of Legislation and Ethics in the Travel & Tourism Sector

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the legal and ethical framework governing the travel and tourism sector, focusing on health, safety, security, and equality. It examines various laws and regulations related to surface, sea, and air transport, highlighting the responsibilities of the industry in ensuring customer safety and security. The report also discusses the impacts of health and safety legislation, including the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Occupiers Liability Act 1984, as well as legislation promoting equality, such as the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Race Discrimination Act 1976. Furthermore, it touches upon corporate social responsibility within the travel and tourism sector, emphasizing the importance of ethical practices and compliance with legal standards. The report aims to provide insights into the legal and ethical considerations that shape the travel and tourism industry.

Legislation and Ethics
in Travel and Tourism Sector

Table of Contents.
INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES.................................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
The report consists of the laws and regulations which are made for travel and tourism sector. It is
concentrating on health, safety and security of the consumers of travel and tourism business. The
travel and the tourism industry are providing the customers services to the people which want to
travel all over the world and explore the places. Report aim of the knowledge to the customers
regarding the travel and tourism sectors impact on the customers service and regulations which are
provided to the industry as well. The travel and tourism industry are also working for the making
the initiatives for the environment protection. Report is stating about the rules and the regulations
which are followed by the travel and tourism industry. The report also consists of the legislation of
equality and the impacts of the industry on the health and safety of the customers. It includes the
corporate social responsibility of travel and tourism sectors as well.
TASK 1
Explain the legal and regulatory
frame work in travel and tourism
sector
The regulatory frame work
levied on the travel and tourism
industry are provided below:
Strategic rail authority
It is following the transport
act 2000 which would contain the
rules and the regulation which must
be levied on the travel and tourism
industry. It contains the laws which
are protecting the customers while
they would be using the British
railways.
Health and safety executive
These executives are looking
after the health and the safety of the
customers which are using the
services of the industry the executive
looks after the precautionary
measures which are compulsory for
Civil aviation
authority
The civil
aviation authority is
implementing the
rules and regulations
of the UK aviation ion
the industry. It is
concentrating on the
aviation industry and
some problems which
reported to the
international air
transport association.
Association of British
travel agents
Association of
British and the travel
agents which is
Surface sea and air transport law in
travel and tourism sector
The medium of transport is
which is helping the customers to
travel form one country to another,
it is increasing the responsibility of
the transport industry for the safety
and the security of the customers
which are travelling.
The travel and tourism
industry are following the
guidelines of the transport law
which contains the road act 1974
passenger charters rail coach and
air transport conventions. These
laws are providing the guidelines
to the transport companies that the
companies must ensure the safety
and the security measures which
are necessary for the customers
while travelling.
The customers also travel

the industry has been maintained or
not.
Health and safety commission
The commission is focusing
on the health and the safety of the
customers which are using the
services. The commission is
following the health and safety act
1974 which is stating that the
company or travel agency which
would providing the services must
maintain the safety and the security
measures for customers and
employees as well (Lyth, 2016).
Maritime authorities
These authorities are the
administrations which are looking
after the carrying out the export and
the import business which includes
the shipping of the products form one
place to another. Laws of the
territories are managed by the
Maritime authorities.
International air transport association
the association itself describe
the association by the name, it is
focusing on the airline industry. It
sees that the airline industry is
focusing on the functioning of the
airlines in the airport and also it looks
after the routes of the airlines.
Through these measures the
association is forming the rules,
regulations and various strategies
which will look after the effective
focusing on the travel
agents which are
working in the travel
and the tourism
industry. There are
various travel agents
in UK which has to
follow the rules and
the regulations and
also the association
had to looks after the
travel agents which
are not fulfilling the
needs of the
customers (Nassani,
and et.al., 2017).
These
authorities are
regulatory authorities
which are levying the
rules on the travel and
tourism sectors for the
customers' satisfaction
in the industry. There
are the courts and the
like magistrate court,
criminal court and
supreme courts which
are providing the
justice to the
customers.
through the road transport which
includes the buses, trains and local
transport. So, the companies must
look after the vehicles and
maintain them properly including
the safety measures. The vehicles
must include the fire extinguisher
and emergency gates for leaving
the bus in the case of the
emergency. The water transport
like boats, ships and the cargos are
ways through which the
passengers and the exporting
products are transported. All these
water transport must have the life
jackets for the safety and the
security of the customers which
are travelling in the transport.
The air transport is the
shortest way to travel in less time.
The passengers travel through the
flights, these air crafts must have
the necessary things which are
provided by the government for
safety and the security of the
customers. it is regulated by the
international air transport
association. The safety and the
security of the customers is
managed by the companies which
are providing the services of
transportation. The luggage of the
customers must be provided to the
customers with the safety
precautions. Denied boarding

