In just over a month, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into effect and regulate many US businesses. In the travel industry, we expect that companies that use, whether directly or through a vendor, Artificial Intelligence such as chat bots, behavioral tracking for targeted marketing, and other internet marketing models will... Continue Reading →
Washington Tourism is Back On the Map!
by Mona McPhee After years of work, Washington State’s tourism industry is only a governor’s signature away from getting back into this thriving marketplace. It’s been a long and lonely road to be the only state in our country that didn’t have the support of its state government (since 2011). This afternoon, the state legislature... Continue Reading →
Event Recap: Travel Oregon 2018 Special Use Permits Workshop
by Mona McPhee Last week, I attended, presented, and moderated a panel at the Travel Oregon 2018 Special Use Permits Workshop co-sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) at the World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon. The workshop brought together land managers, tour operators, guides, outfitters, and related organizations to delve into the current and... Continue Reading →
Assumption of Risk: A Tool Tour Operators Can Use to Minimize Liability and Risk
by Emily Krisher Assumption of risk, when employed strategically, can work as a complete defense to liabilities, big and small. It is a legal concept which comes in many varieties, and the version most relevant to tour operators has been dubbed “inherent peril assumption of risk” by Washington courts. Inherent peril assumption bars claims resulting... Continue Reading →
Mona McPhee to Present at Travel Oregon’s 2018 Special Use Permit Workshop
Travel Law Guide editor Mona McPhee will be moderating a panel and presenting at the 2018 Special Use Permit Workshop held by Travel Oregon and the US Forest Service on Friday, February 16. The full-day workshop, whose intended audience includes tour operators, guides, and outfitters that provide permitted access on public lands, will delve into... Continue Reading →
Hearing on Washington Senate Bill 5251 “Tourism Marketing” Held January 18, 2018
Once again, Washington’s fourth largest industry seeks true support from the state legislature to establish the Washington Marketing Tourism Authority and a public-private funding mechanism to promote tourism in Washington. Momentum has been building for years and this morning’s hearing on the bill in the Senate Economic Development & International Trade committee was supportive of... Continue Reading →
What the New Cuba Regulations Mean for People-to-People Travel
Today, new regulations implementing the U.S. sanction laws relating to Cuba become effective, notably impacting the travel and tourism industry. These new regulations come from the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and the Department of State. This post provides a brief... Continue Reading →
Comment Period for Fee Increases at National Parks Open Until November 23
The National Park Service is proposing an increase in fees at 17 parks to collect additional revenue to pay for deferred maintenance projects. The increased fees would be collected only during the five-month peak-season period for each park. If approved as proposed, the entrance fee would be $70 per vehicle, $50 per motorcycle, and $30... Continue Reading →
Protecting Your Travel Company’s IP Assets
Protecting the Brand One of a travel company’s most valuable assets is its brand. Name recognition, referrals from past customers, and reputation drive revenue. Recognition and consumer goodwill arise because the company has spent significant resources toward creating, advertising, selling, and providing services under the brand. The brand may acquire trademark status through either the... Continue Reading →