The Entity Responsible for Ensuring Compliance with Safety Standards under the Package Travel Contract

Authors

  • Gvantsa Khasia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60131/jlaw.1.2025.9281

Keywords:

Tour Operator, Safety Standards, Package Travel Contract, Damage.

Abstract

Neglecting safety standards in any field may pose a threat to human life, health, and property. However, the risks extend further, potentially affecting the overall quality of an individual's personal life. The observance of safety standards by the responsible party is particularly important in the implementation of a package travel. A package travel is a service composed of multiple components, the fulfilment of which involves various entities. Nevertheless, within the framework of contractual obligations towards the tourist, a single party assumes responsibility. The failure to adhere to safety standards during the provision of services stipulated under a package travel contract may result in the cancellation or substantial devaluation of the trip, often accompanied by incidents involving bodily harm or damage to health.

International practice shows that, due to the specific nature of such agreements, approaches to identifying the responsible party and defining the scope of liability in the event of safety breaches vary significantly. This paper, based on international practice, explores the challenges related to determining the extent of the tour operator’s civil liability when a service provider breaches safety standards.

Author Biography

Gvantsa Khasia

PhD Student at the Faculty of Law of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Visiting Lecturer.

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Published

2025-06-30

How to Cite

Khasia, G. (2025). The Entity Responsible for Ensuring Compliance with Safety Standards under the Package Travel Contract. Journal of Law , (1), 258–274 (Geo). https://doi.org/10.60131/jlaw.1.2025.9281

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