Tourism Law in Europe

12 only the tourism services listed in the law for particular tourism services providers whereby the providers must fulfill all the specific conditions for the provision of a tourism service depending on its nature. Sometimes, to establish whether these special conditions have been fulfilled, there is also a requirement that before the commencement of the provision of tourism services, the competent administrative authority must render a special decision approving the performance of a service (e.g. tourist guides, services in nautical tourism). In addition, there are also special obligations for individual service providers regarding the registration of their operation with the Ministry of Tourism in order to be registered in the Central Registry. Indeed, the provision of tourism services is subject to very strict administrative supervision and inspection 42 . The most important providers of tourism services in Croatia are travel agencies and travel guides. Travel agency is defined as a company, a sole trader, a craftsman or their organisational units, providing tourism services as traders 43 , organisers 44 or retailers 45 organising, mediating or providing other services connected with the trips or stays of tourists [art. 7(21) TSA]. The services of a travel agency are listed in article 12(1). These are tourist services that may be provided only by a travel agency unless it is otherwise prescribed by law 46 . The main travel agency obligations are to display its company name, seat, working hours, general information and to keep any business secrets, entrust the transportation of travelers to a licensed carrier, use tourist escorts and authorised tourist guides for package trips and excursions, as well as to provide pre-contractual excursion information to travelers 47 . A travel agency is obliged to have at least one employed operations manager who is responsible for its functioning (art. 16 TSA). Operations managers may be citizens of Croatia, of other EU/EEA MS or the Swiss Confederation. They may also be citizens of other 42 See Arts 101-112, TSA. 43 Trader is any natural od legal person acting with respect to the contracts regulated by the TSA for the purposes connected with commercial, business, craft or professional activity [(art. 7(7)]. 44 Organiser is a trader who combines and sells or offers packages [art. 7(8)]. 45 Retailer is a trader who is not the organiser but sells or offers packages combined by the ograniser for sale [art. 7(9)]. 46 A travel agency organises, sells and executes package trips, excursions, tourist transfer services, facilitates the purchase of trips in the form od linked travel arrangements, mediates in the sale of package trips and excursions, sells, mediates, books hospitality and catering services, tourist guides, et al. 47 Articles 20-25 TSA.