Tourist cruises and sustainability in terms of private international law: an entelechy?

Abstract

The spectacular growth of cruise tourism in countries such as Spain must be accompanied necessarily by parallel sustainable development. Many questions arise in relation to the desired sustainable protection of the environment, cruisers (travellers-consumers or travellers-passengers?) and cruise workers, as aspects chosen in this study. In practice, the complexity of the legal framework surrounding cruises reflects the equally complex web of human relationships involved. There is no specific legislation, but rather a plurality of potentially applicable sources depending on the thematic sector involved: travel packages, passenger transport, workers, the environment, etc. Tourist cruises can demonstrate the relevant and constructive role of Private international law as an indispensable part of the legal framework – both international and domestic – necessary to make the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda a reality in this context and not an entelechy.