13 dets. Why Tourism Law Important
The hospitality industry includes arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services. Industry laws apply to customers and employees and include employee health and safety laws, labor laws, environmental protection, hygiene, liquor licensing regulations, negligence, confidentiality, and contracts. It is important for business owners and industry managers to be aware of these laws in order to promote employee well-being, ensure appropriate service to customers, manage business risk exposure, and ensure full compliance with state and federal laws. In addition, tourism law also plays an important role in cases or situations related to terrorism, natural disasters, demonstrations and epidemics, where visitors and tourists must be aware of their rights and the safety precautions that should or could be taken at that time. The Tourism Act provides guidance and imposes responsibilities and obligations on industry actors to ensure the safety and well-being of tourists or visitors under their care in cases beyond their control, as outlined above. The main objective of tourism legislation is to provide a regulatory framework for the proper use, development and management of tourism activities, which is also supported by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). In principle, among other social, political and economic benefits, the existence of the law will also promote the preservation of cultural traditions and the conservation of natural resources. In addition, travellers and other stakeholders can obtain basic legal protection through transparent mechanisms. In recent decades, there has been a considerable amount of research on the specific theme of tourism activities, focusing on internal tourism movements. However, the jurisprudential study on the nature of tourism regulation is still in its infancy.
In addition, hotel and tourism business managers need to understand not only the day-to-day operations of their organization, but also the legal elements of hotel and tourism management as a whole. In short, the Tourism Act refers to either general government regulations or specific travel and hospitality industry laws. Below is an overview of tourism laws and an explanation of why they are so important to travel consumers. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the objective of travel legislation is to provide a regulatory framework for the proper development and management of tourism activities. Ideally, this contributes to the conservation of natural resources and the preservation of cultural traditions. As an added benefit, travel consumers and organisations benefit from basic legal protection. Despite the high potential of the tourism industry, there are several reasons why Ethiopia does not sufficiently benefit from the tourism potential. Of course, the lack of standard destinations and poor quality of service are some of the challenges affecting Ethiopia`s tourism industry.
Tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry and Malaysia has generated a huge amount of revenue from tourism. According to the New Straits Times, tourism generated about RM 84.1 billion in revenue for the Malaysian economy in 2018. The industry includes areas such as transportation, accommodation, currency exchange, immigration and customs, duties and taxes, among others. The laws that govern tourism tend to be disorganized and not standardized. However, each tourism law aims to protect consumers and travel organizations. In addition, security aspects play a very important role in the hospitality industry. The hotel management ensures at all times that there are no uninvited guests on the hotel premises and offers its guests adequate protection against criminal damage such as theft and theft of personal belongings due to their own negligence. On another aspect, it is important that the hotel management trains its staff to avoid or prevent discrimination against guests based on their race and religion. Receptionists and front desk staff will welcome each guest with open arms, as customer service is important to convey a positive image of the hotel to guests. Providing a safe and crime-free stay environment can lead to guest satisfaction, resulting in an improved relationship and goodwill of the hotel.
The tourism and hospitality industry represents a wide range of businesses, including accommodation, restaurants, tourist destinations and attractions, airlines and other means of transportation. Tourism law is a unique area of law that includes general government regulations and specific rules of the travel and hospitality industry. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the objective of the Tourism Law is to provide a legal and regulatory framework for tourism development and management, the preservation of cultural traditions and natural resources, and to facilitate the participation of the private sector and local communities in tourism development activities. However, Ethiopia has yet to give the sector the focus it deserves through “tourism laws” that can give a clear picture to the community, investors and the government in particular, as well as all other stakeholders in general. A partnership with the community and other stakeholders should be designed and implemented through laws that create a win-win mentality among all stakeholders to achieve tangible results and increase industry revenues. The travel and tourism sector includes a wide range of business activities such as transportation, accommodation, entertainment, meals and retail products. This established sector of the U.S. economy accounts for 2.9% of the country`s gross domestic product (GDP) and openly employs 5.7 million people. Although employment and real output in the travel and tourism sector have increased in recent years, they have not fully recovered from the 2007-2009 crisis.
In this context, Congress will consider reapproving or extending the Travel Promotion Act of 2009, which launched a nationwide advertising and marketing campaign to attract foreign tourists to stay in the United States. In the aftermath of World War II, the global travel and tourism industry became an important economic area for many countries. According to WTTC, global travel and tourism activities directly supported more than 100 million jobs in 2012, and this number is expected to reach 125 million by 2023. The international battle for tourists is extreme. In 1980, Europe and North America were the world`s top destinations, accounting for more than 80% of the world market. Like any other industry, tourism has its own special rules and regulations. General laws such as contracts and tort apply to the tourism industry, while specific laws such as the Tourism Industry Act 1992, the Civil Aviation Act 1969 and its rules and regulations, and the Innkeepers Act 1952 specifically govern the industry in Malaysia. Since hospitality encompasses a wide range of services, it is important to be aware of all the laws that apply to managing the industry`s risk exposure. Service providers in the hospitality industry face the risk of breach of contract lawsuits arising from supplier and customer relationships, tort claims, such as if a guest is injured due to negligence, and bankruptcy if the company does not earn enough to pay bills. The industry is also vulnerable to risks arising from gambling and liquor licensing laws, which govern when and where alcohol can be served, and the legal drinking age, as businesses can be held accountable, even if it`s their guests who break the law. Therefore, contractors and industry managers need to be aware of the laws to avoid risks that can lead to disruption or even business closure. As far as tourism laws are concerned, they are mainly a mixture of local, state, regional and international legal instruments that essentially regulate different aspects of the industry.
However, state-level legislation encompasses the roles and functions of tourism industry stakeholders, including but not limited to: In general, tourism law includes general government policies and related hospitality platforms that must be respected and implemented. Nevertheless, the formulation and enforcement of tourism laws is neglected not only in Ethiopia, but also in most parts of Africa. Some African countries not only have poor infrastructure, but also offer no protection to tourists, which is especially crucial for non-indigenous visitors. Today, popular countries in the industry struggle to follow and enforce pragmatic laws to protect tourism activities and ensure the resulting benefits. You can sometimes be overwhelmed by the amount of records in the hospitality industry. However, these records could become very valuable resources if you need to prove compliance with one of the many hospitality laws. Food businesses must keep tip sheets showing the tips employees receive at the time of reporting, and all hospitality businesses must comply with accurate and up-to-date employment contracts and payroll tax records. Employees who are aware of and understand hospitality laws can keep more accurate records and are less likely to throw away or delete important documents. Without proper records, your business could have problems with various government agencies, overpay or underpay employees, and even miss out on significant tax deductions. Domestic air travel has come under scrutiny due to safety concerns, and airlines are streamlining operations and reducing services. Traveling by plane can be a frustrating and time-consuming process.
However, there are fundamental laws on the Passenger Bill of Rights that govern how passengers are treated by airlines. The most common type of legislation is legislation that sets standards for unique travel situations, such as when passengers are stuck in a delayed plane or waiting for a delayed flight.