La responsabilidad contractual de los organizadores y los detallistas de viajes combinados

Con la entrada en vigor de la Ley 21/1995, de 6 de julio, reguladora de los viajes combinados (LVC) se instaura una nuevo régimen de responsabilidad contractual del organizador y el detallista. Ahora el consumidor de esos viajes no sólo mantiene una relación contractual con el organizador si no también, en su caso, el detallista, cuya actuación deja de tener carácter representativo. Ambos sujetos responderán frente al consumidor "en función de las obligaciones que les correspondan por su ámbito respectivo de gestión del viaje combinado..." (art. 11.1), circunstancia que plantea algunas dificultades en orden a delimitar el alcance de su responsabilidad. Esa misma norma establece la responsabilidad del organizador por los actos de los prestadores de los servicios del viaje utilizados como auxiliares en el cumplimiento contractual. Analizados los sujetos responsables, la presente tesis doctoral estudia los supuestos de incumplimiento del contrato de viaje, las partidas de daños resarcibles y su extensión. El trabajo propone distintos criterios en orden a calcular el valor de los daños por lesión al llamado interés de prestación, los daños corporales, los daños ocasionados por el extravío, destrucción o deterioro de objetos del consumidor, los daños por gastos inútiles y costes de negocios de reemplazo, los daños no patrimoniales y los daños por ganancias dejadas de obtener. Cada una de esas partidas e daños merece un estudio pormenorizado. Así, por ejemplo, se constatan enormes problemas en cuanto a la identificación e indemnización separada de los daños por frustración o pérdida de vacaciones, así como la nesesidad de establecer unas circunstancias a las que los jueces deban acogerse para llevar a cabo su valoración discrecional. La tesis propone que dichas circunstanciasd sean el alcance del incumplimiento del contrato de viaje, las condiciones personales del consumidor, el tipo de vacaciones objeto del viaje contratado y el valor residual de las vacaciones.

Modelagem da decisão por pacotes de viagem: um estudo usando processo de hierarquia analítica AHP

The objective of this dissertation is to propose a Multi Criteria Decision Aid Model to be used by the costumers of the travel agencies and help them to choose the best package travel. The main objective is to contribute for the simplification of the travel package decision choice from the identification of the models of values and preference of the customers and applying them to the existing package. It is used the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to structuralize a decision hierarchic model composed by six criteria (package cost, hotel category, security of the city, travel time, direct flight and position in ranking of the 10 most visited destination) and five real alternatives of packages for a holiday of three days created from travel agency data. The decision analysis was realized for the choice of a travel package by a group composed by two couples that regularly travels together, to which was asked to do a pairwise judgment of the criteria and the alternatives. The mains results show that, although been a group that travels together, there are different models of values in the weights of the criteria and a certain convergence in the scales of preferences of the alternatives in the criteria. It was not pointed a dominant alternative for all the members of the group separately, but an analysis of a total utility of the group shows a classification and an order of the travel packages and an alternative clearly in front of the others. The sensitivity analysis revels that there are changes in the ranking, but the two alternatives best classified in the normal analysis are the same ones in the sensitivity analysis, although with the positions changed. The analysis also led to a simplification of the process with the exclusion of alternatives dominated for the others ones. As main conclusion, it is evaluated that the model and method suggested allow a simplification of the decision process in the choice of travel packages

