Covid-19 and Insurance
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we request that Clients acknowledge and fully understand that travel arrangements may be interrupted or cancelled by the associated travel supplier, a government entity, or another third party outside of Agent’s control for reasons that are unforeseeable at time of booking. We ask Clients to also understand and acknowledge that travel involves the risk of a variety of hazards to health and/or safety, including but not limited to, injury, illness, disease, epidemics, and/or pandemics. Clients are to assume all such risks associated with travel whether or not specified during planning process. Clients should further understand and acknowledge that the Agency/Agent has no control over the associated supplier’s policies which, in addition to applicable law, will solely govern any cancellation, rebooking, and refund related to travel arrangements.
Clients are requested to also understand and acknowledge that the purchase of travel insurance is highly recommended and that coverage for circumstances such as these depends on the specific policy Clients purchase. Should Clients elect to obtain coverage, the travel insurance policy obtained by Clients to cover these travel arrangements will dictate any coverage for financial loss resulting from these circumstances.
As such, in purchasing travel coverage via the Agency/Agent or through their own methods, Clients should agree to hold the Agent harmless and release them from any and all liability for any damages including, without limitation, monetary losses, damage to person or property, illness/disease, delays, negligence, or inconvenience, that Clients may incur as a result of the circumstances described herein.
Travel Restrictions
During the Covid-19 pandemic, worldwide travel restrictions and requirements have been in constant flux. While Agents do their best to keep up with daily changes, it is humanly impossible for single agents to know of each and every change to every destination’s requirements. Therefore, there must be a shared responsibility amongst the Agent and the Client traveler in regards to the destination’s travel requirements in which the Client will travel to. Agent will advise as best as possible but Client must also check with their airline prior to departure for the latest updates and required documentation prior to flying to and from their destination.
Failure to have the proper COVID-19 documentation may affect your International Travel. It is the Traveler’s responsibility to have all of the necessary documents, tests, and vaccinations completed prior to departure from, and for re-entry into, the United States. Each destination will have a different set of guidelines; Traveler must check the destination country website for current arrival and departure protocols. Improper required travel documentation is not covered by any Travel Insurance Plans. Responsibility for all of the above lies solely with the Traveler.
As of September 2021, all Travelers returning to the United States are required by the CDC to produce, at time of boarding, negative PCR test results taken within 72 hours of your flight back to the US.
Flexibility
We ask that Clients remain patient and open to flexibility in planning as the world of travel remains in constant flux during the ongoing pandemic. Services, prices, and destinations are not the same as they were two years ago and the travel industry is still trying to adapt to this new unprecedented world as best as we are able.
Airfare
Agencies are unable to find airfare deals and only book published rates direct from airlines. Therefore, it is difficult to include airfare within desired budgets or hunt for desired airfare. If you happen upon an airfare you prefer, please feel free to book it on your own, as chances are it may increase in price unexpectedly quickly.
Pricing Transparency
Agency and Agent income comes almost entirely from commissions paid from hotel and tour suppliers, but commission is unpaid until some months after the Clients complete their travels. Therefore, we ask for planning fees to cover our many hours of work and research before Clients embark on travels. In certain types of bookings, we may ask for additional fees if the booking types do not pay commission (air, AirBnB/VRBO, etc). When bookings are cancelled, commissions will not be received therefore we ask for cancellation fees to account for the work we have put in to the trip which will now not occur.
Traveler Responsibility
Agency and Agent are not responsible for any activity or actions Clients/Travelers take while in destination, and we encourage Travelers to be respectful of local culture, traditions, and peoples. We will do our best to prepare Travelers with information about etiquette and therefore encourage Clients to carefully review ALL reading materials during the planning process and before embarking on their travels. In general, we encourage Travelers to act with respect to their environment and to their surroundings, as well as their fellow Travelers.
Sustainability and Ethics
In light of increasing worldwide environmental and ethical concerns, we strive to book properties, experiences, and tours which are sustainable, ethical, and humane. Therefore, we do not support tours to so-called “animal sanctuaries” with histories of animal abuses, or other such attractions, and we strive to support eco-friendly hotels and tour suppliers as much as possible.