Booking Conditions
YOUR CONTRACT IS WITH Wigmore Holidays and Travel Limited, a member of ABTA.
Please read the following conditions carefully.
1. Your Holiday Contract
When you make a booking you guarantee
that you have the authority to accept and
do accept on behalf of your party the terms
of these booking conditions. A contract
will exist as soon as we issue our
confirmation invoice. This contract is made
on the terms of these booking conditions,
which are governed by English Law, and
the jurisdiction of the English Courts. You
may however, choose the law and
jurisdiction of Scotland or Northern Ireland if
you wish to do so.
If you had not seen these terms and
conditions when you made your booking
and you are not happy to proceed with the
booking now that you have seen them
please return all documentation to us or to
your travel agent, within 7 days of receiving
these booking conditions. Your booking will
be cancelled and your monies will be
returned in full, provided you have not
commenced your travel. This clause does
not apply if your booking was made within
10 weeks of travel
2.Your Financial Protection
The Package Travel, Package Holidays and
Package Tours Regulations 1992 require us
to provide security for the monies that you
pay for the package holidays booked from
this brochure and for your repatriation in
the event of our insolvency.
We provide this security by way of a bond
held by the Civil Aviation Authority under
ATOL number 3742.
3.What Happens to Complaints
We are a member of ABTA, membership
number V7418. We are obliged to maintain
a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s
Code of Conduct. We can also offer you an
arbitration scheme for the resolution of
disputes arising out of, or in connection
with this contract. Further information on
the Code and arbitration can be found at
www.abta.com
The arbitration scheme is arranged by ABTA
and administered independently by the
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. It provides
for a simple and inexpensive method of
arbitration on documents alone with
restricted liability on you in respect of costs.
Full details will be provided on request or
can be obtained from the ABTA website.
The Scheme does not apply to claims for an
amount greater than £5,000 per person.
There is also a limit of £25,000 per booking
form. Neither does it apply to claims which
are solely in respect of physical injury or
illness or their consequences. The Scheme
can however deal with compensation
claims which include an element of minor
injury or illness subject to a limit of £1,000
on the amount the arbitrator can award per
person in respect of this element.
The application for arbitration and Statement of Claim must be received by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators within nine months of the date of return from the holiday. Outside this time limit arbitration under the Scheme may still be available if the company agrees, but the ABTA Code does not require such agreement.
For injury and illness claims, you may like to use the ABTA / Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Mediation Procedure. This is a voluntary scheme and requires us to agree for mediation to go ahead. The aim is to help you resolve your dispute in a quick and cost effective way. Details on request or from www.abta.com
4.Your Holiday Price
1) We reserve the right to alter the prices of any of the holidays shown in our brochure. You will be advised of the current price of the holiday that you wish to book before your contract is confirmed. 2) When you make your booking you must pay a deposit of £80 per person. The balance of the price of your travel arrangements must be paid at least 8 weeks before your departure date. If the deposit and/or balance is not paid in time, we shall cancel your travel arrangements. If the balance is not paid in time we shall retain your deposit. All monies you pay to the travel agent are held by him on our behalf at all times. The price of your travel arrangements was calculated using exchange rates quoted in the “Financial Times Guide to World Currencies” on 16 February 2007 in relation to the Tunisian Dinar. 3) The price of your travel arrangements is fully guaranteed and will not be subject to any surcharges.
5. If You Change Your Booking
If, after our confirmation invoice has been issued, you wish to change your travel arrangements in any way, for example your chosen departure date or accommodation, we will do our utmost to make these changes but it may not always be possible. Any request for changes to be made must be in writing from the person who made the booking or your travel agent. You will be asked to pay an administration charge of £20 per person, and any further cost we incur in making this alteration. You should be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date that changes are made and you should contact us as soon as possible.
Note: Certain travel arrangements (e.g.
flight tickets) may not be changeable
after a reservation has been made and
any alteration request could incur a
cancellation charge of up to 100% of
that part of the arrangements.
6. If You Cancel Your Holiday
You, or any member of your party, may cancel your travel arrangements at any time. Written notification from the person who made the booking or your travel agent on your behalf must be received at our offices. Since we incur costs in cancelling your travel arrangements, you will have to pay the applicable cancellation charges up to the maximum shown in clause 7.
