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DIRITTO DEL TURISMO
Possibile libro, leggere alcuni capitoli: manuale di diritto del turismo. Possible exam on the last day of class, hopefully before Christmas (22nd the exam hopefully). The exam will be based on the topics discussed in class, it’s oral (italian or english), first question is usually at your choice so prepare one topic. This year we could also prepare a case to present to the class in groups. This course is about tourism law, it is a branch of the law which is both private and public law. Public law of tourism is what we’re studying in regional law: it regulates relationships between tourists/consumers and a public administration. Private law is about the relationships between private citizens (consumers, travelers, clients) and the operators (hotel keepers, tour operators, travel agencies…). Main topics: Hospitality with Hotel and accommodation contracts, Packages and travelers, transport (usually only air transport), nautical tourism contracts. What is accommodation? Accommodation and hospitality takes back to roman law and it’s a well type of contract since then. During the years it has change because it’s not only hotels as we know them but it’s camping, B&B, agritourisms, Airbnb, home exchanges, seasonal contracts, multiproprietà (time sharing) … So hospitality is a concept that evolve very much especially during the last 10 years. This phenomenon develops and there are forms of hospitality which originated from hotel accommodation. A contract is an agreement between 2 parts to regulate, end or start an economical relationship. Normally contracts are bilateral so it means that the contract creates rights and obligations for both parties for ex. If I buy a plane ticket, I have rights to be transferred but I also have the obligation to pay the price. Reservations are not bilateral so it’s not a contract. It is a juridical instrument which is in preparation of a hotel contract (negozio giuridico preparatorio), concluding a contract is not mandatory for the client. Reservation does not create duties and obligations on both parties, it creates obligation for the hotel keeper to keep the room reserve for the tourist, if he fails to do so he is liable. The client doesn’t have the obligation to show up. Reservation is also free of charge , the hotel keeper can’t ask for an advance payment, number of credit card because there is no obligation for the client to show up. If you pay in advance or if the hotel keeper asks for your credit card, then you’re concluding a hotel contract and you have rights and obligations. What form does the contract must have? Oral, written…? Under Italian law we have 2 types of written form:
- Written form for the validity of the contract : Latin motto that says “forma scritta ad substantiam” difetto di forma scritta nel contratto se espressamente chiesto determina l’annullamento del contratto. This type of form is provided only in exceptional cases and only for the cases expresses by the civil law (to sell real estate, for rental contracts longer than 9 years…). In tourism law we don’t have this type of form.
- Written law for the proof : Latin motto “forma scritta ad probationem”. For example, contracts in transports. It’s useful in case I have to proof elements during the contract activity.
Reservation is also Non typical : so they’re not expresses directly in the civil law. These contracts are not regulated by the civil code. There are contracts born as a non-typical contracts but could become typical because they’ve been used a lot. Even though reservation is unilateral, jurists came out with the idea that if a client enters a reservation with the idea of creating a damage, the client can be liable. Intention to create a damage (dolo): knowing in advance that I won’t show up at the hotel for my reservation. Gross negligence (colpa grave): I have no intention of causing a damage but I’m only very negligent because for example I forgot to cancel the reservation. How can I prove that I made the reservation with intention to create a damage or that there was a gross negligence? We use the “prova diabolica” so a proof that is very difficult to render. The system of reservation is also being adopted by tour operators and travel agencies. When T.O. needs to create a package he needs to guarantee that the rooms are available but he doesn’t know if he’s going to sell all the rooms booked ALLOTMENT is therefore a contract for T.O. activity. It is a contract according to which a T.O. reserve a certain number of rooms until a certain date (called release date), once this date is near the T.O. have the choice of confirming the number of rooms and paying the hotel keepers, cancelling the rooms or modifying the numbers of rooms booked. Is there a price that the operator has to pay in order to keep the rooms until the release date? Normally it’s free. Hotel contract are deriving from roman law. Civil code does not regulate the civil code. So hotel contract is a non-typical contract. Our legislator not only did not include it in the civil code but also he regulated the liability of the hotel keeper when you deposit something in the hotel (so It’s a bit funny). This is a bilateral contract in which two parts (albergatore e cliente) agrees to let his client use a room and all the other services (ex. Meals, use of the pool, car park…) that are indicated in the contract. The contract is bilateral because there are duties and obligation for both parties, it’s non typical so the form of the contract is free. It is also composed of different elements and features because we have elements that can derive from rental contracts, from service contracts (ex. The lady that cleans my room or the restaurant). The scope (causa: the social economic function that the contract must reach) of the hotel contract therefore, since it’s non-typical, doesn’t have a typical scope because it is composed by different mini contracts /all the linked services that compose the contracts (elementi contratto di locazione, contratto di cibi e bevande, contratto di appalto ect…) so the scope in a hotel contract is a mixture of the various scope of the various mini contracts that compose the hotel contract. Here Obligations of the hotel keeper is to render the room available for the client and to maintain it in the conditions indicated in the contract and to let the client use all the services indicated in the contract. Another important obligation is the duty of care for the client ( dovere di protezione del cliente ), this means that if something happens during my journey then the hotel fails to the obligaton of the duty to care for the client. The rights of the hotel keeper are: receiving the payment for the price, the right to receive a certain behavior from the client so not having damages of the structure.
