The following terms and conditions form part of the Client’s contract with Spotlight on Asia. By signing the required Booking Form, you accept these contractual terms and conditions and release Spotlight on Asia from any liabilities to the maximum extent permitted by law.
PRICES
Prices quoted on the website, booking form or other marketing material are correct at the time of release. All arrangements and pricing are subject to availability at the time of booking, major fluctuations in exchange rates, and any other unforeseen changes that are beyond the control of Spotlight on Asia. We reserve the right to adjust prices as may be necessary at any time up to your day of departure.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
Every effort will be made to match up single travellers preferring shared accommodation. Single occupancy of a room or other tour facility, by choice or circumstance, is subject to the applicable supplement.
TERMS OF PAYMENT
A deposit as detailed in the relevant booking form must be paid to secure a place on a tour. This deposit is also to be accompanied by a completed and signed booking form, which also indicates your acceptance of these terms and conditions. Failure to do so may result in the loss of your place on the tour.
In certain instances where a tour is scheduled well in advance, a reservation fee of AU $200 may apply to secure a place on the tour. This reservation fee will be part of a greater deposit that is to be paid at a later date as specified on the booking form.
Full payment must be received 60 days prior to the departure date of the tour unless otherwise arranged and confirmed in writing by Spotlight on Asia.
Bookings will be strictly accepted in the order they are received, and a waiting list may apply. If full and final payment is not received by the due date, you will be notified via email two times requesting final payment. If we don’t hear back, we will consider your booking forfeited and it will be offered to participants on the waiting list.
PAYMENT OPTIONS
All prices are based on payment by Direct Bank Transfer or via Credit/Debit card. All credit/debit card payments will be made via Pin Payments or PayPal and will incur a 2% surcharge to cover any applicable Merchant Fees.
INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE
Unless otherwise specified in the tour’s inclusions and exclusions, the complete tour as per itinerary, economy class domestic travel within country where required, arrival/departure transfers if part of the group, in country ground transport by private air-conditioned vehicle with driver, all accommodation, meals as specified (B/L/D), experienced photographic tour leader/s, local English speaking tour guide/s where required, admission and camera fees will be included in the tour package price.
NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE
Unless otherwise specified in the tour’s inclusions and exclusions, return international airfare, visa fees, personal travel insurance (requirement of joining tour), meals not indicated in program (B/L/D), optional activities, additional beverages such as soft drinks and alcohol, activities during free time, laundry, items of personal nature, tips and gratuities and excess baggage fee are not included in the tour package price. Emergency evacuation and expenses caused by delay, accidents or disruption to planned itineraries are also not included in the tour package.
CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS
All cancellations must be communicated in writing. Please note your cancellation is not considered official until you have received a return email confirmation acknowledging your cancellation. Cancellations will typically involve an administration charge (AU $125) and any additional fees levied by suppliers in accordance with their own terms and conditions.
At the time we receive your cancellation notification, the following cancellation fees will apply.
MORE THAN 60 DAYS BEFORE DEPARTURE: Possible loss of deposit depending on cancellation fees applied by suppliers. If your place is filled by another participant, we will refund your deposit, less any processing fees and AU $125 administrative fee.
30-60 DAYS BEFORE DEPARTURE: A refund of 50% of the tour value will be provided. If your place is filled by another participant, we will refund your payment, less any processing fees and AU $125 administrative fee.
30 DAYS OR LESS BEFORE DEPARTURE: No refund will be provided, though individual operators, hotels and airlines may offer some refund depending upon the individual’s circumstances.
WHILST ON A TOUR: No refunds will be given after the tour has commenced. We are unable to refund any amount for unused services due to an unwillingness to participate or continue, early departure, late arrival, or missed days on a tour due to weather, disaster, sickness or any other reason.
TOUR CANCELLATION
Every effort will be made to proceed with a small group, however in the event we do not sell an adequate number of seats on a photographic tour, Spotlight on Asia reserves the right to cancel the entire tour and refund all deposits and tour payments to participants that signed up.
The client is encouraged to purchase airfare cancellation insurance and to communicate with Spotlight on Asia prior to purchasing airfare to ensure there are sufficient numbers to proceed. Spotlight on Asia cannot be held responsible for fees or lost monies associated with airline and other travel agencies due to the cancellation of a tour.
