Identifying the Responsibility for Risk at Tourism Destinations: The UK Experience

Taking the case of UK holidaymakers in foreign destinations, this paper seeks to identify whether the responsibility for risk while on holiday is clear to tourists and the tourism industry. ‘Risk’ is considered in terms of holiday illness and injury, and their causes. In particular, the author considers activities that carry an inherent risk (such as skiing); the law as it relates to responsibility for safety; and the approaches taken by those responsible for safety. An issue of particular concern is the conflict between the need for providers of holidays to remain competitive in holiday pricing and their responsibility to protect the health and safety of their customers. The paper demonstrates that weaknesses exist in the present situation and, crucially, that there is a serious lack of clarity: there is confusion among the various parties involved in the provision and taking of a holiday as to the extent of their particular responsibility. In his concluding remarks, the author makes recommendations for change.