independent [sono contratti collegati]. The legislator knew that hotel contract needed to be regulated but he didn’t. The Civil Code doesn’t talk about deposit price. The price is included in the price of the room. The form is free (a form isn’t required in order that the concierge keep the luggages for example). The duration might not be perfectly identical to the duration of the hotel contract. Ex. my room is ready at 2pm, I can ask to the concierge to keep my luggage until my room is ready (a couple of hours for example) [il momento di inizio e fine dei due contratti può essere differente uno rispetto all’altro]. When someone deposits a good in a garage for example, he gives up the control that he has over the good. There’s a transfer from the owner to the bailee (depositario). He becomes the custodian of my property. The Civil Code disciplines the liability of the hotel keeper for the things that the client has with him. But it makes a distinction: it changes the way in which the keeper is liable.
- The things BROUGHT BY THE CLIENT in the hotel (luggage, jewels, telephone etc) [beni personali che il cliente porta con sè in camera]. There’s no transfer of custody.
- Goods that the client DELIVERS TO THE HOTEL KEEPER. Ex. I have a diamond ring, I give it to the hotel keeper in order to keep it to a safe box. The hotel keeper becomes the custodian of the ring, the bailee. The liability of the hotel keeper is different between the two categories.
- The hotel keepers are liable for damages, destruction, total loss of the things brought by client into the hotel. The liability of the hotel keeper is limited to an amount of money equal to 100 times the price of the room per night [la responsabilità dell’albergatore è limitata a una somma pari al massimo 100 volte il prezzo di una camera per notte]. Es. lascio l’anello in bagno nella mia camera, l’hotel keeper non deve ripagare tutta la cifra, ma solo 100 times of the price per night. The hotel keeper has no control on it. Limitation of liability – l’albergatore non ha la custodia, il controllo su quell’oggetto [stiamo parlando delle cose portate in hotel, non di quelle depositate all’albergatore] – il cliente deve provare che prima aveva quell’oggetto [se il bene vale chiaramente meno di 100 volte il prezzo della camera a notte, l’hotel keeper will refund the entire amount]. Because there is no transfer of custody in these cases, the client always keeps the good.
- In the second case, the liability is different. Ex. I ask to the concierge to keep the ring safe. He becomes the custodian of the ring. If the ring is lost, he will be liable in an unlimited way (he has to repay the full amount of the belonging that the client deposits). The keeper has the duty to take care and give back to the client. The hotel keeper must give to the client a receipt of what has been deposited. The client has the obligation (the burden) to prove the value of the ring (for example by witnesses, by using a picture of the good). The client can ask to the hotel keeper to sign the declaration of value – it’s very common in transport law. The client states the value of the belonging he deposited [dichiarazione di valore: il cliente ha l’onere di provare il valore di quanto ha depositato]. The liability of the hotel keeper is unlimited also when he refuses to take some goods into deposit although he has the obligation to accept them. The hotel keeper must accept everything that has a value: credit card, valuables, cash. He can refuse weapons, toxic gas, goods that are illegal or dangerous [in questi se lui rifiuta avrebbe una responsabilità limitata e non illimitata]. L’albergatore può rifiutare anche oggetti che hanno un valore molto maggiore rispetto al loro turnover (things with a greater value then the hotel turnover) oppure che hanno dimensioni molto maggiori rispetto alle premises dell’hotel (things with a very big size). In tutti questi casi, if the keeper refuses to keep these objects, the liability is limited. In all the other cases, he will have
an unlimited liability anyway [quando rifiuta legittimamente la sua responsabilità è limitata; se il rifiuto è illegittimo, responsabilità illimitata]. The usage of the safe box in the room is not considered as deposit (only the client can modify the combination). The hotel keeper is not the custodian of the goods in that safe box in the room. There are some cases in which the liability is excluded. When we have a contractual liability, it means that one part (liable) has to pay the damage. In our countries (common law countries), the relationship between the behaviour of a person (liable) and the damage must be a relation which is called “ proximate cause ”. It means that my behaviour must be the one that brought to a damage (behaviour and damage are connected by a straight line) – causa diretta tra un comportamento e un effetto. If something comes in between this line, the proximate cause is interrupted and there’s ground to exclude the liability. Ex. If I have my ring in my bedroom and some thieves come and steal it from the outside, this has been such an expected event. The hotel keeper was not in the position to keep measure to avoid it. Whenever something unexpected happens, the liability is excluded [eventi imprevedibili e inevitabili con la normale diligenza]. Hurricanes are not force majeur cases anymore (we can predict their routes). Earthquakes are so; eruption of the volcano too. Covid 19 was unpredictable. Terrorism is unpredictable but if I go to Iran today I can say that it’s not unpredictable. The hotel keeper is not responsible for damages caused by force majeur and by the nature of the good [es. la cosa è per sua natura deteriorabile, come la mozzarella – non può stare una settimana nella valigia che do in custodia al