Course code VadZ3054

Credit points 4.50

Tourism Legal Order

Total Hours in Course120

Number of hours for lectures32

Number of hours for seminars and practical classes16

Independent study hours72

Date of course confirmation19.12.2018

Responsible UnitInstitute of Business and Management Science

Course developer

author Sociālo un humanitāro zinātņu institūts

Dace Kaufmane

Dr. oec.

Prior knowledge

JurZ2023, Basics of Law

VadZ3055, Tourism and Recreation

Course abstract

Students acquire knowledge about the legislative process in Latvia, the legal regulation of the tourism sector, the theoretical and practical aspects of tourism policy, the activities of public and private sector organizations and their role in the tourism sector. The course is designed to develop in students an understanding of how to apply regulatory acts in the tourism sector and an ability to apply the regulatory acts that are relevant to a particular situation in the tourism industry as well as to analyse them independently.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

KNOWLEDGE
Students will be able to:
demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of the law-making process and obligations law in Latvia (test).
Demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of tourism policies and competent authorities responsible for the tourism industry (test).
Demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of the legal framework for the tourism industry, safety and security in tourism and how tourism service providers have to tackle particular problems (problem-solving).
SKILLS
Professional skills
Independently apply main legal acts and comprehend the role of obligations law in the tourism industry (independent work).
Reasonably explain and discuss the institutional system and its structure and role in the tourism industry (discussions in classes)
Demonstrate close familiarity with the legal framework for providing various tourism services, analysing the performance of tourism enterprises (test).
Soft skills
Responsibly plan the completion of the assignments given (practical assignments).
Reasonably explain the legislative process and issues pertaining to contracts (discussions in classes).
Demonstrate close familiarity with and observe binding legal acts for and the norms of ethics (case studies and discussions)
COMPETENCE
Describe the legal framework and institutional system and comprehend obligations law in the context of tourism (case studies and discussions).
Select, describe and apply legal acts relevant to a particular situation in the tourism industry (tests, practical assignments and case studies).
Use their acquired knowledge of public and private sector tourism organisations in analysing tourism (practical assignments).

Course Content(Calendar)

Topics of lectures:
1.Characteristics of law-making.
2.Making legal acts.
3. General principles of making legal acts.
4.Drafting laws.
5. Legal documents passed by the Cabinet.
6. Obligations law.
7. Tourism Law.
8. Laws regulating various tourism services and activities.
9. Tourism policy.
10. Competent authorities for the tourism industry, the specifics and characteristics of the authorities.
11. Governmental competence in tourism development.
12. Protection of tourist rights and the safety and security of tourists.
Topics of practicals/seminars
1. Making legal acts (2 hours).
2. Characteristics of law-making (2 hours).
3. Legal documents passed by the Cabinet (2 hours).
4. Kinds of contracts (2 hours).
5. Test: law-making and obligations law (1 hour).
6. Analysis of the Tourism Law (2 hours).
7. Analysis of the legal framework for the tourism industry (4 hours).
8. Tourism policy: problems and solutions in Latvia. Competent authorities for the tourism industry, the specifics and characteristics of the authorities (2 hours).
9. Test :the legal framework for tourism services, tourism policy, competent authorities for the tourism industry and their functions, the role of the government (1 hour).
10. Tourism service providers and the kinds of the services provided (4 hours).
11. Tourism information providers(2 hours).
12. Tourist protection (2 hours).
13. Case study (presentation) of an enterprise engaged in tourism and an analysis of the legal framework for the enterprise(4 hours).
14. Test: tourism service providers, tourism information providers and the safety and security of tourists(2 hours).

Requirements for awarding credit points

Formal test with a mark.
Tests are taken only within the time specified;a 60% weight.
Independentassignments and an analysis of problem situations during the semester;a 40% weight.
The final mark represents a cumulative assessment of the above.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Independent assignments(up to 10 pages in length) to be submitted in printed format within the time specified.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Students earn a pass mark in a test if at least 50% of the questions are answered correctly. Independent assignments are assessed in terms of whether they meet quality requirements for the specific tasks performed.

Compulsory reading

1. Normatīvo aktu projektu izstrādes rokasgrāmata. [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: https://tai.mk.gov.lv/book/1/chapter/23
2. Latvijas Republikas tiesību akti [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: www.likumi.lv
3. Civillikums. [tiešsaiste] Pieejams: https://likumi.lv/ta/id/225418-civillikums

4. Tūrisma likums [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: http://likumi.lv/doc.php?id=50026

Further reading

1. Latvijas tūrisma bizness. Tūrisma ziņu portāls profesionāliem [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: http://turismabizness.lv/
2. Regulation of tourism activity in Europe. European Commission home page [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/tourism-business-portal/business/legislation/regulation/index_en.htm

3. The World Travel & Tourism Council [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: http://www.wttc.org/

Periodicals and other sources

1. Journal of Travel Research [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: http://jtr.sagepub.com/
2. Latvijas Vēstnesis. Latvijas Republikas oficiālais izdevums [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: https://www.vestnesis.lv/
3. The Economist: London: Economist Newspaper Ltd. ISSN 0013-0613. Pieejams: http://www.economist.com/?sa_campaign=econsubs/europe/subspage/imglink.

4. Tourism Economics [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: http://www.ippublishing.com/te.htm

Notes

Field theoretical basic course and information technology course (Part B2) for the ESAF professional Bachelor programme Entrepreneurship and Business Management, specialisation Rural Tourism Management