Legislations and Trade Associations

The UK’s largest travel association, representing travel agents and tour operators that sell around £32 billion of holidays and other travel arrangements each year.

The main functions are:

1) Raising standards in the industry and by giving guidance on issues from sustainability to health and safety,

2) Providing schemes of financial protection,

3) Offering holidaymakers a course of redress if something goes wrong,

• FTO

• ABTA

• CAA

• AITO

These, along with ABTA now work together to represent the interests of tour operators and travel agents in addition to providing health and safety advice, protection for customers, training for members as well as representing the interests of members to government.

• AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators)

• UK Inbound

• FTO (Federation of Tour Operators)

• CAA (Civil Aviation Authority)

A group of unique and specialist travel companies, who collectively provide an unrivalled range of holidays to every corner of the globe. Members are required to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction by concentrating on three main pillars: Choice, Quality and Service

• ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents)

• FTO (Federation of Tour Operators)

• AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators)

• UK Inbound

The only trade association that represents the interests of the UK’s inbound tourism sector and ensure it is recognised as a leading economic and employment driver in the UK.

their mission is to help their 400+ members all across the country to manage successful, profitable businesses that are part of a vibrant and sustainable industry.

They provide opportunities for our diverse membership to grow and develop their businesses via a programme of events designed to connect buyers and suppliers in the travel trade. They also provide marketing opportunities, market seminars, and access to the latest industry insights.

• UK Inbound

• CAA (Civil Aviation Authroity)

• AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators)

• FTO (Federation of Tour Operators)

Responsible for the regulation of aviation safety in the UK, determining policy for the use of airspace, the economic regulation of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports, the licensing and financial fitness of airlines and the management of the ATOL financial protection scheme for holidaymakers.

• ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents)

• AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators)

• CAA (Civil Aviation Authrority)

• UK Inbound

Provides financial security to travellers booking package trips with UK travel companies. The scheme was introduced in 1973 to prevent travellers from being left without assistance or at a financial loss, if their travel company were to cease trading.

Many countries have schemes in place to protect travellers booking package holidays.

They are able to provide this assistance by requiring members to pay a fee for each traveller, which is held in a fund managed by the Air Travel Trust. This fund is used to refund, repatriate or reimburse travellers for the cost of repaying for the affected parts of their trip.

• EU Package Travel Regulations

• Consumer Protection

• ATOL (Air Transport Organisers Licence)

• Contract Law

This regulation applies to the sale of a package to a consumer. A package is a booking that involves two or more travel elements, for example a flight and a hotel, or a hotel and car hire. Any booking for a single item, for example a flight only booking, is not covered.

The company selling the package to a consumer must have guarantees in place that should the seller, or any of its suppliers cease to trade, the customer gets a refund or the holiday they purchased. If the customer is on vacation at the time of the default, then the seller must guarantee customer repatriation.

• EU Package Travel Regulation

• Consumer Protection

• Contract Law

• ATOL- Air Transport Organisers Licence

This act gives customers the right to claim compensation against the producer of a defective product or service if it has caused damage, death or personal injury.

The act also contains a strict liability test for defective products in UK Law making the producer of that product automatically liable for any damage caused.

• EU Package Travel Regulations

• Consumer Protection Act

• Contract Law

• ATOL-Air Transport Organisers Licence

The primary purpose of this law is to enforce the agreement of the parties. For there to be a contract, substantial agreement must exist and the parties must have freely intended to be legally bound. In interpreting contracts, courts are primarily trying to carry out the intent of the parties.

• EU Package Travel Regulations

• Consumer Protection

• Contract Law

• ATOL -Air Transport Organisers Licence