concierge]. The hotel keeper is liable when the damage or loss to the goods has been caused by his negligence (his fault), of his family members or employees. Whenever there’s a negligent behaviour, the hotel keeper is liable [es. l’albergatore non poteva immaginare che quelle persone si erano vestite per andare su a rubare – dressed like delivery guys in order to steal in the room; in this case the hotel keeper is not negligent]. But if the cleaning lady had the key that can opens all the rooms and she left it on the cleaning cart in the corridor, someone enters the hotel and steals everything, there’s negligence del dipendente che ha lasciato la chiave e forse c’è anche negligenza dell’albergatore che avrebbe potuto adottare altre misure – poteva essere più diligente nel cercare di evitare distruzione, danni o perdite. Tutte le volte che l’albergatore o i dipendenti sono negligenti, c’è la responsabilità dell’hotel keeper. The client has the duty to denounce the claim. The client can’t benefit from the rules contained in the Civil Code if he doesn’t notify the claim timely (tempestivamente). If I notify the stolen ring to the hotel keeper one month later, it’s too late, so he will not have the right be reimburse because I was not timely efficient – problema della tempestività della denuncia. The rules (specifically written for deposit and liability of the hotel keeper) are not applicable to cars : es. lascio l’auto nel parking lot dell’hotel, queste regole non si applicano; così come non si applicano su esseri viventi (es. animali) – live animals. In these cases the hotel keeper doesn’t follow these rules. These objects are regulated by the laws of deposit in general (no limitation to liability). [L’albergatore a cui consegno le chiavi della mia auto sarà responsabile come depositario in generale: dovrà ripagare l’auto a meno che non dimostri di aver adottato tutte le misure idonee a evitare il danno] the hotel keeper will be liable as a bailee in general; he will have to repay my car in full unless he proves that he adopted all the necessary measure to avoid the damage. Es. video cameras, alarm system, parking lot accessible only with a badge. He has to show that he adopted the possible measures in order to avoid the stealing of the car.
directive and we have a certain timeline to do that otherwise we might incur in infraction procedures. In 1995 with a legislative degree (number 311/95), Italy had 2 sets of rules regulating packages and voyages: CCW and the directive as implemented in 1995. At the end of the day tourists were protected. In 2005 in Italy we had an enormous production of laws regarding consumers and they were scattered all over the places. So our legislator decided it was about time to merge (unire) the laws of every topic and to gather them into one unique code called code of consume. The directive regarding all-inclusive packages and tours was affecting consumers because tourists were considered as consumers so the legislative was put into the code of consume (è stato mischiato al codice del consumo). In 2011 in Italy we had a ministry of tourism and the minister decided that a code on tourism was necessary. The code of tourism in her idea was meant to unify the public and private parts, so there was a part dedicated to contracts (packages, originally regulated by the code of consume) so she took those part of packages and put them into the code of tourism. So the code of tourism still contains the rules deriving from the directive of 1990. What happened to the Brussels convention? When a state decides to ratify a convention is like entering into an agreement, when you’re tired of that agreement you step out sending a letter, a notification (si recede, si esce dal contratto). So Italy had to notify the only state in the convention (Belgium) 1 year in advance, that she didn’t want to take part in the convention anymore. In 2022 the Italian government still hasn’t send this notification to the Belgium government. From 1990 to 2015 lots of things changed, the biggest innovation was internet and OTA and the possibility of the clients to customize their packages. So during all these years the level of protection for the tourists was not sufficient so the European council came up with a new directive and in 2015 the new directive was written (n.2302/2015) called directive on package travel and linked travel arrangements (servizi turistici collegati) (on e-learning page). The directive of 2015 was implemented and stresses the importance of giving to the travelers the highest protection and the most similar protection all over the member states. It was very difficult to transpose it (la direttiva dice che oggi con questo strumento dobbiamo garantire a tutti I viaggiatori il medesimo livello di protezione, l’italia l’ha implementata in modo quasi letterale). La direttiva è entrata in vigore nel luglio 2018 ed è stata trasposta nel codice del turismo (art. Da 34 in poi), la nuova direttiva ha soppiantato e sostituito le vecchie norme che derivavano dall’implementazione della direttiva del 90. (The directive 2302 explains the reason why it chooses to use the definition of travelers instead of consumer (?). Dice che Il cliente è di nuovo viaggiatore, si scorda della definizione di consumatore.) What is a package and who are the parts of the contract? In CCW the client was called travelers, there were no distinctions. Consumers are people that buy goods for personal scopes (ex. if I buy a computer because I need it for work then I’m not considered a consumer). We have 3 players in the package contract:
- The traveler (it can conclude the contract in its name, for himself or for others, può capire che il contratto di viaggio sia fatto ad es. Dal datore di lavoro ecc… si chiama contratto a favore di terzo).
