19 Apr
2023

What does the future hold for Travel Law?

There are certain years that stand out when talking about the laws and regulations that govern the travel industry.

1993 was the first year of the original Package Travel Regulations. 2006 saw the start of a series of cases involving the CAA and ABTA and then Travel Republic to determine what a package holiday actually was. The response to that came in 2012 with the creation of flight plus holidays. 2018 was a landmark year with new Package Travel Regulations, controls over the use of data through the General Data Protection Regulations, and the outlawing of credit card charges through the Payment Services Directive. 2021 saw the end of EU law in the UK including the end of mutual recognition of trading systems between the UK and the EU.

2023 promises to be another of those years. The Department for Business and Trade is consulting on changes to the Package Travel Regulations now that the UK is not bound by the EU Directive. The CAA is considering imposing significant changes to how travel companies are run in a bid to shore up the ATOL Scheme. The CAA and the Competition and Markets Authority are pushing for increased enforcement powers as they reflect on their experiences during Covid. Delegates at this year’s Travel Law Seminar will have the opportunity to hear directly from the experts within these organisations. 

ABTA’s Travel Law Seminar has been the focus of the debate on these issues, and has shaped that debate, for the past 25 year bringing together the government officials responsible for formulating the legislation, the regulators responsible for enforcing that legislation and the lawyers that take the cases through the courts representing ABTA members and others. 

This year’s conference will look in detail at all of the current issues and we have built in plenty of panel sessions so that you can put your questions to senior industry and legal experts making this Seminar the ideal opportunity to prepare your business for the challenges, and opportunities, that 2023 will bring. 

In this special year, delegates are invited to join attendees, speakers and the senior ABTA team for a drinks reception to celebrate the 25th anniversary Travel Law Seminar including a welcome address from Sarah Prager KC.

Sessions include:

  • A look back at a year of review, reform and repeal
  • 2023 Case law update
  • Update on the Package Travel Regulations reform; definitions and scope, liabilities and responsibilities
  • Industry panel discussion: Package Travel Regulations reform
  • Employment law update
  • Consumer rights and Competitions and Market Authority powers
  • Marketing law; ASA guidelines, CMA green claims code, GDPR
  • Panel discussion: consumer rights 
  • ATOL reform update and the impact
  • Non-ATOL financial protection reform
  • Credit cards and other payment systems
  • Panel discussion: managing financial risk and the future of financial protection
  • Travel claims; a look back at 25 years, and what the next 25 years hold
  • Q&A: Claims and liability.

ABTA’s Travel Law Seminar will take place on 10-11 May 2023 at Deloitte’s central London offices. 

Join senior industry representatives for two-days of bespoke conference sessions, updates and panel discussions. 

Don’t miss out on booking a place. ABTA members and Partners can book at discounted rates. 

Download the full agenda find out more and register your place here