E-TOURISM SERVICES LAW AND DATA PROTECTION REGULATION

Academic year
2025/2026 Syllabus of previous years
Official course title
E-TOURISM SERVICES LAW AND DATA PROTECTION REGULATION
Course code
CT9006 (AF:521984 AR:293147)
Teaching language
English
Modality
On campus classes
ECTS credits
6
Degree level
Bachelor's Degree Programme
Academic Discipline
IUS/01
Period
2nd Term
Course year
2
Where
VENEZIA
Moodle
Go to Moodle page
The course aims to provide students with some foundations of tourism law and data protection law, with specific reference to the sector of "e-tourism". Therefore, the course addresses the legal consequences and the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the market, and on the tourism and hospitality sector specifically; as well as the so-called sharing economy and its legal regulation, the role of digital platforms, and the data flow, and its pivotal role in the tourism market.
To this end, lectures are directed at providing students with a proper legal vocabulary and with the ability to deal with the complex sector of digital tourism and consumer law. Special attention is placed to the law of contracts in this field. Moreover, a complementary objective of the course is to provide students with a basic knowledge of data protection law.
1. Knowledge and understanding
1.1 Understand the multilevel legal system of consumer law, with special regard to the sector of e-tourism, and mostly from an EU law perspective.
1.2 Understand the legal concepts and be aware of the contracts frequently used for tourism activities in the digital environment and the system of dispute resolution.
1.3 Understand the connections between data protection and the free flow of data, and its role in the digital market.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding
2.1 Ability to understand the main features of the legal system and the main sources of law governing e-tourism.
2.2 Ability to find the legal provisions and contracts to be applied in the tourism sector.
2.3 Ability to identify the connections between the fundamental right to data protection, market regulation and consumer law.

3. Making judgements
3.1 Ability to understand the relevant legal provisions.
3.2 Ability to identify and make the relevant connections between different rules and legal principles.
3.3 Ability to find the relevant legal provisions for resolving disputes.

4. Communication skills
4.1 Ability to report on the specific features of e-tourism and data protection law, using the appropriate legal vocabulary.
4.2 Ability to deal with the legal issues arising in the digital environment.
4.3 Ability to face legal issues with critical thinking.
There are no prerequisites for attending the course.
- Law, legal rules, society
- Legal positions, juridical facts and juridical acts
- Contract law and consumer protection
- Sharing economy, e-tourism and contract law (touristic rentals, home-sharing)
- Online Travel Agencies and Meta-search engines
- Unfair commercial practices
- Digital law and data law
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Principles relating to data processing
- Rights of the data subjects
- Accountability
- Dispute resolution and access to justice in the online environment
- P. Sirena, Introduction to Private Law, Il Mulino, 2021, limited to Chapter I, VI, VIII, X
- European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and Council of Europe, Handbook on European data protection law (2018 edition), Publications Office of the European Union, 2018 (https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-coe-edps-2018-handbook-data-protection_en.pdf ) limited to Chapter 1-4.1; 6
- other materials (e.g. slides, academic papers, judicial decisions) that will be uploaded on Moodle during the course

It is essential to study EU legal acts (regulations, directives), case-law by the Court of Justice of the European Union and other EU legal acts.
Written exam with 3 open-ended questions (1h and 15 min.).

For those who will participate in the workshops (up to 3 bonus points to be added to the final grade) there will be the possibility to choose to answer 2 out of 3 questions.

The final grade is determined by:
- knowledge and understanding of the exam's questions;
- ability to analytically scrutinize the exam's questions;
- ability to interpret and highlight the connections between legal rules;
- linearity and logic of the written answers.
written
The grade is determined by:
- knowledge and understanding of the exam's questions (range 10 points);
- ability to analytically scrutinize the exam's questions (range 8 points)
- ability to identify and highlight connections between legal rules (range 6 points);
- linearity and logic of the written text (range 6 points)
Mostly frontal teaching. Attendance and active participation to the lectures are strongly encouraged.

Through the participation to workshops students can receive up to 3 bonus points, to be added to the final grade.

Inclusivity and disability services

https://www.unive.it/pag/28640/

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Circular economy, innovation, work" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development

Definitive programme.
Last update of the programme: 07/10/2025