- The travel agent (it has been called in many ways from 70s to nowadays: intermediary, travel agent, retailer, seller, the best definition is intermediary because it indicates the person that stays in the middle between client and TO). Intermediary is related to the
tourist by the contract of mandate : one party asks to the other to procure (concludere) in his name and his behalf one or more contract). Intermediary has a double mandate, with the client and with the TO.
- The tour operator (it is called organizer by the CCW): it assembles services to compose packages and tours that he will sell to the clients. So what does intermediary and organizer have to do? What are their obligations? The intermediary has to procure a package already assembled by the tour operator. The tour operator has the obligation to assemble and give me the package composed by different elements. So when something goes wrong during the client’s holiday, I have to be responsible to the obligations that are mine tour operators has the obligation to guarantee stay and transport, intermediary’s only obligation is to procure the package and sell it. Today we have packages that are not pre-assembled, I can create my own package and holiday by assembling services without using an intermediary or tour operator but just by using internet and different portals online. The tour operator does not necessary perform all the services personally, for example Alpitour does not necessary have airplanes, when he assembles packages he subcontracts with others a package that I buy could have different subjects involved (ex. Airlines, accommodation…). The tour operator is the only one obliged to give me what I pay for and in case something happens during my holiday he is the one I turn to and ask for compensation. LEZIONE 4 Seminars: 17 th^ November ore 14. 12 nd^ December ore 14. 1 st^ December 10. The old directive gives us definitions.
limbo o non erano proprio coperti – es. pacchetti acquistati per piccoli professionisti o tailor- made). The scope of new directive is to enlarge. Art. 1 - What we are talking about; Art. 2 - why we are talking about this. Reach the highest level of protection all over the Union. [Cosa particolare: la direttiva vuole garantire il più alto e uniforme livello possibile di tutela al consumatore – in questa direttiva però si parla di traveller]. Traders: professionisti. Packages sold to travellers: we extend the protection to every travel indipently that they’re travelling for personal reasons or for business. [Scompaiono TO, intermediary, venditori, agenti di viaggio. Compaiono i professionisti (significa tutto e niente). Usando il termine viaggiatore invece che consumatore si estende il campo di applicazione della direttiva: tutela di coloro che viaggiano non solo per svago ma anche business]. There’s a new idea: linked travel arrangements [servizi turistici collegati – la cui vendita viene agevolata dai professionisti per i viaggitori]. The directive tells us what the directive doesn’t apply to. [la direttiva non si applica a pacchetti o servizi turistici collegati offerti da soggetti non profit e che fanno questo su base occasionale per un numero ristretto di persone – es. parrocchia che organizza il viaggio a Lourdes per i parrocchiani non lo fa per scopo di lucro. / es. “associazione amici di Albano” per andare ad ascoltare Albano]. (c) ex. TO, core business organizing accommodation, car rental etc for all the people involved in moto GP. Agreement to follow the tour. All the trips organized under this are excluded from the application of the directive [se un professionista e un altro soggetto stipulano un accord generale dove vengono venduti pacchetti o servizi turistici collegati per questioni relative al business (il lavoro, gli affari del soggetto che ha stipulato accordo con trader), tutti i pacchetti e servizi turistici collegati sono esclusi dall’applicazione della direttiva]. Article 3 letter 2: the definition is not so different from the one seen before. The combination is not pre-arranged anymore and we don’t know what travel services are. We have to go on top of article 3 (1) to understand what they are. (es. Ragazzo che va negli usa per il 4 anno non è un travel service because it’s for residential purpose). [pacchetto: combinazione di servizi turistici.
