COVID-19 Promise Policy

 

We appreciate that COVID-19 has caused disruption to international travel. We have therefore built this policy so that you can rest assured that the following options will be available to you, which are subject to the conditions set out below.

 

COVID-19 Promise Policy Conditions

 

Your eligibility under this COVID-19 Promise Policy is subject to the following conditions:

 

1. Validity: this policy applies to new bookings, for any trips departing in the future until further notice (“New Bookings”). For the avoidance of doubt, it shall not apply to any existing bookings which were postponed before this COVID-19 Promise Policy was created e.g. before 01 October 2021. 

​

2. Timely Payment: any option to request a refund, to postpone/move a trip or to change the destination, as referred to within this COVID-19 Promise Policy shall only trigger if you make all payments required for your booking on time, as per the terms of Paragraph D of our Booking Terms and Conditions and your booking confirmation/invoice. If you do not meet these payment deadlines, our standard cancellation charges shall apply, as per Paragraph J of our Booking Terms and Conditions. 

​

3. Entire Group: any option to request a refund, to postpone/move a trip or to change the destination, as referred to under this COVID-19 Promise Policy, shall only be available if the request to cancel or make changes is made for the entire group/party included in the New Booking. 

​

4. Individuals: If any individuals chose to cancel their place in a New Booking (or a New Booking that has been amended under this COVID-19 Promise Policy), our standard cancellation charges under Paragraph H of our Booking Terms and Conditions will apply to that individual. Since the cost of our tour packages are based on the numbers travelling when the booking is made, we will recalculate the price of the tour package and communicate the revised price to you as per Paragraph G of our Booking Terms and Conditions if any individuals cancel their place. 

​

5. Postponements/Date Changes or Change of Destination: where this COVID-19 Promise Policy permits you to change your destination and/or departure date:

​

a. Your New Booking can only be moved to a departure date that falls before the end of the year that follows your original New Booking (i.e. before 31 Dec of the following year).

​

​b. You remain responsible for the costs of making such changes (including, but not limited to, any increase in price if the alternative destination and/or departure date costs more than your original New Booking, which we will advise you of before you decide to make any such change). Paragraph G of our Booking Terms and Conditions shall apply. 

​

6. Refunds: where reference is made within this COVID-19 Policy to the option to request a refund, we will refund you within 14 days of receiving your written request. 

 

7. Cancellation: if you cancel your New Booking and request a refund for any reason that is not covered under this COVID-19 Promise Policy or our Booking Terms and Conditions, our standard cancellation fees contained in Paragraph H of our Booking Terms and Conditions shall apply. 

 

8. Changes: If you request to postpone or change the destination of your New Booking for any reason that is not covered under this COVID-19 Promise Policy or our Booking Terms and Conditions, our standard charges as set out in Paragraph G of our Booking Terms and Conditions shall apply.

 

9. Subject to Availability: any requests by you to move your New Booking to an alternative destination and/or date, where permitted under this COVID-19 Promise Policy are subject to availability. 

 

10. Promise Specific Conditions: you must also meet any additional conditions that are referred to within the promises set out below.

 

11. Notifying us: any option to request a refund, to postpone/move a trip or to change a trip’s destination, as referred to within this COVID-19 Promise Policy, shall only trigger upon you making a request in writing to us – see ‘Notifying Us’ below.

​

Our Promises to You

 

The following options shall be available to you, provided you meet the conditions set out in this COVID-19 Policy (including any conditions that are specific to the promise you seek to rely on):

 

PACKAGE TOUR REFUND GUARANTEE PROMISE

 

If you have booked a tour package from us, and we cancel due to COVID-19, we will provide you with a full refund within 14 days of us cancelling. You will also have the option to accept an alternative tour of comparable standard from us, if we are able to offer one (we will refund any difference in price if the alternative tour offered costs less than your original tour package, but any increase in price will be payable by you). Please refer to Paragraph J of our Booking Terms and Conditions for more information.   

 

PACKAGE TOUR FINANCIAL PROTECTION PROMISE

All of our package tours are financially protected under the Sporta Tours ATOL license (number 9684) which is issued by the Civil Aviation Authority. This means that if we are unable to provide any of the travel services included in your ATOL Certificate, due to our insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may be able to provide those services to you. However, if this is not possible, you will be able to recover a full refund from the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust. For more information regarding the financial protection we have in place, please refer to Paragraph P of our Booking Terms and Conditions. 

​

DEPOSIT REFUND PROMISE

 

You can cancel any New Booking you make within the validity of this COVID-19 Promise Policy up to 31 October '22 and receive a full refund of the tour deposit you have paid to us.

 

Additional Condition: 

1. This Deposit Refund Promise shall only apply if the reason for your refund request is due to a COVID-19 related issue. You will be required to provide full information of the reasons behind your request for our consideration.  

 

FLEXIBLE DEPOSIT PROMISE

 

You can move your entire New Booking (and any deposit paid) to an alternative destination and/or departure date upon request.

 

QUARANTINE RESTRICTION PROMISE

 

We will provide you with a full refund, where requested by you, if the local Government/authorities at your destination(s) put mandatory quarantine restrictions in place which mean that your entire group/party will be legally required to quarantine on arrival. For the avoidance of doubt, this promise shall only trigger if such quarantine restrictions are in place less than 21 days before the date of departure and continue to be in place upon arrival at your destination(s). 

You can move your entire New Booking to an alternative date if, within 21 days before the date of departure, the UK Government introduces quarantine restrictions which mean that your entire group/party will be required to quarantine upon return to the UK.

 

DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION ADVICE PROMISE – this applies to school groups only

 

If you are a school group, you can move your entire New Booking to an alternative date if the UK Department for Education issues advice/guidance against international school trips within 21 days before your departure date.

 

LOCKDOWN PROMISE

 

You can request to postpone your New Booking to an alternative date if, within 21 days before departure, the UK Government announces local or national lockdown restrictions. 

 

Notifying Us

If you find yourself in any of the scenarios set out above and would like to exercise any of the options available to you in this COVID-19 Promise Policy, the Tour Leader must make a written request to swoodward@sportagroup.com

 

Extension of this COVID-19 Promise Policy

We reserve the right to extend the validity of this COVID-19 Promise Policy, or to issue new policies for future bookings, at any time.