RESERVATIONS, DEPOSIT AND PAYMENT

At the time of booking confirmation, for group tours, a deposit of $400 p.p. and for tailor-made tours, 30% of the total tour cost will be needed, accompanied by a signed booking form. Deposit and booking form must be received within 7 days of confirmation. Except for land only booking, before the due date of balance payment, another payment for your air-ticket (from $1,500 to $2,400) may be required if the airline we booked for your tour requests us to issue your air ticket when the ticketing time limit is due. Final payment is payable in full 60 days prior to departure, if booking is made within 60 days, full payment must be made immediately upon confirmation. If for any reason payment is not received by the due date, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled and cancellation charges will then be applicable. We accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever in respect of any payment made by you to your travel agent. Payment is regarded as being made only when it is actually received by Asia Discovery Tours. We accept credit card (Visa, MasterCard and American Express only) for your tour payment with conditions: No surcharge will apply for deposit payment by Visa card and MasterCard and a 1.5% surcharge will apply for any payment after deposit by Visa Card or MasterCard and 3% surcharge by American Express.

CANCELLATION

Cancellation must be notified in writing to us or to your travel agent as soon as you have to cancel your tour. The day we use to determine on the amount of your cancellation penalty and/or refund is the day when we receive your written cancellation notice. The following cancellation fees shall apply if the client for any reason cancels a holiday tour package.
* 60 days and over prior to departure, loss of the deposit
* Between 41-59 days prior to departure 40% of total price
* Between 21-40 days prior to the departure 70% of total price
* Between 0-20 days prior to departure, no refund will be made of all tour costs. International
airfare cancellation fees imposed will be subject to airline Tariff Regulations for the international portion of any flight. No refunds are available after commencement of the holiday of unused tickets, vouchers or any other services not utilized.

ITINERARY AND ACCOMMODATION

On occasion it may be necessary to amend arrangements due to operational necessity and we reserve the right to do so at any time (i.e. due to airline rescheduling flight departure so they may not suit arrangements on the ground). Most of these changes are very minor but where necessary we undertake to inform you either directly or through the clients’ travel agency. If your itinerary needs to be altered for reasons beyond our control we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. We recommend you have your travel agent to inform you at all times of changes to your itinerary if you book through a travel agent.

TOUR PRICE

Prices for all our tours are based on tariffs and rates of exchange at the time of publication and are quoted in Australian Dollars and in US Dollars (if otherwise indicated in the itinerary). All prices are subject to currency fluctuation and changes of service provider’s tariffs. Asia Discovery Tours will contact our client and/or travel agent to advice of any changes of price. We do not accept responsibility if your travel agent fails to pass price change information on to our clients. We reserve the right to change tour prices at any time.

AIRPORT TAX AND FUEL LEVY SURCHARGE

Since 2004 all airlines have been charging a fuel levy surcharge, on top of the normal airfare, in order to cover the increased cost of aviation fuel. Now that by law, we are required to include the cost of airport tax and fuel levy surcharge at the tour prices if the tour price includes air-tickets, you can see that the tour prices quoted for our group tours include airport tax and fuel levy surcharge already. As airport tax and fuel prices fluctuate, although Asia Discovery Tours has tried hard to make them as accurate as possible when compiling the tour prices, they could be still different by the time we ask you to pay the balance for your air-ticket or for your tour. Therefore you will be liable to pay the difference if the airport tax and fuel levy surcharge have been increased. The airport tax and fuel levy surcharge are given as an estimate only against every tour featured in the brochure and you will be advised of the exact amount of the airport tax and fuel levy surcharge at time when we send our payment invoice for air-ticket or our final payment invoice for balance payment to you.

GROUP DEPARTURE

For our group tours, all prices are quoted on the basis of a minimum number of adults travelling together in twin share accommodation as stated on each tour. Should the minimum numbers are not reached, Asia Discovery Tours reserves the right to cancel, amend or re-cost the tour. In such rare cases we will endeavour to provide our clients with the best possible alternate or amended tour, or ask for payment of a very reasonable surcharge. If Asia Discovery Tours cancels the tour altogether, all received tour cost monies will be refunded in full.

SINGLE TRAVELER

If single travel is requested it must be done at the time of booking and Asia Discovery Tours will endeavour to match the client with a suitable person for the tour duration. If no match can be made a single supplement fee will be payable to Asia Discovery Tours. Single supplement fee will be payable by all clients who choose to travel on tour with single traveller arrangements. Please accept that some hotel rooms or cruise cabins used for single occupancy are smaller than the normal twin rooms or a twin cabins.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

All clients must be in possession of a valid passport. Asia Discovery Tours accepts no responsibility for the client’s failure to obtain appropriate documentation. On request Asia Discovery Tours may assist you to obtain entry visas to the country of intended entry. You may also ask your travel agent to assist in this matter. Extra visa application fees may be charged for a client not holding an Australian passport.

FORCE MAJEURE

Compensation payments do not apply where performance of our contract with you is prevented by risk or threat of war, riot, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, technical problems to transport, closure or congestion of airports or ports, cancellation or change of scheduled airlines and similar events beyond our control.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

It is the client’s responsibility to avail them with information regarding health requirements in the intended country of entry. You should speak with your local GP or Department of Health about health recommendations.

INSURANCE

We strongly recommend at the time of booking tour participants obtain the appropriate travel insurance policy of your choice, including cover against tour cancellation as recommended by Asia Discovery Tours or your travel agent.

SERVICE INQUIRIES AFTER THE TOUR

Should any client wish to inquire about any tour services provided after returning from the tour, this must be done within 30 days after tour completion in writing and sent by fax, mail or email to our office. Asia Discovery Tours will not be held liable for any claims lodged after 30 days from tour completion.

ITEMS NOT INCLUDED

Items of personal nature such as incidental hotel charges, telephone calls, room service, and the like are at your own expense and must be paid prior to checking out of each hotel. Tour costs quoted exclude items not specifically referred to in the tour description including, but not limited to: tipping, travel baggage charges, portage, travel arrangements to and from home town and departure city, item of personal nature such as laundry, dry cleaning, beverages, incidental expense, optional tours offered by our tour operators, meals (where not specified) and telecommunication charges.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Except to the extent that the law imposes a non-excludable liability, all bookings for holidays with Asia Discovery Tours are subject to the terms and conditions imposed by the service providers used in each tour program. During compilation of all our tours and prices, Asia Discovery Tours used information provided by its service suppliers. Asia Discovery Tours accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any loss, damage, delay, injury, inconvenience, accident, expense or negligence due to inaccuracy or arising out of provision of services or failure to provide services. Asia Discovery Tours will be exempt from any liability in respect to any event, loss, omission, death, accident, injury, negligent act, detention, diversion, sickness whatsoever, responsibility for loss, damage, accident, detention or theft in regard to personnel belongings and luggage. The client accepts that Asia Discovery Tours shall not be claimed against should any carrier or service provider provide services that differ in any way from the itinerary described on any of our tours. Asia Discovery Tours accepts no responsibility for losses or additional expenses caused by delay in the provision of services by service providers. Asia Discovery Tours accepts no responsibility for change or withdrawal of services by service providers. All bookings made for clients are made on the client’s behalf with service providers authorized by the Tourism Authority of that country.

LAW OF CONTRACT

Any contract arising with the client shall be governed by the laws of the state of New South Wales and any legal action arising wherefrom shall be litigated only in the appropriate court having jurisdiction in that state.