Note: If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges.
7. If We Change or Cancel Your Holiday
It is unlikely that we will have to make any
changes to your travel arrangements, but
we do plan the arrangements many
months in advance. Occasionally, we may
have to make changes and we reserve the
right to do so at any time. Most of these
changes will be minor and we will advise
you or your travel agent of them at the
earliest possible date. We also reserve the
right in any circumstances to cancel your
travel arrangements. For example, if the
minimum number of clients required for a
particular travel arrangement is not reached,
we may have to cancel it. However, we will
not cancel your travel arrangements less
than 8 weeks before your departure date,
except for reasons of force majeure or
failure by you to pay the final balance. If
we are unable to provide the booked travel
arrangements, you can either have a refund
of all monies paid or accept an offer of
alternative travel arrangements of
comparable standard from us, if available
(we will refund any price difference if the
alternative is of a lower value). If it is
necessary to cancel your travel
arrangements, we will pay to you
compensation as set out in this clause.
In accordance with EU regulations we are
required to advise you of the actual carrier
operating your flight/connecting
flight/transfer. We do this by listing carriers
to be used or likely to be used as follows:
Tunisair, British Airways (operated by GB
Airways), Sevenair.
Any changes to the actual airline after you
have received your tickets will be notified to
you as soon as possible and in all cases at
check-in or at the boarding gate. Such a
change is deemed to be a minor change.
Other examples of minor changes include
alteration of your outward/return flights by
less than 12 hours, changes to aircraft type,
change of accommodation to another of
the same standard.
If we make a major change to your holiday,
we will inform you or your travel agent as
soon as reasonably possible if there is time
before your departure. You will have the
choice of either accepting the change of
arrangements, accepting an offer of
alternative travel arrangements of
comparable standard from us if available
(we will refund any price difference if the
alternative is of a lower value), or cancelling
your booked holiday and receiving a full
refund of all monies paid. In all cases,
except where the major change arises due
to reasons of force majeure, we will pay
compensation as detailed below:
Period before departure within which notice of Cancellation or major change is received by us or notified to you |
IF WE MAKE A MAJOR CHANGE TO YOUR HOLIDAY |
IF WE CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY |
IF YOU CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY |
||||
Amount you will receive from us |
Amount of cancellation charge |
||||||
More than 56 days |
£10 |
Deposit only |
Deposit only |
||||
| More than 29 days | £20 |
100% of hol cost + £10 | 50% of hol cost | ||||
| More than 15 days | £30 |
100% of hol cost + £20 | 65% of hol cost | ||||
| More than 5 days | £40 |
100% of hol cost + £30 | 80% of hol cost | ||||
| 5 days or less | £50 |
100% of hol cost + £40 | 100% of hol cost |
The compensation that we offer does not exclude you from claiming more if you are entitled to do so.
Force Majeure: This means that we will not pay you compensation if we have to cancel or change your travel arrangements in any way because of unusual or unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control. These can include, for example, war, riot, industrial dispute, terrorist activity and its consequences, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions.
8. If You Have a Complaints
If you have a problem during your holiday,
please inform the relevant supplier (e.g. your
hotelier) and our resort representative
immediately who will endeavour to put
things right. If your complaint is not resolved
locally, please follow this up within 28 days
of your return home by writing to our
Customer Services Department at Wigmore
Holidays, 9 Kingsway, London WC2B 6XF,
giving your booking reference and all other
relevant information. Please keep your letter
concise and to the point. This will assist us to
quickly identify your concerns and speed up
our response to you.
It is strongly recommended that you
communicate any complaint to the
supplier of the services in question as
well as to our representative without
delay and complete a report form
whilst in resort.
If you fail to follow this simple procedure we
will have been deprived of the opportunity to
investigate and rectify your complaint whilst
you were in resort and this may affect your
rights under this contract.
9. Our Liability to You
If the contract we have with you is not
performed or is improperly performed by us
or our suppliers we will pay you appropriate
compensation if this has affected the
enjoyment of your travel arrangements.
However we will not be liable where any
failure in the performance of the contract is
due to: you; or a third party unconnected
with the provision of the travel
arrangements and where the failure is
unforeseeable or unavoidable; or unusual
and unforeseeable circumstances beyond
our control, the consequences of which
could not have been avoided even if all due
care had been exercised; or an event which
we or our suppliers, even with all due care,
could not foresee or forestall.