CHANGES TO THE TOUR
Spotlight on Asia reserves the right to make changes to the itinerary and transport or substitute accommodation. In the event that minimum numbers are not met on a jointly led tour, the tour may still proceed with one tour leader without the client being entitled to a refund. The tour leader or guest photographer as originally specified may in rare unforeseen circumstances be substituted without the client being entitled to a refund.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
All participants are required to take out comprehensive travel insurance as a condition of joining the tour. The travel insurance should cover you for medical costs associated with hospitalisation, emergency travel and repatriation back to your country of origin. A copy of the travel insurance policy is to be sent to Spotlight on Asia at least two weeks prior to departure.
It is advised to take out travel insurance as early as possible and ensure that it covers you for any cancellation fees and lost deposits. Also confirm that your destination country is in fact covered by the insurance policy, particularly in the case of Cuba.
NOTE: Standard insurance policies will often only cover Camera equipment partially, or not at all. Please check these details and if required, pay a higher fee to obtain further camera equipment cover.
TRAVELLERS HEALTH ADVICE
Some areas of the world have special vaccination and health requirements. Spotlight on Asia are not medical experts, so it’s your responsibility to contact your family doctor or visit the nearest Travellers Medical Centre for professional advice.
MEDICAL
If you have any medical conditions, these must be detailed in the booking form. If your health condition changes prior to, or during travel, you must advise us. If you intend to take medication, confirm it’s legal in your destination. Check if any rules or restrictions apply. Depending on your medication, you may need to apply for a permit to bring it into your destination.
Spotlight on Asia cannot be held responsible for sickness arising during travel, regardless of the nature.
LIABILITY
Spotlight on Asia is not a travel agent or tour operator. Our obligation is to make and coordinate arrangements with various suppliers (airlines, cruise companies, hoteliers, tour operators, and the like) for the tour on your behalf. Whilst Spotlight on Asia carefully selects reputable partners, they shall not be liable for the services of those supplier/s and cannot provide warranty for them, nor are they a representative of them. All bookings are subject to the terms and conditions set out by the relevant supplier. Should you be unhappy with the product or service, your legal recourse is against the supplier, not Spotlight on Asia. Spotlight on Asia accepts no liability for suppliers.
Spotlight on Asia shall not be held responsible or pay compensation where Force Majeure occurs, where Force Majeure means any unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond reasonable control, the consequences of which neither Spotlight on Asia nor its suppliers could avoid, including but not limited to acts of God, accidents, war, riot, terrorist activity, civil commotion, epidemic, pandemic, quarantine, outbreak of infectious disease or any other public health crisis, natural catastrophes, nuclear disaster, fire, flood, adverse weather conditions, explosion, breakdown of communication facilities, governmental acts or omissions, changes in laws or regulations, industrial dispute or generalized lack of availability of raw materials or energy.
Safety and health will always be a high priority during a tour. You may however be travelling to a geographical area where amongst other things, the standard of accommodation, transport safety, hygiene, cleanliness, medical facilities, communication and infrastructure development may not be of the standard you are used to at home or at other more conventional travel destinations. In joining this tour, you understand and accept that travelling may involve unforeseen risks. Spotlight on Asia accepts no responsibility for any illness, accident or loss whatsoever incurred in the course of the tour or for any expense from such illness, accident or loss.
REQUESTS
If you have any special requests, such as dietary requirements or hotel room type, please communicate them with us and we will make every effort to accommodate your request. You however must understand and accept that some requests may not be possible to accommodate.
PASSPORTS
It is the responsibility of the client to ensure that their passport is valid and that it has the correct visa or re-entry visa for the travel arrangements. Australian passports are valid for travel to and from Australia until their expiry date however some countries may refuse entry to persons with less than six months validity on their passports beyond the period of intended stay. Please ensure you have sufficient blank pages in your passport. Spotlight on Asia cannot be held responsible for any fines, penalties or fees if your passport is incorrect for the country of travel. Passports are required for all international travel.
VISAS
It is the sole responsibility of the client to make sure they have full and correct documentation to undertake their journey. Spotlight on Asia does not arrange visas, however will provide details and instructions to facilitate in the visa application process.
FLIGHTS
Spotlight on Asia does not book international flights, however will provide recommendations and are more than happy to pass on details to a business partner who will assist in making all relevant arrangements on a group basis. Please do not book flights before confirming that the tour will definitely proceed.
PHOTOGRAPHS & VIDEO
Spotlight on Asia reserves the right to take photos of participants during tours to use for marketing and social media purposes only. Group image/s will be sent to all participants soon after conclusion of the tour.