Trasporto di passeggeri, alloggio (che non sia parte del trasporto – come cuccetta del treno o cabina traghetto – e che non sia per scopi residenziali). -Rental of cars or other moto vehicle or motorcycle; driving licence is required. Boat rental is not covered by this definition. Even if the directive doesn’t show this, boat rental has to be considered as travel service. [questa direttiva è in vigore dal 2018; la definizione non comprende le barche a vela, yatch, che soprattutto in Italia costituiscono un servizio molto frequente nei pacchetti. La ratio della direttiva è estendere la tutela, quindi è da considerare come un servizio turistico]. -services not indicated above: tickets etc. Definition of package similar to the previous except that packages are not pre-assembled; car rental is included; accommodation not for residential purposes. (2) How must the services be combined in order to be a package? Combined by one trader, independently that these services are chosen by the client or not. The contract is a single one. Ex. I choose flight, accommodation, excursion, diving but at the end of the day the contract is one and the trader is one [I servizi sono combinati da un unico professionista indipendentemente dal fatto che siano combinati su richiesta del cliente; conclude un unico contratto questo è un pacchetto]. What matters is not who makes the selection/combination. I can have different travel services bought on the same website. I select and pay the differenct services in the same point of sale. [servizi acquistati presso un unico punto vendita – digitale o fisico; due fornitori diversi ma pago in seguito a questi due per poterlo definire un pacchetto]. [anche se non è un pacchetto, ma io lo denomino pacchetto, è un pacchetto]. Gift boxes: they include a variety of hotels or excursions. The trader by selling me the gift box authorizes me to make that selection after that the contract Is concluded. [il professionista mi vende il prodotto con un unico contratto, io lo pago, ma ancora non ho selezionato i servizi; il professionista mi autorizza a fare una scelta dopo la conclusione di un contratto]. Edreams brings me to another trader where I can choose the hotel; it gives to the second trader my details. [se concludo questi due contratti a non più di 24 ore, questo è un pacchetto]. When i have other services different from transport, accommodation, car rental those services must be significant – otherwise I can’t consider that a package [il servizio diverso da trasporto, hotel o noleggio vede avere un’importanza significativa – es. andare al mercato rionale di Berlino; deve comunque costituire una parte significativa del valore della combinazione]. The two services must be for the same holiday [collegato: due tipi di servizi turistici acquistati ai fini dello stesso viaggio; acquistati con due contratti distinti]. [L’acquisto mirato di un secondo servizio non più tardi di 24 ore dall’acquisto del primo costituiscono servizi turistici collegati]. LEZIONE 5 The UNWTO issued in October an international code about protection of the tourist. Article 4 The member states can not maintain provisions that are in contrast with the directive [la direttiva dice è importante che gli stati membri non mantengano nei loro ordinamenti norme che si trovano in contrasto con quelle della direttiva]. The legislation in the member states is not in contrast; otherwise tourist would be discriminated as far as the level of protection is concerned. What elements should include and how should the contact be drafted? Obligation that is important on a pre-contractual basis. In contractual law, the liability of the parties begins before the conclusion of the contract; it starts during the negotiation (pre-
fornire queste informazioni; molto spesso questo è l’unico professionista che il turista incontra nella stipulazione del contratto]. [qualche mese fa una coppia doveva andare in viaggio di nozze in australia; l’agenzia di viaggi ha informato la coppia che era necessario il visto; l’agenzia ha avviato le pratiche in nome e per conto dei clienti; il marito non ha detto che aveva dei precedenti penali; australia ha rigettato la richiesta di visto]. The travel agency doesn’t have the obligation to request the passport for the clients. Informing the clients doesn’t mean that I have to get the visa for them (solo se mi viene richiesto di farlo per loro). G. to terminate the contract: to step out (recedere). I have the right as a consumer to step out the contract even if I don’t have a reason; just because I changed my mind. Termination is totally different from frustration of the contract (risoluzione del contratto). It’s umpossibile for the contract to proceed (es. Something really bad happens). [ci dev’essere sinallagma: equilibrio tra prestazione e contro prestazione]. When the gap is very big, the contract can’t be rebalance anymore. In order to have frustration, something must happen (something for which one part is liable). Termination can happen for no reason. [recesso può avvenire perchè abbiamo cambiato idea (questo non vuol dire che non ci siano ripercussioni economiche). Risoluzione: evento traumatico del contratto. Le prestazioni di un contratto devono essere bilanciate (es. per mille euro, tu mi dai due settimane); quando c’è uno sbilanciamento, bisogna far qualcosa per riequilibrare