working of the airline (Lima 2017.).
Air travel operators licensing
It is packaging scheme started
by the government for protecting the
air packages which are sold by the
industry. These packages and it also
provides the financial protection to
the customers which are complaining
about the problems and the issues.
compensation schemes are
working for the improvising the
rules and the regulations which are
providing safety and security to
the passengers.
These laws of the surface,
water, and air are governing the
tourism and the travel industry. It
is formulating the laws and
providing the security to the
passengers which are boarding any
type of the transport. The
government is working effectively
for the customers which would
provide the safety and the security
to the customers.
TASK 2
Impacts of health, safety, and security legislation
The basic intention of any of the legislators is the regulation of the development sector of
tourism by the introduction of such a unified criterion. This determines the moral rights and
obligations of the tourism industry. The health and safety commission have laws under their
purview to also assist the research and development programs for the public.
Health and safety at work act 1974
This act primarily came into being in accordance to the Britishers. The obligation lies on
the employees and employers when both have their corresponding duties at their workplace. The
main objective of this key legislation is to derive and surpass the health, safety and security means
of fair trading at national and a local level. This helps the workplaces develop time to time new
policies in lines to the health safety and security of the firm. These keeps aligned the competent
health and safety of the professionals to make sure that they discharge their legal duties well. The
health and safety act is forcefully levied on the company and the company need to follow the rules
and the regulation. In some cases the employees take advantage of the rules when the all the safety
measures a provided in the company.
Occupiers liability act 1984

This is the act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom wherein it is the duty of care liable
to the trespassers and visitors must be aware that of any kind of danger that exists arising from the
property or which things if done or not done. This lays a bountiful impact on the firms bound to
follow the law (the occupier). However, no duty is liable if the occupier willingly possesses any
such kind of risk. No such duty is liable to the virtue with the intention of creating that risk being
reckless if the risk is created or not (Olya and Mehran, 2017). The act incudes the occupiers
liability and the occupier is held responsible for any problem occurred in the company or factory
premises.
Data protection Act 1988
This act accords the personal details of any individual like their bank details, contact
number, residential address etc must not be risked in the travel and tourism sector of the economy.
Under this act of 1988 it must be seen the details excavated from the individual include their
willingness and consent as to the purpose of use of travels and tourism sector accordingly. Also,
the information collected by the company must be sufficient for the use of travel and tourism and
not excessive with any other intentions to unwillingly use the same. They must also pay heed that
the data shared by the individual must be updated (Vellas 2016). In the act the data must not be
provided to anyone and in some cases employees only provide the data and then these employees
are held responsible to the companies of the misconduct.
Duty of care and vicarious liability
Vicarious liability refers to when one party in the travel and tourism sector is help partly
responsible for an unlawful action done by any third party involved. Here, the third party is also
held liable for the same. Being negligent to carrying out the responsibility and is an offence. The
employer can be held responsible for any unlawful actions of the employees hired under him while
at the workplace. This can lay an impact on the image of the firm and also its business accordingly
in the travel and tourism sector. Also, if the same employee causes any sort of damage on any
equipment of the firm, he is held liable for the damage to the same. By the duty of the care and
vicarious liability the employees held responsible for the crime or an offence but actually offence
would be committed by anyone in the company.
From the above given act, we understand how they can lay a great amount of impact on the
travel and tourism sector if these acts are not followed properly by the responsible person. Also,
this can impact the firm and its business accordingly. The travel and the tourism companies are
responsible for the safety and the security of the customers.
Legislation of equality
Sex discrimination act 1975
This relates to when the employees are not treated equally on the basis of the sex, they

