Challenges to comsumer protection legislation in tourism contexts

Abstract

Many destinations worldwide have enacted laws to protect consumers in general but which have relevance to tourists as consumers and thus destination competitiveness. The impact of any such consumer protection, however, is limited by certain complexities that erode consumer confidence within tourism contexts. These relate to unstable tourism environments, the changing dynamics of the travel services chain, growing product complexity, information failures, changes in consumer values, and technological change. Examples are provided of consumer laws relevant to each of these important features of tourism. Issues for further research into the links between consumer protection legislation and destination competitiveness are discussed.