i piatti della bilancia. Quando questo bilanciamento è così grave che non può essere ribilanciato, allore il contratto si interrompe; risoluzione: c’è inadempimento grave]. The traveller must be inform of the right to terminate the contract. In Italy we use to call this “penalty”. You can terminate the contract at any time, but you have to pay an amount to the retailer. The to must compensate the risk of not selling the package to another person; the later the contract terminates, less possibilities there are to resell the same package to another tourist [il cliente deve pagare un corrispettivo per il recess; è quello che impropriamente chiamiamo penale. È un corrispettivo per il recesso che il TO si fa dare in cambio del diritto che lascia al turista di cambiare idea quando vuole. Questo corrispettivo sarà più alto tanto più vicino alla data di partenza il turista decide di recedere. Questo perché il to deve sopportare il rischio dell’invenduto. Per diminuire al minimo questi costi e il rischio di non rivendere il pacchetto, il to chiederà un corrispettivo per il recesso]. Many years ago last minute packages were born: the unsold packages started to be resold]. There are insurance policy that can cover termination fees. (the insurance policy will pay the termination fees at my place – only when the reason is not umputable to me). [polizze annullamento: il contratto di assicurazione trasferisce il rischio dall’assicurato alla comapagnia di assicurazione; il cliente che teme di cambiare idea può stipulare polizze annullamento; a fronte di un premio ridotto la compagnia di assicurazione pagherà il corrispettivo per il recesso al to. La causa del recesso non può essere causata volontariamente]. Obligation to be trasparent, to be clear. If the travel agency doesn’t tell me that a country is dangerous [le informazioni che l’agenzia di viaggio deve dare riguardano anche la salute, se i confini di uno stato sono chiusi, questioni legate alla sicurezza (es. terrorismo, questioni politiche, guerre). Il turista che non riceve questo info può agire nei confronti del retailer]. Some years ago, the tribunals started to mitigate this information obligations because they said that nowadays with technological means the tourists have many ways to inform themselves on the main issues. The tourist has the duty to self-inform, especially on the major issues. “viaggiare sicuri” is a page on the website. You can search a specific country and there are all the information concerning that country. The most important thing is that the ministry of foreign affairs put a “ sconsiglio ” advice. [bensì ci sia obbligo di to e agenzia viaggi di informare il turista su tutti questi
aspetti, le corti da anni hanno detto che oggi abbiamo una quantità di mezzi di info che il turista deve essere consapevole. Obbligo di auto informarsi sulle macro problematiche. Pur permanendo l’obbligo di informare il turista, mitighiamolo un po’; c’è bisogno che il turista si renda conto di dove andrà. Lo sconsiglio non è un divieto; significa che gli italiani possono andare ma sappiano che è sconsigliato recarsi in Iran se non per ragioni strettamente necessarie]. It happens that if i want to go to Iran (non rispettando lo sconsiglio), if something happens is on my (it’s not to liability). [se ho comprato un pacchetto sei mesi fa per andare in Iran e partire domani, io decido di rinunciare al viaggio, non devo pagare le spesse di recesso, mi dev’essere restituito quello che ho pagato. Non ho diritto ad alcun risarcimento del danno (il to non poteva farci nulla, non poteva prevedere la situazione che si sarebbe creata)]. It is forbidden to give false information. In Italy we have the authority that has the task to protect the consumer against the false information [autorità garante della concorrenza e del mercato che ha il compito di proteggere il consumatore da pubblicità ingannevole o false informazioni]. The authority doesn’t compensate the consumer but he issues sanction for the to that provides the false information [se il turista riceve informazioni ingannevoli, l’autorità garante eroga sanzioni al to che sono calcolate come percentuale calcolata sul fatturato degli ultimi 3 anni]. It is important to understand that the infomation is binding (vincolante). [se il to mi dice ha il prezzo include tutti i pasti e il turista scopre che non è cosi ma deve pagare, quando torna a casa ha il diritto di chiedere il rimborso delle spese ulteriori che ha dovuto sostenere]. LEZIONE 6 Directive 2015 su elearning Obbligo di informare non è obbligo che rimane in capo al t.o. perché anche i dipendenti del T.O. hanno questo obbligo. Employees have the duty to inform, if an employee is in a bar and we talk about places to visit and she tells me that a place is worth a visit she was not exercising her duty so it’s not a violation to the duty (Impiegato deve essere nell’esercizio delle proprie funzioni). If the same employee is working in a travel agency and she advises to go to Syria that is a violation to the duty of the form. Next step is to understand which content the contract has. The first elements that the contract must include are the information (technical details) that we talked before (prices, hotel…) but it must also contain possible special requirements of the traveler if the traveler ask to have a suite or that