Tourism law: from traveller to consumer

Abstract

The law on tourism – “tourism law” for some authors – is the instrument that has been used to turn the tourist into a consumer. Travellers are increasingly aware of the rights they can exercise. Incorporating the regulation of combined travel contracts (separate tourist services sold for an overall price) into the body of consumer regulation and air passenger protection has made a definitive contribution to establishing this condition. Tourist contracts involving consumers have ended up in the courts, which have already had the opportunity to interpret the regulations and orient them towards the most protectionist positions for consumers. With the addition of new consumption habits and new types of contracting the future of this field looks far from static.

Keywords

• tourism law
• consumers
• contracts
• combined travel
• courts
• Spain
• EU