Travel Law Seminar

Hear from the leading experts in travel law, including ABTA, law firms and barristers, regulators and industry representatives as they examine the current legal considerations for travel businesses and look ahead to developments in 2024. 

The event will provide an essential regulatory update, including PTRs and ATOL reform, and address key topics such as consumer protection law, employment law, consumer law, payment risk, financial protection and claims and liabilities.  

Further information, including session details and speakers, will be announced in due course.

Use this two-day event to contribute towards your Continuing Professional Development.

• Navigating political, regulatory and economic uncertainty in the travel law sector
• Regulating and using AI in travel 
• Regulatory updates; package travel regulations, Package Travel Directive, ATOL, financial protection
• Industry panel: PTR reform and the legal framework for package organisers
• Employment law update
• Consumer rights, CMA and CAA powers
• Digital markets, competition and consumer markets bill
• Payment cards, trust accounts, opening banking and financial protection
• Panel discussion: Managing financial risk and the future of financial protection – planning in the context of regulatory change
• The 2023 Case law update
• Obtaining timely and effective redress from suppliers
• Claims and liability Q&A.

Moderator: Simon Bunce, Director of Legal Affairs, ABTA

Simon is a solicitor and ABTA’s Director of Legal Affairs and Company Secretary having joined ABTA as a Legal Adviser in 1996. Simon’s team is responsible for the provision of legal and regulatory guidance to Members; the advice and alternative dispute resolution services to customers of ABTA Members; and for the operation and enforcement of ABTA’s Code of Conduct. Simon chairs the European Travel Agent and Tour Operator Association and is co-author, with Professor David Grant and Stephen Mason, of Holiday Law - The Law Relating to Travel and Tourism 6th Ed.

Speakers will include leading experts in travel law; including ABTA, law firms and barristers, regulators and industry representative.

• Matt Gatenby, Senior Partner, Travlaw
• Luke Golding, Director, Deloitte Legal
• Michael Budge, Head of ATOL, Civil Aviation Authority
• Paula Macfarlane, Senior Solicitor, ABTA
• Rachel Jordan, Director of Membership and Financial Protection, ABTA
• Lisa Kingman, Senior Financial Protection Manager, ABTA
• Sarah Prager KC, Barrister, Deka Chambers
• Colman Candy, Director, Commercial Counsel, Royal Caribbean Group
• Alex Padfield, Director, Hextalls
• Rebecca Thornley-Gibson, Partner, DMH Stallard
• Farina Azam, Partner, Fox Williams
• Rhys Griffiths, Partner, Fox Williams
• Adam Scarrott, Director, Issuing & Acceptance, UK Finance
• Craig Belsham, Assistant Director, Partnerships & International Consumer Team, Department for Business & Trade
• Michael Paige, Group Commercial Director, TTC Travel Group
• Abigail Hunt, General Counsel, Belmond
• Kate Bryan, Founder and CEO, Data Driven Legal
• Gareth Thomas, Partner, Kennedys
• John Snyder, Vice President, General Counsel, Legal Department, Carnival UK
• Paul Nunn, Chief Operating Officer, Advantage Travel Partnership
• Joanna Kolatsis, Director, Themis Advisory
• Stephen Mason, Senior Counsel, Travlaw 
• Frederick Lyon, Barrister, Farrar’s Building

• Receive trusted advice and guidance from industry leaders and legal experts 
• Gain clarity and hear an update on regulatory issues
• Take part in interactive discussion groups around industry issues 
• Listen to industry perspectives on updates to the Package Travel and ATOL Regulations
• Network with colleagues and learn how your peers are dealing with the current challenges
• Stay up to date and gain insight into future legal and regulatory issues impacting the travel industry.

The event is ideal for anyone working in the travel industry including large and SME firms, including:

• Legal counsel and in-house legal teams
• Risk, finance and commercial teams 
• MDs and directors 
• Law firms
• Compliance and operations specialists
• Those who have legal, governance or regulatory responsibilities as part of their role.

ABTA Member/ABTA Partner rates*
Full two day rate – £439 plus VAT 
One day rate – £309 plus VAT 

Non-Member rates
Full two day rate – £699 plus VAT 
One day rate– £469 plus VAT 

This includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day, networking drinks on day one, all delegate materials, presentations and an attendee certificate.

You may attend one day and nominate a colleague to attend the other day. Please register your place for both days then email events@abta.co.uk with the name and job title of your colleague, and which day they would like to attend.

View our booking terms and conditions here.


Group bookings:
If you are interested in sending a group, please contact events@abta.co.uk for a bespoke cost.

_{*To qualify for the ABTA Member/Partner discount you must have a current ABTA Member/Partner number or your application must be in progress when the event takes place.}

CPD 
Attendance at this event can be used by practising solicitor’s to demonstrate continuing competence as defined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), further details here. For Barristers, attendance at this event can be used towards your CPD as defined by the Bar Standard Board, further details here. 

Host partner

Deloitte Legal combines market-leading lawyers, consultants and technology experts to provide clients with new solutions to legal problems. Whether that be legal advice delivered in a more effective way, assistance in harnessing the considerable benefits created by advancements in legal technology, or advice on how to create a best-in-class in-house legal function, we have the breadth and depth of expertise to advise on the challenges that our clients face.
 

Event partners

Cork Bays & Fisher is one of the UK’s leading providers of bonds and liability insurance for tour operators and travel agents.
Cork Bays & Fisher use their expertise to meet the individual needs of ABTA members. 
With access to multiple insurers and underwriters, Cork Bays & Fisher can provide travel bonds and insurance cover including tour operators/travel agents’ liability, professional indemnity, office combined, business travel & personal accident, management liability, crisis management, cyber liability and more.
Speak to their friendly, professional team for bespoke advice on your bonding and insurance arrangements.

