General Information    
   
 
YOUR FINANCIAL SECURITY

Under EEC legislation all travel companies are obliged to make arrangements to give financial security for pre-payments made by their clients. Make sure your money is safe by dealing with a fully bonded and secure operator.

The air holidays and flights in this brochure are ATOL Protected, since we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 2537. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk.

As a member of AITO we are fully bonded for all coach tours. Bonding can be seen as an insurance policy that “pays out” if, for any reason, a bonded tour operator should cease trading. The bond guarantees that if the holiday cannot continue as planned, all monies paid to the tour operator (excluding non-refundable insurance premiums) will be refunded in full. To contact AITO www.aito.co.uk or call 0208 744 9280.
 
INSURANCE
 

All our clients travelling abroad must be covered by Travel Insurance. If required we can arrange this through Travel Insurance Facilities and insured by Union Reiseversicherung AG UK Branch. This insurance shall be subject to English Law.

PREMIUM per person (depending on age) from:
Silverstone
Europe
Worldwide
Up to 3 days
4-5 days
6 days
7-8 days
9-10 days
11-15 days
16-22 days
£6.00
£8.00
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
£16.00
£25.00
£27.00
£30.00
£34.00
£37.00
£42.00
N/A
£56.00
£56.00
£56.00
£56.00
£60.00
£65.00

Accompanied children under the age of 18 will be covered at half the above rates (reduced benefits apply). Persons between 66 and 74 years of age pay double the standard premium but receive reduced benefits. Persons over 75 - please enquire.

Unlike many other travel insurances, this policy includes a refund of holiday cost should the event you have booked to see be subject to cancellation. In respect of "single day" trips, abandonment cover will apply should a delay be sufficient to cause the insured person to miss the main event being the purpose of the trip.

Cancellation cover applies as soon as you have paid the premium and received the cover note. All other sections apply for the period of the holiday and during direct outward and return journeys. Space does not permit us to show here complete details of the terms, conditions and exclusions of the insurance but the cover note sets them out in full. However, the amount of cover includes:

1. Cancellation.
£5,000.

2. Curtailment.
£5,000.

3. Travel Delay.
If for any reason including mechanical breakdown, departure is delayed, there is cover of £20 for the first full 12 hours and £10 each full 12 hours thereafter, up to a maximum payment of £300.

4. Medical Expenses.
Up to £5,000,000 Europe and Worldwide (not in UK).

5. Hospital Confinement Benefit.
£20 per day, with a maximum of £400.

6. Personal Accident.
Up to £15,000 in respect of death (reduced to £1,500 for those under 18 or over 65). £15,000 in respect of the loss of one or more limbs and / or one or both eyes or permanent total disability (reduced to £10,000 for those under 18 or over 65).

 

7. Baggage and Personal Effects.
Up to £2,000. The limit for loss or damage to any one article/pair/set is £200. Total Valuables limit up to £200. The sum of £100 per insured adult will be paid for temporary loss or delay, pending ultimate safe arrival of essential wearing apparel contained in accompanied baggage caused through negligence of a public carrier. Such payments will not apply to baggage recovered within 12 hours.

8. Money and Travellers Cheques.
Up to £500 of personal money. (Cash, bank or currency notes, travellers cheques, credit cards and travel tickets are all covered by the term "personal money" – the limit for actual cash is £250).

9. Personal Liability.
Limit of indemnity £2,000,000.

10. Missed Departure.
Reimbursement of travelling expenses necessarily incurred up to a maximum of £500 to reach the booked destination in the event of the Insured Person arriving at the UK departure point too late to commence the booked holiday.
The Insured Person must take reasonable steps to complete the journey to the departure point in time. N.B. The Insured Person is not entitled to compensation under both this section and section 3.

11. Legal Expenses.
Up to £50,000 for injury, illness or death of the insured in respect of pursuing claims against third parties.

12. Emergency Service.
In the event of a serious illness or accident there is a 24-hour service available.

13. General Exclusions.
The Insured Person has to pay the first £100 of each and every claim under sections 1, 2, 4, 7 and 8 (the first £250 of each and every claim under sections 9 and 11). Medical expenses incurred in the UK are also excluded.

Demands and Needs
This travel insurance policy will suit the Demands and Needs of an individual, or group (where applicable) who have no excluded pre-existing medical conditions, are travelling to countries included within the policy terms and who wish to insure themselves against the unforeseen events detailed in the cover section above. Subject to terms and conditions and maximum specified claim limits.

Important
You may already possess alternative insurance(s) for some or all the features and benefits provided by this product: it is your responsibility to investigate this. We will not provide you with advice about the suitability of this product for your individual needs but we will be happy to provide you with factual information to assist you in making an informed buying decision.

 
         
 
The AITO Quality Charter
 

AITO is the Association for independent and specialist holiday companies. Our member companies, usually owner-managed, strive to create overseas holidays with high levels of professionalism and a shared concern for quality and personal service. The Association encourages the highest standards in all aspects of tour operating.

EXCLUSIVE MEMBERSHIP
AITO sets criteria regarding ownership, finance and quality which must be satisfied before new companies are admitted to membership. All members are required to adhere to a Code of Business Practice which encourages high operational standards and conduct.

FINANCIAL SECURITY
An AITO member is required to arrange financial protection for all holidays and other arrangements (including accommodation only) booked by customers with the member under the AITO logo. This financial protection applies to customers who are resident in the UK at the time of booking and to most overseas customers who have booked directly with the member. In doing so, the member must comply with UK Government regulations. Members are required to submit details of their financial protection arrangements to AITO on a regular basis.

ACCURATE BROCHURES and WEB SITES
All members do their utmost to ensure that all their brochures and other publications, print or electronic, clearly and accurately describe the holidays and services offered.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENTS
All members are committed to high standards of service and believe in regular and thorough training of employees. Members continually seek to review and improve their holidays. They listen to their customers and always welcome suggestions for improving standards.

MONITORING STANDARDS
AITO endeavours to monitor quality standards regularly. All customers should receive a post-holiday questionnaire, the results of which are scrutinised by the Association.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
All members acknowledge the importance of AITO's Sustainable Tourism guidelines, which recognise the social, economic and environmental responsibilities of tour operating. Those demonstrating their achievements beyond the pure acceptance of this principle are recognised by the award of 2 to 5 star status.

CUSTOMER RELATIONS
All members endeavour to deal swiftly and fairly with any issues their customers may raise. In the unlikely event that a dispute between an AITO member and a customer cannot be settled amicably, AITO's low-cost Independent Dispute Settlement Service may be called upon by either side to bring the matter to a speedy and acceptable conclusion.