Our liability, except in cases involving death,
injury or illness, shall be limited to a
maximum of three times the cost of your
travel arrangements. Our liability will also be
limited in accordance with and/or
in an identical manner to
(a) The contractual terms of the companies
that provide the transportation for your
travel arrangements. These terms are
incorporated into this contract; and
(b) Any relevant international convention,
for example the Montreal Convention in
respect of travel by air, the Athens
Convention in respect of travel by sea, the
Berne Convention in respect of travel by rail
and the Paris Convention in respect of the
provision of accommodation, which limit
the amount of compensation that you can
claim for death, injury, delay to passengers
and loss, damage and delay to luggage. We
are to be regarded as having all benefit of
any limitation of compensation contained in
these or any other conventions.
You can ask for copies of the transport
companies' contractual terms, or the
international conventions, from our offices
(Wigmore Holidays, 9 Kingsway, London
WC2B 6XF, Tel: 020-7836 4999).
Under EU law you have rights in some
circumstances to refunds and/or
compensation from your airline in cases of
denied boarding, cancellation or delay to
flights. Full details of these rights are
publicised at EU airports and will also be
available from airlines. However
reimbursement in such cases will not
automatically entitle you to a refund of your
holiday cost from us. Your right to a refund
and/or compensation from us is set out in
clause 7. If any payments to you are due
from us, any payment made to you by the
airline will be deducted from this amount. If
your airline does not comply with these
rules you should complain to the Air
Transport Users' Council on 020 7240 6061 www.auc.org.uk
10. Personal Injury
If the contract we have with you is not performed or is improperly performed as a result of failures attributable to a third party unconnected with the provision of the services, or as a result of failures due to unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised, or an event which we or our suppliers, even with all due care, could not foresee or forestall, and you suffer an injury or other material loss, we will offer you such prompt assistance as is reasonable in the circumstances.
11. Passport, Visa and Immigration Requirements
Your specific passport and visa requirements, and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements. Visas from the Tunisian Embassy usually take 3-4 weeks to obtain. 24-hour helpline 0906558977 (calls are charged at £1 per minute).
12. Exclusions
Excursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on holiday are not part of your package holiday provided by us. For any excursion or other tour that you book, your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator. This brochure is our responsibility, as your tour operator. It is not issued on behalf of, and does not commit the airlines mentioned herein or any airline whose services are used in the course of your travel arrangements. Please note that in accordance with Air Navigation Orders in order to qualify for infant status, a child must be under 2 years of age on the date of its return flight.
DATA PROTECTION POLICY
Your booking
IIn order to process your booking and to ensure that your travel arrangements run smoothly and meet your requirements we need to use the information you provide such as name, address, any special needs/dietary requirements etc. We take full responsibility for ensuring that proper security measures are in place to protect your information. We must pass the information on to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements such as airlines, hotels, transport companies etc. The information may also be provided to security or credit checking companies, public authorities such as customs/immigration if required by them, or as required by law. Additionally, where your holiday is outside the European Economic Area (EEA), controls on data protection in your destination may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. We will not however, pass any information onto any person not responsible for part of your travel arrangements. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary/religious requirements. (If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EEA or not, we cannot provide your booking. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons). Please note that where information is also held by your travel agent, this is subject to your agent’s own data protection policy. Your data controller is Wigmore Holidays and Travel Limited. You are entitled to a copy of your information held by us. If you would like to see this please contact us.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Wigmore Holidays and Travel want to make sure your holiday really lives up to your expectations. The following notes are for your guidance; please read them carefully as they contain relevant facts which are in your interest to know. We are of course on hand to answer your questions, or offer any advice you may need.
1. Flights
Unfortunately flights cannot be altered whilst you are on holiday except in an. emergency, and then only at the discretion of the airline. In the unlikely event of a flight delay, it is the airline’s responsibility to take care of you and keep you informed as to the extent of the delay, and provide refreshments, meals and/or overnight accommodation as appropriate.
