ASPECTS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION DEGREE OF THE WORLD CODE OF ETHICS IN TOURISM

The Code of Ethics is a set of basic principles whose purpose is to guide tourism development and to serve as a frame of reference for the different stakeholders in the tourism sector . The main objective of the Code of Ethics is minimi- sing the negative impact of tourism on the environment and a cultural heritage while maximizing the benefits of tourism in promoting sustai- nable and responsible development, including poverty alleviation, as well as understanding among nations. The Code of Ethics is not a legally binding instrument and therefore its acceptance is voluntary . The voluntary nature of this instrument is a feature on wich the WTO places particular emphasis. The application of the Code may, nevertheless, be advanced by the incorporation of its contents and provisions into appropriate legislation, regulations and professional codes. Such provisions, based on the Code and adopted at national or industry levels, would be binding according to the terms of reference of each adopting constituency. In 2004, after five years from the adoption of the Code, World Committee on Tourism Ethics, a specialized structure (body) of the WTO, decided to carry out a survey his members to assess the degree of implementation of the Code and for the establishment the future strategy for promoting and the implementation of the Code. The results indicate that a great part of the WTO’ s members had already incorporeted the principles of the Code into their laws, regulations or tourism development plans. Romania is one of the countries in which the Code has been implementated; this has been translated and disseminated among the varios tourism stakeholders; the provisions of the Code have also been incorporated into regulations and professional codes and the NTO incurages the entrepreneurs in adoption their own code.