carry be it a male, female or transgender. For eliminating such kind of inequality based on the sex
various legislations are formed with due accordance to give equal rights to individuals. Thus, this
states that all individuals are same in the eyes of law and stay indiscriminate of basis of their sex.
Through these act the company is held responsible for act which is not performed by the company.
Like the company has fired the employee due to the other reasons but the candidate had
complained about the sex discrimination. So laws must be made according to the company and the
employees which are working.
Race discrimination act 1976
Here, discrimination is done on the basis of the race that individual falls into. Various
legislations are formed for the same where no discrimination is made on individuals on the basis of
the nationality, race, colours or the origin they belong to. This kind of discrimination when done in
employment is a criminal offence. Thus, this act provides security to individual against any sort of
racial discrimination. Race discrimination include the also have the negative impact on the
company and the employees of the company. The act was not their the employees would be
exploited.
Employment protection consolidation act 1978
This act says about how protected the employee is while he is employed. Under this act, the
employee stays protected while under his course of employment from any kind of injustice,
partiality or instability of the job he is performing. This act covers the public as well as the private
sector. Also, a consideration of maternity leave to the employee and the employer. Through these
act the employees of the public and the private sectors would also exploit the companies as well.
Disability discrimination act 1995
The Disability Discrimination Act gives protection to disable person employed in the
company. This act has been made for the education field or employment and the housing sectors.
This act grants various eligible rights which are provided to disable individuals under the
Disability discrimination act 1995. In the disability discrimination act the employees are would
held the company responsible for the discrimination with them because they are disabled, the act
was not made the disabled employees of the company were exploited.
Employment act 2002
This major piece of regulation says that an employee has the right to manage the balance between
parents, family and the work they do. Under the enhancement of this statutory, the employee has
every right to fulfil his responsibilities towards his family and the commitments thereon along with
the work he has. They also have provisions for equal treatment of the same employees at work. Act
is made for the protection of the employees and if the act was not amended the employees would
be used according to the company, and they would not be protected as well.

Human rights act 1998
This act says that every individual has the rights contained with him under the European
Convention of UK rights wherein their basic rights are covered. Human rights act include the rules
for the human rights and the company has to protect the employees according to the human rights
act.
TASK 3
Contract legislation in the travel
and tourism sector
Contract law
Supply of Goods and Services Act
1982
The Supply of Goods and
Services Act 1982 provides
standards of the work offered by
the employee with proper regards
to the completion date and the
wages paid to him accordingly.
This act comes in accordance with
the relevant transfer of goods and
services. The above act is also
applicable on the hiring of the
goods and services of travel and
tourism sector (Haddadi and
Khodadadpoor 2015).
Service Contract
This is mostly a contract
between 2 parties wherein one
party performs a service with
regards to the financial
compensation offered by the latter
in the travel and tourism sector.
The contract of service is a legally
bound document of a business and
an individual known for the service
Hotel Proprietors Act
1956
Under the Hotel
Proprietors Act 1956,
the hotel proprietor is
bound to serve food
and drinks to the
guest as and when
required including the
sleeping
accommodation
which is bound
without any special
contract. Thus, as
there’s no special
contract for the same,
the Hotel Proprietors
Act 1956 came into
the picture.
Food Act 1984
The Food act
1984 states that the
owners of business
are legally responsible
to make sure that the
food served to the
Consumer protection legislation
Consumer protection
There is always a contract
between the consumer and the
company about the services being
provided by the firm in the travel and
tourism industry like the arrival time,
departure time, details of destination,
accommodation charges etc. If there
are any changes in the commitment
offered, the consumer protection
legislation comes into the picture.
The consumer is always liable to
terminate such a contract under the
consumer protection act and its
legislations. This covers some rules
and regulations like:
Trade Description Act 1988
Here, the consumer is
protected against any misleading
information provided by the service
providers of the travel and tourism
sector on what the consumer is
actually spending the money on
(Vasigh Fleming, and Tacker, 2018).
Consumer Protection Act 1987
This act protects the
customers while they buy the service

