Sometimes your best protection from a travel disaster is as thin as a sheet of paper.

Jeff Ment believes that having well-crafted legal documents can make the difference between a peaceful problem resolution and a lengthy legal nightmare. And he would know — after working as a travel agent, a tour guide and an airline salesman, he found his place in the world as a travel attorney.

On this episode, Jeff shares the most common legal mistakes most tour operators and travel professionals are making. He breaks down the documents you need to have in place, how to handle emergency situations and what simple habits could save you from legal headaches. Plus, we have travel news about the growing trend of small-group tours and a Hot Minute about what your email habits reveal about your character.

Insights from Jeff

Jeff had a lot of insight about what makes a good legal document — and what doesn’t. Here’s what he had to say about why you shouldn’t skimp on them:

A poorly drafted one isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. And one that doesn’t have the right language for the state that you want to interpret it isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on…. Copying somebody else’s, doing it off of the internet, trying to make your own, are certainly going to save you a few bucks in the near term. But may cost you a lot more in the long run.

Plus you’ll hear his thoughts on:

  • Why tour operators are in a unique legal position
  • Why your terms and conditions need updating
  • The ADA rules that could cost you time and money

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Contact Jeff Ment at jment@mentlaw.com.

Register for A Kentucky Nightcap and NTA Travel Exchange at ntatravelexchange.com.

Key Moments from This Episode

2:19 — Travel News: Small-group touring continues to grow

3:31 — A Kentucky Nightcap you won’t want to miss

7:42 — How Jeff Ment went from tour guide to travel attorney

8:54 — What does a travel lawyer do, anyway?

12:19 — Why tour operators are in a unique legal position

17:24 — Are your release waivers any good

20:03 — Why your terms and conditions need some attention

24:22 — What kind of contracts should you have with your vendors?

30:31 — What to do if you have an accident on a tour

34:18 — How your website could get you in legal trouble

36:42 — Staying compliant with ADA regulations

49:11 — Hot Minute: What do your email habits reveal about your character?

Watch the Full Interview

See the full interview with Ali on our YouTube channel.

About the Podcast

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.