Nuevos horizontes en materia de viajes combinados

Los viajes combinados han ocupado tradicionalmente un lugar destacado dentro de la amplia gama de servicios ofrecidos por los operadores turísticos. Por ello, el Consejo de la Unión Europea adoptó en 1990 la Directiva 90/314/CEE, de 13 de junio, relativa a los viajes combinados, las vacaciones combinadas y los circuitos combinados, con el fin de eliminar, o cuanto menos mitigar, la especial situación de indefensión en que se encontraba aquél que los contrataba. Desde la aprobación de esta Directiva han pasado casi veinticinco años y ante el surgimiento de problemas derivados de la aparición de nuevos modelos de negocio y formas de contratación de los servicios turísticos que ni siquiera se plantearon en aquel momento, se ha hecho necesaria la revisión de una normativa a todas luces obsoleta e incapaz de proteger adecuadamente a los usuarios de estos servicios. Así, el 9 de julio de 2013 la Comisión Europea aprobó la Propuesta de Directiva del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo relativa a los viajes combinados y los servicios asistidos de viaje, por la que se modifican el Reglamento (CE) nº 2006/2004 y la Directiva 2011/83/UE y por la que se deroga la Directiva 90/314/CEE. El objetivo de este trabajo se centra en analizar las modificaciones propuestas por la C C omisión respecto al ámbito de aplicación de la Directiva 90/314/CEE y su posible repercusión en las legislaciones internas, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta el enfoque de armonización máxima que se pretende dar al nuevo texto.

Demographic, Behavioral and Perceptual Comparisons of U.S Visitor Experience with Group Package Tours and Free Independent Travel to China

U.S. visitor demand for the China travel experience is anticipated to rise significantly through 2105, causing the Chinese government to employ 100 million service providers over the next six years and raising concern about service delivery and perceptions of the on-site China experience. In an effort to better understand these issues concerning U.S. visitors, this study investigated two specific types of U.S. travelers to China: Group Package Tour (GPT) visitors and Free Independent Travel (FIT) visitors. Results indicated that GPT visitors were more likely to be older and have higher household income than FIT visitors. Four trip-related characteristics of GPT and FIT visitors were found to be significantly different, with GPT visitors showing higher levels of satisfaction with the overall China on-site travel experience.

RNetCDF – A Package for Reading and Writing NetCDF Datasets

This paper describes the RNetCDF package (version 1.6), an interface for reading and writing files in Unidata NetCDF format, and gives an introduction to the NetCDF file format. NetCDF is a machine independent binary file format which allows storage of different types of array based data, along with short metadata descriptions. The package presented here allows access to the most important functions of the NetCDF C-interface for reading, writing, and modifying NetCDF datasets. In this paper, we present a short overview on the NetCDF file format and show usage examples of the package.

The Schengen Governance Package-another missed opportunity?. IES Policy Brief Issue 2015/1, February 2015

The Schengen Area of free movement is considered to be one of the most substantial and, in the eyes of many, most successful achievements of European integration. In 2014, the ‘Schengen Governance Package’, which alters the rules of the Schengen co-operation, came into force. It is a response to conflict among Member States in maintaining the common zone of freedom of movement. This Policy Brief aims to analyse how this package was developed and to assess whether it represents a suitable response to the conflict and difficulties within the Schengen agreement. The Brief argues that the Governance Package only touches on one part of the problem, namely border controls, whereas it does not deal with solidarity and burden-sharing and hence represents another missed opportunity to improve cooperation in the Schengen Area.

The Schengen governance package - another missed opportunity? IES Policy Brief Issue 2015/1 February 2015

The Schengen Area of free movement is considered to be one of the most substantial and, in the eyes of many, most successful achievements of European integration. In 2014, the ‘Schengen Governance Package’, which alters the rules of the Schengen co-operation, came into force. It is a response to conflict among Member States in maintaining the common zone of freedom of movement. This Policy Brief aims to analyse how this package was developed and to assess whether it represents a suitable response to the conflict and difficulties within the Schengen agreement. The Brief argues that the Governance Package only touches on one part of the problem, namely border controls, whereas it does not deal with solidarity and burden-sharing and hence represents another missed opportunity to improve cooperation in the Schengen Area.

