The International Code for the Protection of Tourists Carlos Torres1 1. Introduction; 2. Definitions; 3. Principles of the Assistance to International Tourists in Emergency Situations; 4. Prevention, Information, Assistance and Repatriation. 1. INTRODUCTION The International Code for the Protection of Tourists (ICPT) was approved at the 24th UNWTO General Assembly, held in Madrid from 30 November to 3 December 2021. Following previous initiatives2, this document comes at a time of institutional turmoil and criticism regarding the UNWTO’s weak role in the COVID-19 crisis. However, it is not an innovative measure, as there is a long history in this field; it is perhaps a way for the UNWTO to react to the accusations of lack of involvement and intervention in related tourism issues. It is irrelevant whether it is a single service (hotel or aeroplane ticket), a package tour or a linked travel arrangement, the aim is to protect the tourist regardless of how the travel services have been purchased or combined. 2. DEFINITIONS Chapter I contains several definitions, starting with the definition of tourist, which, following the previous definition by the UNWTO, means “a person taking a trip which includes an overnight stay to a main destination outside his/her usual environment, for less than a year, for any main purpose (business, leisure or other personal purpose) other than to be employed by a resident entity in the country or place visited.”. 1 Estoril Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies (ESHTE). 2 See, further, Marques, C. L. (2020). “International Convention on Travel Contracts (CCV) – Solutions for Coronavirus on the 50th Anniversary of its Approval: Rise and Fall” in Collective Commentary about the New Package Travel Directive, p. 652, available in https://publicacoes.eshte.pt/dir/ccnptd/652.
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