Purpose Having learned the reasons for government legislation and regulations, students will be able to describe the types of legislation and regulations that are found in tourism.
Multilateral and Bilateral Agreements Affecting Tourism Multilateral air agreements Bilateral and plurilateral air agreements World Trade Organization , GATT and GATS Hotel classification, rating and grading World Heritage List, UNESCO Free trade agreements
UNESCO World Heritage List An international agreement was signed in 1972 titled the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. The primary purpose of this agreement was to define and conserve the world’s heritage by drawing up a list of sites whose outstanding values should be preserved for all humanity and to ensure their protection through a closer cooperation among nations.
The Tourism System 6th edition Kendall Hunt Publishing Company
Free Trade Agreements (regional trade agreements) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) European Union/European Community Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement (TTMRA) Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
(COMESA) Other regional trade agreements, http://rtais.wto.org
Reasons for Destination Area Legislation and Regulations 1. Controlling the entry of foreign visitors and goods 2. Controlling the quality of the visitor experience 3. Ensuring travel safety 4. Establishing tourism organizations 5. Gaming control 6. Maintaining building standards
Reasons for Destination Area Legislation and Regulations 7. Maintaining operating standards 8. Protecting the traveler 9. Protecting the environment and culture 10. Raising funds for tourism 11. Supporting physical planning guidelines
The Tourism System 6th edition Kendall Hunt Publishing Company
Types of Destination Area Legislation and Regulations
1. Functional areas (environmental protection, economic development, frontier controls, etc.).
2. Sector basis: Accommodation and food services Travel agents, tour wholesalers and operators Airlines, railways, buses, ships, and other carriers Attraction operators, adventure travel operators
The Tourism System 6th edition Kendall Hunt Publishing Company
Forms of Destination Area Legislation and Regulations 1. Accommodation standards 2. Alcohol sales laws and regulations 3. Civil aviation regulations 4. Environmental protection and conservation
regulations 5. Health regulations
The Tourism System 6th edition Kendall Hunt Publishing Company
Self-Regulation in Tourism 1. Accreditation: A process by which an association or
agency evaluates and recognizes a program of study or an institution as meeting certain predetermined standards or qualifications.
2. Certification: A process by which an individual tourism professional is tested and evaluated to determine his or her mastery of a specific body of knowledge, or some portion of a body of knowledge.
Self-Regulation in Tourism 3. Codes of ethics or practice: Codes of ethics or codes of
practice to which trade associations in tourism require members to adhere.
4. Consumer protection programs: Often these are programs to protect travelers in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of any of a trade association’s members.
Governments’ role in tourism is essential, but also sometimes controversial. There are many agreements and treaties among national governments that affect tourism either
directly (e.g., air agreements) or indirectly. These are multilateral, plurilateral, and bilateral. There are multiple types of destination-specific laws and regulations in tourism (e.g.,
accommodation standards, alcohol sales laws and regulations, health regulations, etc.). The private sector has introduced many self-regulatory systems, including accreditation,
certification, codes of ethics or practice, and consumer protection programs.