contract.
Package Travel Contracts
Hereby, the consumer must
receive all the essential information
about the service purchased by
them and the terms and condition
the package travel contract abides
to. The travellers may also
terminate the same contracts if
essential elements like the price or
and other condition of the contract
have changed due to some reasons
or so. The travellers can also do the
same if before the start of the travel
journey of the package in
exceptional circumstances or so
(Del Baldo, 2016).
Valid contracts
Under this kind of valid contracts,
the contracts need to be in writing
so that these written contracts seem
to be the real agreements that can
be renewed and last for a year or
two. These valid contracts act like
an agreement between two parties
which can remove them from real
life situations between parties and
exchange of values.
Unfair contracts
These contract clauses that
directly or indirectly limit the
counterparty rights or else the
contract is held void. Any such
contracts which disseminates or
harms the rights of any of the
consumer while in
their accommodation
type is safe and
suitable to be eaten by
the consumer. The
quality of the food is
important of the
customers which are
visiting the place.
Thus, any hindrance
in the abidance of the
same may cause
defences and penalties
for the same(Arshad
Iqbal, and Shahbaz,
2018).
from the provider by giving them all
the necessary information the service
provider is bound to give such as
health and safety tips etc.
Package Holidays and Package Tours
Regulations 1992
It specifies that all the tour operators
and the holiday companies must put
all their rules and regulations in the
“Booking Terms and Conditions” or
the price inclusivity of the package
sold to the consumer (De Grosbois
2016).
Torts of negligence and nuisance
It says that no intentional
harm must be inflicted on the
defendant, else it can give claim of
negligence.
Duty of care and Vicarious Liability
It states that it is the strict
liability if and when negligence is
caused as a proof of fault where the
person can be held liable for
negligence of the duty of care. It also
says that it is the primary liability of
the employer who is liable jointly
and severally under the contract pf
employment (Camilleri, 2018).
Accommodation services
Definition of a hotel/inn
A hotel is a small
accommodation of rooms stated
therein where any traveller is treated
a as a guest during his travel while in
or out of the town. Whereas an Inn is

responsible parties are held to be
void in the nature of those terms
and conditions. Also, those
contracts which cause the detriment
of rights of the consumer is said to
be void as it is an unfair contract
(Schor and Cansoy, 2019).
Laws of agency
The law of agency is a contractual
set of fiduciary relationships that
involves as person as an agent and
the customer involved therein. In
the travel and tourism sector, the
agent with any authority is capable
to bind the principal to a third party
(Khoshnevis Yazdi. and
Khanalizadeh, 2017).
like a building which is located along
the highways where a traveller can
stay and seek lodging and food.
Hotels are generally large buildings
having spacious rooms which is not
the same in case of Inns.
TASK 4
LO4 Role of Business ethics in travel and tourism sector
The branch of knowledge which deals with the moral principles which governs the person’s
behaviour and conduction of an activity is called ethics. For the promotion of correct information a
correct, right, fair and justifiable advertisement must be constructed. Perhaps issues related to
ethics are much common in various sectors of the market, and one of the common sectors is travel
and tourism which get prevailed by such ethical issues. Therefore, it has been observed various
times that in order to reduce the cost of resources and labours the companies of hotel tends to
minimize the cost of expenditure by getting involved in the unfair and unethical activities for
performing their various functions. Therefore it is the responsibility of the complete hospitality
industry to bind the hotel with the legal amendments to survive in the marketplace described by the
associated legal authorities of the state. Moreover, to prevent the individuals from various
discriminations and exploitations the travel and tourism agency of the UK has established various
amendments which are designed to in such respect. This legislation regarding the travel and
tourism sector also governs the health and hygiene factor in the hotel industry. One of another