Sustainable Australia : containing travel in master planned estates

Low density suburban development and excessive use of automobiles are associated with serious urban and environmental problems. These problems include traffic congestion, longer commuting times, high automobile dependency, air and water pollution, and increased depletion of natural resources. Master planned development suggests itself as a possible palliative for the ills of low density and high travel. The following study examines the patterns and dynamics of movement in a selection of master planned estates in Australia. The study develops new approaches for assessing the containment of travel within planned development. Its key aim is to clarify and map the relationships between trip generation and urban form and structure. The initial conceptual framework of the paper is developed in a review of literature related to urban form and travel behaviour. These concepts are tested empirically in a pilot study of suburban travel activity in master planned estates. A geographical information systems methodology is used to determine regional journey-to-work patterns and travel containment rates. Factors that influence selfcontainment patterns are estimated with a regression model. This research is a useful preliminary examination of travel self-containment in Australian master planned estates.

Research Monograph : Sustainable Australia : Containing travel in master planned estates

Low density suburban development and excessive use of automobiles are associated with serious urban and environmental problems. These problems include traffic congestion, longer commuting times, high automobile dependency, air and water pollution, and increased depletion of natural resources. Master planned development suggests itself as a possible palliative for the ills of low density and high travel. The following study examines the patterns and dynamics of movement in a selection of master planned estates in Australia. The study develops new approaches for assessing the containment of travel within planned development. Its key aim is to clarify and map the relationships between trip generation and urban form and structure. The initial conceptual framework of the report is developed in a review of literature related to urban form and travel behaviour. These concepts are tested empirically in a pilot study of suburban travel activity in master planned estates. A geographical information systems (GIS) methodology is used to determine regional journey-to-work patterns and travel containment rates. Factors that influence self-containment patterns are estimated with a regression model. The key research findings of the pilot study are: - There is a strong relation between urban structural form and patterns of trip generation; - The travel self-containment of Australian master planned estates is lower than the scholarly literature implies would occur if appropriate planning principles to achieve sustainable urban travel were followed; - Proximity to the central business district, income level and education status are positively correlated with travel containment; - Master planned estates depend more on local and regional centres for employment than on the central business district; - The service sector is the major employer in and around master planned estates. It tends to provide part-time and casual employment rather than full-time employment; - Travel self-containment is negative correlated with car dependency. Master planned estates with less car dependent residents, and with good access to public transport, appear to be more self-contained and, consequently, more sustainable than the norm. This research is a useful preliminary examination of travel self-containment in Australian master planned estates. It by no means exhausts the subject. In future research we hope to further assess sustainable travel patterns with more detailed spatial analysis.

Chi viaggia ha delle storie da raccontare : those who travel have stories to tell

This review article uses the work of Italian scholar Milly Buonanno to review the state and future of television scholarship, given that the ‘age of television’ has been overtaken by the age of computer-based media. In particular, it discusses the role of open-ended narrative through which we collectively explore the human condition.

The role of land use and psycho-social factors in high density residents' work travel mode choices : implications for sustainable transport policy

Imperatives to improve the sustainability of cities often hinge upon plans to increase urban residential density to facilitate greater reliance on sustainable forms of transport and minimise car use. However there is ongoing debate about whether high residential density land use in isolation results in sustainable transport outcomes. Findings from surveys with residents of inner-urban high density dwellings in Brisbane, Australia, suggest that solo car travel accounts for the greatest modal share of typical work journeys and attitudes toward dwelling and neighbourhood transport-related features, residential sorting factors and socio-demographics, alongside land use such as public transport availability, are significantly associated with work travel mode choice. We discuss the implications of our findings for transport policy and management including encouraging relatively sustainable intermodal forms of transport for work journeys.

Investigation into Travel of Transit Oriented Development Residents’ of Kelvin Grove Urban Village

Travel surveys were conducted for collecting data related to residents’ travel at Kelvin Grove Urban Village (KGUV). Currently, KGUV has residents living in the affordable apartments, apartments, townhouses and student accommodation. As a part of data collection process, travel surveys were undertaken for residents living in apartments, affordable apartments and student accommodation. This document contains the questionnaire form used to collect the demographic and travel data related to residents at KGUV. A mail back survey technique was used to collect data for residents living in affordable apartment and apartments, and an intercept surveys was conducted for residents living in student accommodation.