2. How to Book
Early booking is strongly recommended as this ensures that you have your choice of departure date, resort, hotel and accommodation. We strongly recommend that you use the services of your local independent travel agent. Their advice and experience can be extremely helpful. If advice is required as to the suitability of your choice of resort or hotel they will be able to provide it or they will obtain it for you by contacting us. Once availability has been established and you have confirmed it as a definite booking, the reservation will be held for five days, pending receipt of your completed booking form and £80 per person deposit . Please do not delay as if the correctly completed and signed booking form is not received within five days, we may be necessarry to cancel the booking.
3. Hotel and Resort Descriptions
Throughout this brochure we have made every effort to be accurate in our hotel and resort descriptions. The information has been checked and rechecked and as far as we are aware is accurate at the time of going to press. Hotels can and do withdraw facilities at certain times as a result of bad weather or the need for refurbishment, maintenance or improvements. Also some amenities in both the hotels and the resorts may not be available in the early and late part of the season and this is one of the reasons why prices are cheaper at these times. Where outdoor facilities are advertised by hotels, they should be available but are obviously subject to weather conditions. Public holidays and religious festivals may also affect the availability of hotel and resort facilities.
Please try to be
patient and remember:
Swimming pools – do have to be
emptied from time to time for cleaning
and maintenance.
Air-conditioning – the standard of airconditioning
does vary from hotel to hotel.
For instance in older hotels the
effectiveness of the air-conditioning may
not be up to the standard of that to be
found in the newer four-and five-star
hotels. In some hotels air-conditioning is
only turned on in high season, which for
this purpose is normally deemed to be
from 1 June to 1 October, but again this
can vary from hotel to hotel.
Satellite TV – where this facility is offered,
the number and variety of channels
available do vary. American programmes
are generally more widely available than
English ones.
Mini-bars – are generally only stocked
with soft drinks, beer and wine. Miniature
bottles of spirits are not currently available
in Tunisia, however the hotel will supply
full bottles of spirits on request.
Indoor swimming pools – are available
for the winter months. In the height of
summer they can often be too warm, and
are therefore sometimes closed for
maintenance.
Sports – The operation of all sporting
activities, particularly water sports, is
subject to weather conditions. Generally,
water sports are only available from May
to October.
Hotel charges – some hotels may make a
small charge for the use of or the hire of
equipment in connection with a sporting
facility (always in the case of water sports),
sunbeds, umbrellas and deck chairs. They
may also make a charge for the entrance
to, or the participation in, night clubs,
discos and entertainment programmes.
4. Special Interests
If you have a special interest or requirement that is important to your holiday enjoyment, please ask us to verify that it will be available during your stay.
5. Hotel Bedrooms
Most rooms on our allocation have twin beds, but if you especially require a double bed then please state this on your booking form. Single rooms are limited in numberand may be inferior in standard and position to other rooms in the hotel. The supplement paid for a single room is for the convenience of having a room to yourself. Some hotels are able to provide twin rooms with an extra bed or cot and three or even fourbedded rooms. In these instances you are advised that you may find that the floor, cupboard and drawer space become cramped. Where a room with a sea view has been booked, you may find that the room does not directly face the sea and trees may partially obscure the view, particularly from rooms on lower floors.
6. Meal Arrangements
The price of your holiday has generally been based on a continental breakfast but as the majority of hotels offer a buffet service for this meal you will find, in addition to the normal selection of rolls and toast, cold meats, cheeses, eggs and a variety of hot dishes. Dinner is generally a combination of both buffet and waiter service. Half-board includes breakfast and dinner. Please note that hotels do not usually give any credit or refund for missed meals. All-Inclusive deals include unlimited food and drink as specified on relevant hotel pages.
7. Hotel Classifications
Hotel classifications or star ratings used in this brochure have been allocated to the hotels by the Tunisian Tourist Authority. Although the standard of hotels in Tunisia is generally good, and we only work with those hotels which meet and comply with our exacting requirements, it should be remembered that these star ratings should not be compared with international ratings. If you have any queries regarding the suitability of a hotel please do not hesitate to discuss it with us.
8. Local Conditions
It is important to remember that whilst your holiday and your enjoyment of it is of the utmost importance to you and Wigmore Holidays, everyday life nevertheless has to continue. As in other countries, development of resorts, hotels and roads continues all the time. It is therefore possible that there may be building work in the vicinity of your hotel or in the resort area. Unfortunately, as at home, it is not always possible to foresee the nature and extent of these works and as such we ask for your understanding if you do find work going on in the area in which you are staying.