issue that could be seen in the hotel industry is the gambling. Thus, it must be ensured by the
company to have such activities of gambling under proper set of rules and regulations. Although,
most of the ethical issues or the unfair aspects are solved or managed through the legal processes.
With the time people are getting more concerned about the consumer ethical issues. Perhaps the
assigning authorities are responsible for the entitling the fair advertisements regarding the
responsibilities against ethical issues, ensuring that the correct information could be delivered.
Thus, the consumers of the hotel industry has the enough rights to take actions against the service
provider if they consumers or the guests of hotel observes any indulgence of the service provider
in any unethical or illegal business practice (Barth and Hayes). The formation of various consumer
legislation are designed in travel and tourism sector keeping in mind the fact that the consumers
remain protected from the various misconceptions and cheating in this industry. Essential terms
and conditions must be provided by the service provider prior to the consumption of it services by
the customer. These terms of conditions would help the consumer from being the victim of
exploitation and fraud. There must be provision to provide the compensation if any loss occurred
to the customer. The act of trade description must ensure that the correct information is
demonstrated which is fair and justifiable to the customers of the service, and if the customers find
any company’s mislead then they must be having some authority through which the customer
could claim the service provider. Now a day’s some more issues are also issues are arising in the
travel and tourism industry, these issues are the issues related to natural calamity as well as
environment degradation. These environment degradation and natural calamity issues are basically
the modern era issues. Therefore it is the responsibility of the concern department of the tourism to
make essential changes in the marketing and promotional activities in regard to these modern era
issues of environment degradation as well as natural calamity. Moreover, to stand long or to remain
sustainable in the market place it is always advised to the hotel company or the travel and tourism
agencies to follow the rules and regulations under the corresponding legislations, so that none of
the ethical issue could find the organisation culprit of doing unethical or illegal activities. For
providing the best possible service the organisations must also needs to be following the right of
equality.
Analysis of the corporate social responsibility policy of travel and tourism business
Hilton hotel is providing the hospitality service in UK since decades. This hotel is been operating
in various countries all across the world. The aim or the motto of this company is to provide the
best possible customer service along with delivering of the most luxurious services at the best cost.
The successful promotion of best products or the service among the different customer segments is
carried out by the Hilton hotels Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy. According to the
concern of the corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy, the Hilton hotel remain highly

focused on the social facet in which it has involved the various active stakeholder in the process of
the company (2015Carlsen and Andersson, 2017). To stay high among its various competitions the
hotel Hilton tends to provide the best possible service and products to serve its customers at the
least cost or in the most cost efficient way. Therefore, under the activities of customer social
responsibility (CSR), in order to provide the best customer service by the employees the
international hotel tends to develop the best atmosphere at the workstation which eventually
facilitates with the effective interaction between the companies employee as well as the consumer
of the service. The company not only earns for itself, moreover the company of Hilton hotel is
contributing in the increment of the nation’s economy. The company also promotes the message of
equality as there are given equal opportunities to both male as well as female which ultimately
enhance the Hilton hotels level of productivity as well as business prosperity. Since the company is
well aware of the environmental degradation in this modern era so the company has focused much
on the issues of the environmental protection. For ensuring the protection against the environment
the company has emphasizing more on the utilization of renewable sources of energy. The
company Hilton hotel also gives rights to its customer to claim against themselves if customer
found any exploitation or fraud happened to them. Along with it if the company is unable to fulfil
what it said earlier, then the company provide the customers enough right to claim for the
compensation against the inconvenience provided by the hotel. Thus, to stand long or the
sustainable in the market place the company Hilton hotel follows all the international norms and
conditions to prove to be the best service provider of it industry.
CSR initiative by Hilton hotel (CSR initiative by Hilton hotel, 2016)
Categories of CSR activities Hilton performance
Supporting local communities In the October month of 2015, was the global
month of services for Hilton hotel, as around
200 travellers travelled with the purpose to
action grants, and they supported Hilton
properties as well as local communities.
Educating & empowering workers In the year 2014, around 14000 employees of
Hilton received the training of ethics as well as
anti corruptions (CSR initiative by Hilton hotel,
2016).
Labour and human rights In the Human Rights Campaign foundation
Corporate Equality Index, the organization
Hilton has received the maximum score of
100%