Reliability for consumers in the digitalization of tourism companies

Although digitalization has always been preached as a tool for expanding business, never more so than in these times that we have had to live as a result of the pandemic, it has become a primary requirement for the survival of a multitude of travel agencies constituted as small and medium-sized companies, and the rest of the companies in the sector with the same characteristics.

On numerous occasions, this need has been solved through the collaborations of the aforementioned tour operators, on online sales distribution websites, which in the end have turned out to be real sharks for the benefits of direct service providers, this in the specific case of hotels, whose dispute with booking.com has already been news through various specialized publications.

It is to avoid such dependencies on tour operators, and to adapt to the increasingly implemented way of contracting online by end consumers, that travel agencies and hotels should reinvent their relationship with consumers and provide online an image of updating, reliability and improvement of their customer experience.

Digitalization, in addition to giving visibility and offering unlimited access to non-face-to-face customers that would not otherwise be possible, also allows for an improvement in productivity and relationship with the customer, since fluidity in direct communications with customers increases their trust, tasks can be carried out more quickly while providing a reduction in costs, the maintenance of a website being much lower than a physical store.

Precisely as a result of the current situation, and thanks to the grants and subsidies for the digitalization of small and medium-sized companies, to which we can now have access, many companies will be able to keep their business running, through the digitalization plans published since January 27 for 2025 by the Government of Spain, so it is no longer an excuse to delay adaptations or to resort to third parties that take away our control.

What are the issues that a user observes and offer reliability in their navigation?

Through various market studies, the main issue that online users observe precisely when accessing a website is the announcement about the cookies that are used and which increases the credibility of the company that offers the services, in which these messages include possibilities to restrict and safeguard their rights as users in relation to their data.

With this in mind, it is vital to be able to adapt to the new forms of acquiring services by consumers and thus to have a greater reach, to take account of external digitalization, in this new showcase that is our website, understanding by it the basic compliance with the required requirements, with its regulatory regulations, these are the regulations on data protection (Organic Law 3/2018, of December 5, on the Protection of Personal Data and the Guarantee of Digital Rights and Regulation 2016/679, as well as the regulations on data protection (Organic Law 3/2018, of December 5, on the Protection of Personal Data and the Guarantee of Digital Rights and Regulation 2016/679, as well as the regulations on data protection) on electronic commerce Act 34/2002, of 11 July, on information society services and electronic commerce.

What are the minimum requirements for your website to comply?

In order for users to perceive the reliability of the services offered to them, and also to avoid being subject to compliance by supervisory authorities, the website must be adapted and have the following points updated:

• Cookie policy banner.
• Cookie Policy.
• Privacy Policy.
• Disclaimer.
• General conditions of employment.

At TOURISM&LAW, we put all our experience into improving the visibility of our clients and providing advice adapted and oriented to the specific business, such as travel agencies, tour operators and hotel companies that have understood the fundamental nature of this way of growing and remaining.

Paloma Aguilar (T&L Attorney)