9. Vacation of Rooms
The number of nights stated on every price panel refers to the number of nights accommodation reserved for you in your hotel. Rooms are not usually ready for occupation before midday on the day of your arrival. Clients who have booked half or full board arrangements may find that, depending on their arrival or departure time from the hotel, they may lose a meal. This has been reflected in calculating the price of any holiday affected in this way. On your day of departure it is normal to be asked to vacate your room in the morning, usually before midday. If you prefer a later check-out time we will do our best to assist, but the hotel may make a supplementary charge.
10. Special Requests
If you have any special requests such as adjoining rooms, lower floor, bath, etc. please make a note in the space provided on the booking form. While we cannot guarantee that your requests will be met, we shall make every effort to fulfil them.
11. Child Reductions
Children aged 2 – 11 years, sharing their parents’ bedroom (an extra bed in a twin room) are usually entitled to a discount. Unfortunately children of any age occupying adult accommodation do not qualify for discounts, except where specifically offered. There is no reduction for flight supplements.
12. Infants
Infants under the age of 2 years on the date of return travel and occupying a cot in their parents’ bedroom pay £40.00. In the aircraft they must sit on an adult’s lap with a lap strap. Charges for food and cot hire should be paid direct to the hotel.
13. Payment
Please note that full payment is due 8 weeks before your departure, failing which we reserve the right to cancel the holiday. You may pay with your credit card: Access, Visa, MasterCard or American Express.
14. Insurance
It is essential that all clients have proper and adequate holiday insurance before they travel. We organise our insurance through Travel & General. To arrange cover, simply call tagdirect on 0845 345 3456 or e-mail their sales team at enquiries@tagdirect.co.uk. If you do not wish to take up T&G's offer of insurance, you must advise us of the name of your insurers and the policy number, the cover on which should be the same or better than the Travel & General scheme
15. The FCO Travel Advice
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office produces up-to-date travel information to ensure the safety of clients. For further information, please visit www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo or 0870 606 0290. Alternatively you can contact ABTA’s Travel Information line on 0901 201 5050 (calls are charged @ 50p per minute).
16. Tunisian Currency
The official unit of currency is the Dinar, which is divided into 1000 millimes. Dinars can only be purchased on arrival in Tunisia. Retain the exchange receipts that you get when you change money, as you will need these when you convert back to Sterling.
17. Health Requirements
At the time of going to press, no certificates of vaccination are required for Tunisia. The DOH currently recommends protection against typhoid, polio, tetanus and hepatitis A. Whilst we will make every effort to advise you about any changes, it is your responsibility to check with the DOH or your own doctor for the latest requirements and to make sure that everyone in your party complies with them.
18. Your Holiday Price Includes
Return flight from the UK with in-flight
catering, a hot or cold meal, or snack
depending on time of day
Baggage allowance of 20 kilos (44lbs)
unless stated otherwise on your ticket
Airport charges – including UK airport
tax of £40
Return transfers between Tunisian airport
and your hotel
Accommodation and meals as detailed
on your holiday confirmation/invoice
The services of our local representative
during your stay.
All prices and supplements quoted in this brochure are in £’s per person and based on return flights from London (Heathrow or Gatwick) unless otherwise stated.
19. Your Holiday Price Does not Include
Transport between your home and
departure airport
Holiday Insurance which is compulsory
Flight supplements
Hotel supplements e.g. half board,
sea-view rooms etc.
Optional excursions
Passport or visa costs
Cots and food for infants.
20. Time Change
Tunisian time is UK time plus one hour.
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 protect money paid by customers to the member for any holiday sold under the AiTO logo. This protection applies to customers who are in the UK at the time of booking or to overseas customers who have booked directly with the member. Members have to comply with UK Government Regulations in this respect. Members submit details of their bonding and guarantee arrangements to the Association on a regular basis.
Accurate Brochures & Websites
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& 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.
Responsible Tourism
All members acknowledge the importance of AITO’s Responsible 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 or 3-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.
Wigmore Holidays & Travel Ltd
is proud to be a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. To contact the Association visit www.aito.co.uk or call 020 8744 9280.