HOLIDAY
TOURS INTERNATIONAL (PTY) LTD.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF FAIR TRADING
CONTRACT
A contract will not exist between the Company and the passenger / s until such
time as we have received a completed / signed copy of our standard Booking Form.
DEPOSITS / FULL PAYMENT
Unless otherwise specified, a non-refundable and non-transferable deposit of 20%
(25% on selected products) of the total tour price, per person, is payable
within seven days of making a reservation. The balance of the total tour price
due is payable not later than eight weeks prior to the departure, unless
otherwise specified. The total amount due is payable immediately in respect of
reservations received within eight weeks of departure. Provisional reservations
will automatically be cancelled if the company has not received a signed
Passenger Booking Form, together with the required deposit or full payment, as
applicable, within 7 working days of receiving the reservation request.
In addition to the required deposit for the land content, for reservations that
include air tickets, we are required by the relevant airline to issue the air
tickets within a specified time period from date of reservation. Should payment
not have been received we will be unable to issue such tickets and the airline
will automatically cancel. Please therefore refer to your confirmation for
details regarding the ticketing time limits.
Holiday Tours will accept payment by credit card, bank issued cheque, travel
agency cheque (IATA accredited agencies only) or cash. A signed and validated
Standard Credit Card Charge Form is the only recognised form of payment for
credit cards. If the card is a foreign credit card then you will be requested to
supply various other details. All payments to be made out to Holiday Tours. Any
charges made to a client’s credit card (debits) whilst away are the client’s
responsibility. Holiday Tours will not be responsible, nor accept responsibility
for having these charges reversed or corrected upon return to South Africa.
CANCELLATIONS
In accordance with the policy followed by members of ASATA / SATOA, once a
reservation request has been received in our office, it becomes liable for
cancellation fees in accordance with the following scale, unless otherwise
specified. Passengers who cancel their reservations more than 8 weeks prior to
departure – forfeiture of full deposit paid. Passengers who cancel within:
8 Weeks prior to departure: 25% of total tour price,
6 Weeks prior to departure: 30% of total tour price,
4 Weeks prior to departure: 50% of total tour price,
3 Weeks prior to departure: 80% of total tour price,
2 Weeks prior to departure: 100% of total tour price.
These conditions will be strictly adhered to and cancellation insurance is
therefore strongly recommended. In accordance with the standard procedure
adopted by all tour operators worldwide, we reserve the right to cancel any tour
/ travel arrangements prior to departure, in which event the entire payment made
will be refunded to the passenger without any further obligation on the part of
the company.
Furthermore, all bookings are subject to the terms and conditions specified by
the supplier of the services which the customer contracts to in terms of the
booking. The Company will provide on request, the identity of the supplier and
such supplier’s terms and conditions may include, but are not limited to,
provisions regarding the cancellation fees or amendment fees applicable to
confirmed reservations, refunds/no refunds for no-shows/unused services; late
booking fees; baggage allowances; confirmation of flights, etc. In the case of
airlines, the general cancellation fee applicable to tickets issued, is 25%
(twenty five per centum); the typical baggage allowance is 20kg; extension of
ticket validity is not permitted and the customer must reconfirm his/her flight
within 72 hours prior to departure.
INSURANCE
All passengers are strongly urged to take out travel insurance, covering
personal accident, medical expenses, baggage and loss of deposit through
cancellation and / or default of the individual principal service providers.
TOUR PRICES
All tour prices are based on the airfares, tariffs and rates of exchange, which
are applicable at the time when those quotations were provided. All tour /
travel prices are therefore subject to change, without prior notice, due to
unforeseen exchange rate fluctuations, tariff adjustments and / or accommodation
/ airfare increases, which may become effective up to, and including the day,
that full payment is affected.