Data Driven Legal is a boutique legal practice specialising in data protection advice.  With years of experience working in the travel industry for brands like Royal Caribbean and Eurostar, Data Driven Legal understands the issues faced by ABTA Members and provide practical and actionable advice.  

Data Driven Legal can help ABTA Members with the full range of data protection advice including reviewing and updating contracts, handling complicated data subject requests and advising on cookie compliance.  The team audits and supports data protection compliance programs and works alongside data protection officers as an extension of the inhouse team. 

Deka Chambers is recognised as the pre-eminent travel law set, offering some of the leading silks and juniors at the travel law Bar. Known for their expertise, the team specialises in the full range of cross-border disputes: private international law, package travel claims, international carriage conventions and contractual recovery. Members are regularly instructed on both sides of the Court, including instructions from leading tour operators, airlines, cruise operators, trade associations, tourist boards, charities and insurers. They are described by the directories as having “a first class knowledge of travel matters and are very approachable and helpful.”

DMH Stallard is an award-winning, independent law firm with offices across Sussex, Surrey and London that works in partnership with some of the most successful organisations in the country. We are able to provide multi-disciplinary legal teams with extensive technical knowledge to deliver high quality, tailored legal services to both companies and individuals. DMH Stallard has significant expertise in the travel sector, working with tour operators, travel agents, destination management companies and suppliers, advising on a wide range of commercial matters including package travel and ATOL regulations, booking conditions, agency agreements, supplier contracts and indemnities, as well as employment and corporate issues. We have particular experience in managing international and multi-jurisdictional transactions, with many of our clients operating worldwide.

Farrar’s Building’s Travel & International Law team are specialists in a variety of cross-border litigation, including claims involving the PTRs, product liability, negligence relating to clinical procedures carried out overseas, foreign employer’s liability, fatal and road traffic accidents abroad, the Montreal and Athens Conventions. We act for both claimants and defendants across the full spectrum of claims from County Court trials to cases concerning catastrophic injuries in the High Court and appellate courts. Our work regularly includes cases involving disputes as to jurisdiction or choice of law. 

Fox Williams LLP is a City law firm with a leading reputation in specific industry sectors and practice areas, known for its ability to deliver effective solutions. Clients of the Fox Williams travel team include household names as well as with those that are developing their business.  
“We understand the importance of providing commercial and practical advice and advise our travel clients on compliance with travel law and regulation, both in the UK and overseas. Our clients are also concerned about other areas of regulation, including laws relating to data protection, advertising and marketing and financial services.  We guide our clients through the regulations in a way which is sensible, user-friendly and pragmatic. We also advise on wider commercial issues, including technology and fintech matters, employment issues, dispute resolution, business immigration, intellectual property, real estate and tax.

Hextalls is a specialist law firm offering a wide-range of advice to the travel industry. It can help with regulatory queries, contract drafting, dispute resolution including defending personal injury and other claims, debt recovery and employment law. It can also advise on health and safety and risk management. Hextalls is recognised as a leader in travel law and for its commercial awareness. Its philosophy is to understand its clients business so that it can offer practical legal advice at the right price. It has a dedicated team of specialists and acts for a number of travel agents, tour operators and other travel related organisations.

Kennedys is an international law firm with expertise in litigation and dispute resolution, particularly in the insurance/reinsurance and liability industries. With over 1,500 people worldwide across 26 offices in the UK and Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas, we have some of the most respected legal minds in their fields.We act for insurers, reinsurers, Lloyd’s Syndicates, public bodies and corporates. Our deep sector knowledge means that we understand the impact of proposed regulations and advise our clients on the implications this will have on their business. Every day we make a difference for our clients. We provide answers, recommendations, strategy and tactics. We deliver these in plain English and it’s what we call Legal advice in black and white.

Purdy Smith is a boutique commercial law firm based in London that offers a wide range of legal services to clients in the travel industry.  Our areas of expertise include advertising, consumer, intellectual property and data privacy law as well as the regulations relating to package travel.  We have a history of acting for household name clients, including some of the world's most famous travel brands, and are adept at coordinating legal advice from other jurisdictions whenever needed.  Clients keep coming back to us because we combine offering cost effective, business-focused advice with a friendly and down-to-earth approach.

Themis Advisory was founded by Joanna Kolatsis, a former partner in City law firm, following over 20 years providing legal services to the travel and aviation industries. Following her decision to leave private practice, she founded Themis Advisory which was born out of a desire to provide current, pragmatic legal and business solutions for the modern business world. Joanna began her legal career as group head of legal for a vertically integrated tour operator in 1998. In 2008 she joined the boutique aviation practice, Gates and Partners, before joining Hill Dickinson as partner and head of aviation and travel in 2014 until July 2018. Since qualification Joanna has specialised in the aviation and travel industries and her advice covers all aspects including airlines, tour operators, destination management companies, distribution and accommodation. Her expertise includes aviation and travel law, commercial and regulatory matters including the Package Travel Directive and ATOL compliance, aviation regulatory issues including passenger rights and general company commercial and contractual matters including booking terms and conditions, website compliance, charter agreements and complaints handling. Joanna has specific expertise in risk management, crisis management and criminalisation in air and travel incidents and she speaks frequently on this topic.

ABTA Partner+ Travlaw Legal Services Limited are 100% committed to serving the travel and leisure industry – from tour operators and travel agents to airlines, hotel groups, event management companies and their insurers. We pride ourselves on being one of the top travel law firms in the UK. We are a large, experienced team of highly professional yet approachable lawyers who are tried and tested specialists in advising.

For information on sponsorship opportunities please contact Sara Dolan on 07766 517 611 or email sdolan@abta.co.uk.