The travel industry is an ecosystem characterized by digital interactions. From booking to service delivery, travel suppliers and intermediaries engage in countless digital exchanges with customers, partners and government agencies. The proliferation of digital channels has been matched by a surge in related regulations. While several years ago Phocuswright outlined the regulatory landscape for tech giants, the following delves into the evolving regulatory challenges facing the travel sector in six different areas: data privacy, consumer protection, competition, artificial intelligence, marketplace platforms and taxation.
Major jurisdictions are taking the regulation of digital spaces as a core responsibility for regulators and enforcement agencies. One of the largest efforts is Europe’s “EU Data Package,” composed of five pieces of legislation (Data Governance Act, Digital Services Act, Digital Markets Act, Data Act, and Artificial Intelligence Act) which have rolled out in the last five years. Many countries have issued similarly consequential legislation recently, including the U.S. and China, each with their own specific objectives.