he’s vegetarian and the organizer accept that this is possible the contract MUST reflects these special requests. Then the contract must mention who the organizer is (its name) and that the organizer is responsible to (la giusta fruizione) all the services included. Avendo un’unica controparte il turista può fare a meno di andare a cercare il nome del soggetto che gli ha venduto il pacchetto. L’organizzatore si assume la responsabilità. The level of protection is also shown and evidenced by the fact that the organizer is the only counterparty/subject who is liable to the exact performances to all the services included in the package even if those services are sold by others. Many years ago there was a decision involving 2 ladies who bought a package in Egypt, once they got to the hotel they decided to buy an excursion excluded in the package, they met the driver
Ex. If me and my brother are co-owners of a building and our roof is falling apart, the lady below us can come and ask for damages to me or to my brother (in a percentage of 50% or go to one of us and ask for the total of the damages, 100%). The directive says that the fees and the cost for the transfer must be reasonable, the organizer must prove how he spends this money (the cost of the fees). Before the departure it can happen that the price of the package changes going up or down. In order to protect tourists to these changing of prices, the directive says that prices can increase but only if this possibility is specified in the contract. it is an advantage for the organizer to draw a very detailed contract in his interests so in this case he can write that prices of the package could go up or down. Of course in reality is very difficult to see a reduction of the price of a package. Prices can also be increased only in certain circumstances: only if such increase is a direct consequence of such as price of the fuel, taxes or fees on the travel services (duties, embarkation taxes…) depending on third parties and l’alterazione del tasso di cambio. Other than these 3 ipotesis the prices cannot increase. Not only the package must mention the possibility to increase the price but it must also show the way in which the price division Is calculated (?) the way how this increase happen must be described in the contract. The increase of the price must not exceed 8% of the total price of the package, if it does the traveler can terminate the contract. The tour operator (provided these conditions) Is free to raise the price until 8% of the total price and the traveler must pay that price with no way of terminate the contract. Let’s assume that the organizer included the way in which the increase must be calculated, the increase of the price is effective only if T.O. notifies the traveler at least 20 days before the start of the package. During those 20 days the traveler is sure that the price cannot change. LEZIONE 7 We’ve seen that the organizer might find himself in the situation where he has to increase the price. He can do this based on the contract if there are increasing in the energy sources, in the amount of duties or taxis coming from third parties and some variation in the currency. In any case the price can’t be increased by more than 8%. There are situation where before departure, the organizer could find himself in the need to altering some terms of the contract for example the package includes air transport, maybe the time schedule of the flight could be modified. The directive specifies that if a client concluded a contract under certain terms and conditions the tour operator must stick to those terms and conditions because the parties accepted to conclude the contract based on those terms and conditions. Tendenzialmente la direttiva ricorda che l’organizzatore non può cambiare le condizioni del contratto UNILATERALMENTE perchè il contratto si conclude quando proposta e accettazione sono identiche. La volontà delle parti si fonda su delle specifiche condizioni che non possono essere cambiate unilateralmente.
The t.o. can’t modify the terms unless the organizer has the rights specified in the contract. L’organizzatore può modificare se è previsto nel contratto (“attenzione gli orari possono cambiare”). Another condition where the t.o. can change terms is when the change is insignificant (non significativa) if I buy a cruise tour (that are packages) and I accepted to buy that specific cruise because the ship was a great one, luxurious that I really wanted. If that cruise suddenly happens to not be available and the t.o. decides to change the cruise, the modification is not significant because the main features of the package remain unaltered. On the other hand, if the cruise is not available and the t.o. propose a cruise not on the Mediterranean and with another cruise then those are significant changes and are forbidden. The third condition is that the organizer must inform in advance the traveler of such changes in a clear and comprehensive way (deve farlo per email, non al telefono). There are cases in which the organizer needs to alter in a significant way some terms of the contract for example in cases where the increase on the price is higher than 8%. The t.o. must inform the traveler in a reasonable period. The client at this point has 2 possibilities:
- To accept the changes and nothing happens.