Prices quoted on the price insert in this brochure or any brochure, website or
fax, are based on air fares (where included), hotel prices, land costs and rates
of exchange at the date printed on the price insert. Holiday Tours reserves the
right to adjust tour prices at time of booking in accordance with increases in
air fares, hotel rates and currency fluctuations after the brochure date. All
information contained in the Holiday Tours brochure/itinerary and price inserts
are to the best of the Holiday Tours knowledge and belief true and correct, but
Holiday Tours accepts no liability for any errors/inaccuracies contained
therein.
NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE
Tour prices do not include airport taxes (unless otherwise specified), local
hotel tourism taxes / levies (where applicable), car rental contract levies
(where applicable), costs of obtaining visas and passports, telephone calls,
laundry, entertainment arrangements, meals / beverages and other items of a
personal nature, unless actually specified to the contrary, in the itinerary /
tour program & relevant documentation.
OVER BOOKINGS
We undertake to inform you without delay if we cancel your reservation and will
offer you an alternative of at least a comparable standard (if one is available)
or a full refund of the deposit within 21 days. We will take all reasonable
steps to ensure that your accommodation is available on your arrival. However,
if we are aware of it being overbooked before the time of your departure we will
inform you and offer you an alternative of at least equal standard (if
available) or a full refund of the payment. If we are unaware of the overbooking
at the time of your departure then we will offer appropriate compensation, if
the alternative accommodation offered is substandard to the accommodation
originally booked.
TOUR ITINERARIES
Tour itineraries / travel arrangements are subject to alteration where necessary
according to local conditions en route, without prior notice. Due to various
prevailing / unforeseen circumstances, tours are not always able to follow the
provisional / suggested routing as set out in the tour brochure / published
itinerary. Information contained therein should therefore be regarded as a basic
guide only. While it is possible for the passenger to break away from planned
holiday itineraries, after departure it is understood that extra expenses
incurred as a result of such a breakaway will be for the passenger’s account and
any unused service will not be refunded. Amendments and cancellations en route
must be made with our operators directly
While every effort is made to keep to all confirmed itineraries, we reserve the
right to make changes for your convenience. Because we plan arrangements in
advance, do not own or control the airlines, hotels and/or other supplier
companies who will provide passenger holiday components, changes and even
cancellations can occasionally become necessary. In the event that the hotel
accommodation, excursion, service, flight, etc. has been properly confirmed by
Holiday Tours, and not withstanding this, is unavailable for any reason
whatsoever, Holiday Tours do not accept any liability.
Air transportation will be economy class unless otherwise specified.
No refund will be considered for any unused services irrespective of whether
they form part of the basic inclusive tour price or whether they are in respect
of pre-booked optional arrangements.
AMENDMENT FEE
An amendment fee of R200.00 plus VAT, per party, per amendment, will be charged,
domestic travel bookings will be subject to a R50.00 plus VAT charge
LATE BOOKINGS
A minimum late booking fee of R200 plus VAT, per booking, will be charged in
respect of all reservations received within five working days of the departure
date in order to cover urgent communication / administration expenses.
DOCUMENTATION
It is the personal responsibility of each passenger to ensure that they are in
possession of the correct documentation prior to departure. The company shall
not accept responsibility for any consequences of any nature whatsoever arising
from the passenger failing to ensure that he / she has complied with the
necessary health / passport / visa requirements.
RECONFIRMATIONS
Passengers are reminded about the importance of reconfirming their onward /
return flight reservations, on arrival of each destination. Failure to do so may
result in cancellation of reservations.
PASSPORTS, VISAS, VACCINATIONS AND INOCULATIONS
The responsibility to obtain proper, current and valid passports, visas,
vaccinations, inoculations and the like, where required, is that of the customer
alone. The company shall not be responsible or liable for any consequence of any
nature arising from the customer failing to ensure that he/she has complied with
all such requirements. The Customer must ensure that their passport is valid for
at least six months beyond the end of the travel period. South African residents
traveling on a foreign passport must ensure that they have correct documentation
from Home Affairs. Holiday Tours bears no responsibility for incorrect passport
or immigration documentation.
RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY
Holiday Tours act as agents only for local and international ground operators
and airlines and accordingly accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss,
damage, injury, accident, delay or any other irregularity howsoever arising.
Holiday Tours makes every effort to ensure that all the arrangements and
services connected with a passengers itinerary will be carried out as specified
and/or in the most efficient and effective way possible. However, we do not have
direct control over the provision of services by suppliers and, whilst they are
in all cases selected with the utmost care, we do not accept liability for error
and omissions of such suppliers Please be aware that hotels undergo renovations
for time to time. Hotels take all possible steps to limit disruption to their
guests. We will not entertain complaints, or requests for refunds, if a hotel in
carrying our renovations whilst a guest is resident. If we are specifically
advised of renovation work, dates may be provided but it is important to
remember that these are subject to change and we are not always notified. We
will not, therefore, be held accountable for complaints concerning renovations
that extend beyond the date originally specified.
CONTRACT RATES
In accordance with standard industry practice, most of our foreign hotel rates,
airport transfer services and other tour / travel / cruise / transport
arrangements etc. are contracted for 12 months in advance, on an annual basis.
In most instances, the seasonal net tariffs applicable to high volume producing
wholesalers generally represent savings over the normal public rack rates that
would ordinarily be applicable to individual members of the public.
There may however be times where certain travel / accommodation suppliers
advertise / offer short term discounted ‘special offer’ rates which are
essentially intended for their own domestic home markets. In such instances,
those rates may undercut our confirmed advance booking / contracted prepaid
international market rates. When individual suppliers exercise their inherent
right to adopt any short-term tactical discounting policy for distressed
inventory, it is generally as a result of an unforeseen downturn in the normal
anticipated booking trends, or as a means to counter offers made by competitors,
during depressed market conditions.
This sometimes has the effect of causing a temporary ‘price war’ in the local
market, amongst competing suppliers and tour operators. In signing this booking
form, passengers acknowledge that our rates are contracted for in advance and
that once accepted, situations as explained above may occur. Accordingly we
cannot be held liable for any price discrepancy that may arise between the
contracted tariffs we offer for the advance booking services we provide, and any
possible short term lower market rate tariff differentials that may be available
to direct customers, from time to time.
STANDARD TRADING CONDITIONS
All companies and divisions of the Holiday Holdings International Travel Group
(including Holiday Travel / Holiday Trading International / Holiday Tours / Go
Australia / Travel Directions / Holiday Aviation / Holiday Leisure Marketing and
Discover the World Marketing), act only as agents on behalf of local and
international principal suppliers of accommodation, transportation, cruise,
rail, and other general travel related services. Whilst every effort is always
made to ensure that our preferred suppliers fulfill their obligations to our
clients, Holiday Holdings and their associated companies shall not be liable for
any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or any other irregularity that may be
occasioned by any defect in any vehicle, or other form of conveyance, or by
error or default of any company or person engaged in carrying out the tour /
travel arrangements, conveying the passengers, or otherwise in connection
herewith. We subscribe to the general policy adopted by members of SATOA (South
African Tour Operators Association) and accordingly companies in the Holiday
Holdings Group do not accept responsibility or liability for the financial
default of any service provider, which may result in the non-performance of
obligations to the passenger in respect of pre-paid travel arrangements
organized through any Holiday Holdings company or associate, acting in their
capacity as an agent, on behalf of such principal suppliers.
DOMICILIUM ET EXECUTANDI
Holiday House
156 Hendrik Verwoerd Drive
Randburg
2125
Holiday Tours, a Division of Holiday Holdings Ltd, shall be entitled, at its
option to institute any legal proceedings arising out of or in connection with
this contract in any Magistrate’s Court having jurisdiction in terms of Section
29 of the Magistrate’s Court Act No 32/1944 as amended, notwithstanding that the
amount in issue may exceed the limits of such jurisdiction.
HH / Head Office / Ref: 00786
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