The primary challenges confronting Tourism Law in the era of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, emerging platforms, accessibility, sustainability, and foreign investment within the travel industry will form the core of discussions at the III International Tourism Law Seminar. This event is scheduled to take place in the Cuban capital from the 9th to the 11th of the current month.
According to the official call for papers published on the UN Tourism website, the gathering's main objective is to legally deliberate on the new challenges confronting the sector as the first quarter of the 21st century concludes, and to analyze global best practices in this domain.
Furthermore, it states that the event also aligns with the aim of consolidating Tourism Law as an autonomous branch of legal study, while simultaneously advocating for the urgent need for international codification of the sector, guided by UN Tourism.
Regarding the topics for discussion, the seminar plans to delve into a series of legal issues, from a jurisprudential perspective, that are shaping the current landscape, both in the medium and long term, particularly in the face of digital transformation within an environment of rapidly accelerating global integration of tourism processes.
Among other aspects, the analyses will focus on: the increasing involvement of major platforms in tourism commercialization processes and the imperative to regulate and establish specific protection limits for the benefit of the client; the legal and regulatory challenges associated with short-term rentals and accommodation services provided by hosts via online platforms; and artificial intelligence as a catalyst for tourism processes, including tourist information and protection, its outlook, and its governing role concerning both tourists and service providers.
Topics pertaining to smart destinations will also be addressed, including their impact on commercialization and the regulations governing their development within a framework of order and protection for both clients and providers. Further discussions will cover sustainability and accessibility amidst new regulatory frameworks and normative experiences, as well as foreign investment as a driving force for tourism development.
It is anticipated that this significant gathering will yield satisfactory outcomes which, among other aspects, will contribute to: reinforcing the commitment to the role of Tourism Law and the necessity for new regulatory frameworks by national tourism administration officials; fostering a deeper understanding of Tourism Law's growing importance as an essential instrument in the complex current global landscape; increasing professional and institutional linkages between universities and national tourism administrations; and promoting tourism's contribution to peace and cross-cultural understanding.
Aimed at a broad and diverse group of legal professionals and industry experts—including ministers and heads of national tourism administrations, government officials, representatives from international organizations, academics, researchers, university professors, and specialists—the seminar is organized by UN Tourism, the Ministry of Tourism (Mintur), and the University of Havana.
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