- If the modification is not acceptable to the client he refuses such proposal and then he can terminate the contract, stepping out because that’s not what he bought. It may happen that the client paid some money to the t.o. so the client terminates the contract but he has the right to have the money back because he did not receive what he paid for. He must have his money back without having to pay fees. However, under our legal system, when the obligation of one party is no longer possible to perform I can fix this in 2 ways: I give the money back or there is something called “ specific performance ”: so he can offer an equivalent performance so he can propose a package which is equivalent to the one I bought. Il viaggiatore può accettare un pacchetto sostitutivo di qualità equivalente o superiore a quello acquistato senza dover corrispondere la differenza. The old directive also specified that the package could be of a lower quality and in that case the client is always free to accept it or not. If he accepts it he is entitled to have the refund of the difference between what he paid and what he actually will use. At this point the organizer must inform the client of the changes that he needs to make and he must tell the client that he must inform the organizer of the decision at a reasonable time. What happens If the client does not answer (Perde il diritto di recedere e dovrà pagare la penale)? And what are the terms and conditions of the new package? 3 options:
- The traveler accepts the modification
- He doesn’t accept the modification but he accepts the substitute package
The extraordinary circumstances come into place not only when it happens in the place of destination but also when it prevents the usage of the package (?). Il turista deve essere informato in modo tempestivo, tutte le volte dove è previsto un rimborso del costo anche questo deve essere fatto in modo tempestivo e non più tardi di 14 giorni. Since we are member of the EU we surrender part of our sovranity for the sake of harmonizing the legislation so we are obliged to respect the EU legislation. The EU said that the tourist always has the right to choose whether he wants the money back or an equivalent package vouchers did not required the acceptance of the traveler. Plane companies was on the verge of bankruptcy during the pandemic so the voucher was a good solution to avoid this situation for a lot of firms. LEZIONE 8 A contract has obligations for both parties and those obligations must have a balance (tra prestazioni). Correct performance means that the obligation must be performed exactly in the way as it was indicated in the contract. It means that for an obligation to be perfect it must reach the requirement of timing, dates, mode ( modalità, se il pacchetto presuppone un trasporto aereo, non sarà perfettamente adempiuto se io sarò trasportato in autobus ) the place where the obligation must be performed ( da bologna a londra e non dirottarmi su Milano ). ONLY if all terms and conditions are performed exactly, the contract is performed correctly. If something does not fit into this concept of perfection there is a lack of conformity /breach of contract/non exact performance ( difetto di conformità, l’esecuzione delle obbligazioni non è conforme al contratto ) with respect to the conditions that were agreed upon by the parties. As we will see, this lack of conformity has certain levels of importance: it can be greater or not so significant and it has the level of importance with different impacts and consequences on the contract in general and on parties’ responsibility.
When there is a lack of conformity we have a lack of performance (?) the organizer will be liable towards other parties because lack of conformity generates some damages. It carries with it an economic loss ( danno patrimoniale che è quella differenza tra lo spostamento iniziale nel piatto della bilancia). Economic losses can be easily quantifiable from an economic point (1 week lost is easy to quantify – there are objective parameters to quantify the loss), non-economic loss is a damage that is not easy to quantify in terms of money: if I’m walking in the street with my husband and he gets shot and murdered, how can I quantify the pain that I feel as a consequence of the action? There is not an objective parameter to quantify. Non-economic losses (moral damages) are quantified in equity (secondo equità -> secondo l’esame del caso per caso) by the judge. It is very common that the organizer is not the only provider of the services (example cruises or air transport): transport is almost always sub-contracted to others or even hotels since the organizer usually is not the proprietario dell’hotel. Since the organizer is the one who contracts and concludes an agreement with the traveler he obliges himself to perform all the services. What happens if a package includes air transport and the captain is drunk and the plane crashes? I have a double possibility to go either to the organizer or to the air travel company subjects would be responsible according to the law regulating air transport in this case. Joint liability of organizer and seller. Directives are not self-executed, they need some internal provisions, they are like frameworks which gives the directives to follow, this needs the state’s law to not violate law’s gerarchy. In Italy the retailer only has 1 obligation to procure a contract (and then to inform the traveler). So the retailer is not responsible for the correct performance of the package, the only mandate that he has is to procure a package for the client and to sell a package on behalf of the organizer. In Italy can’t have a joint liability because no one can be responsible for obligations that he doesn’t have. If the retailer chooses a non-professional and non-suitable organizer (ex. If he chooses an organizer knowing he’s almost in bankruptcy) then there is a specific liability (culpa eligendo – colpa nello scegliere l’organizzatore idoneo) which means that I was negligent in choosing someone not suitable. (point 3 in pic) When the traveler goes on vacation and the room of the hotel doesn’t have the characteristics viewed in the contract there is a lack of conformity but the traveler has an obligation to inform the organizer without undue delay (senza indebito ritardo) of such lack of
