Book With Confidence

We are a long standing CATO member. The CATO executive team, appreciating the importance of safe travel, in the context of Covid-19 made an application to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) to be able to support and use the recently released “Safe Travel Stamp” which has been approved. The approval is based on CATO members implementation of enhanced health and safety measures, in line with the WTTC global Safe Travels protocols, developed to optimise sector-wide recovery efforts by rebuilding confidence among travellers and ensuring a coordinated approach of the global Travel & Tourism public and private sectors.

In appreciation of the Safe Travels program, we have worked in partnership with our suppliers to highlight the program and identify which of their packages qualify. Where applicable, we have marked their packages with the Safe Travel Stamp which endorses safe travel protocols and their compliance.

The Global “Safe Travels Stamp” Recognises Safe Travels Protocols developed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic .

This specially designed program allows travellers to recognise governments and companies around the world who have adopted health and hygiene global standardised protocols, so consumers can experience “Safe Travels”

The World Travel & Tourism Council acknowledge their Safe Travels initiative will play an important role building confidence among travellers and ensuring a coordinated approach of the global travel and tourism public and private sectors ultimately offering a level of comfort for people travelling domestically and Internationally.

Our Holiday Packages are not group tours with set departures, they are pre-designed, purpose-built travel itineraries, full of unique and memorable experiences delivered by our handpicked local partners. They are designed to be enjoyed with your partner, companion, family, or friends. Throughout our packages you will be offered Freedom of Choice days, which allows you to tailor your holiday experience from the activities offered.

For Holiday Packages including our Peace of Mind Booking Plan, we guarantee they offer value for money, include the flexibility you require with Change of Mind, and provide you total confidence courtesy of our Refundable Booking options that also includes our Covid-19 Terms. Our packages are also carefully designed to include On-Ground Support by our hand-picked local suppliers.

We are proud of our exceptional range of Holiday Packages and are pleased to offer a Price Guarantee. We will match any price and beat it by 10%.

To qualify for our Price Guarantee, the alternative trip must:

• Be in Australian dollars
• Depart on the same dates
• Be the same travel itinerary
• Offer the same package inclusions
• Be a published holiday package and available to book on-line
• Include the same range of Freedom of Choice activities
• Include all the relevant taxes, booking fees and service charges
• Provide booking flexibility that is no less favourable than ours
• Provide refundable booking options that are no less favourable than ours
• Provide Covid-19 Terms that are no less favourable than ours
• Include full on-ground support for the duration of the travel itinerary

If you do find a cheaper holiday package please send us the URL of the website with the published details. We also require a summary outlining how all of the above criteria are satisfied. Our team will be pleased to adjust the price on your package following an investigation that confirms the above. This offer is only valid until the conclusion of your cooling off period.

We provide refunds if…
You are unable to Attend the Booking due to any of the listed reasons and have provided the required evidence shown in the individual reasons section below, subject always to the General Conditions of Refund.

• Illness/ injury (including COVID-19)
• Pre-existing Medical Condition
• Pregnancy Complication
• Death of Immediate Family
• Public Transport Failure
• Flight disruption
• Mechanical Breakdown
• Adverse Weather
• Home Emergency
• Theft of Documents
• Jury Service
• Court Summons
• Armed Forces & Emergency Services Recall
• Relocated for Work
• Changes to Examination Dates

We do not refund for any travel restriction associated with COVID-19, or fear of travelling.

We may also consider other Emergency Circumstances at our absolute discretion and You will need to provide evidence for these circumstances.

You must read the General Conditions of Refund, and the individual reasons section below, for full information on what we will and will not refund for each reason.

General Conditions of Refund

• We do not refund if there is for any reason associated with a Communicable Disease (including Covid-19) pandemic or epidemic, except for those reasons listed in the Covid-19 section of these terms.
• Any reason for refund must not have existed, been known or reasonably foreseeable at the time You made the Booking.
• We do not refund if Your Booking is no longer wanted or needed.
• We will not pay a refund through this process where Your Booking is cancelled or cannot be fulfilled by the provider, or where the provider should refund directly through other terms.
• You must make all arrangements to arrive in time to Attend the Booking, including arranging any necessary permits, travel documents or visas.
• You must take all reasonable precautions or make reasonable alternate arrangements to prevent or reduce any refund request.
• You will be asked to provide any supporting evidence that We consider appropriate at Your own expense, and a copy of the Booking confirmation; We do not issue refunds where You cannot provide sufficient supporting evidence.
• You will be asked to provide Your bank account details so that we can make the refund payment directly to Your chosen bank account.
• Maximum refund value per person will not exceed the total value of their share of the Booking, or £10,000 GBP (or alternative currency equivalent).

Your refund application and payment will be handled by the Customer Experience Team who act as the administrator of Our Refundable terms.

To apply for a Refund You must complete a Refund Application Form  as soon as You know You cannot Attend the Booking, and up to 60 days after the Booking.

If Your Booking is cancelled or postponed by the organiser, You should contact Our customer service team directly; see Your Booking confirmation for contact details

Contact us for the full terms and conditions to understand the refund policy and any excluded reasons for Covid-19 refund applications.

We may refund where You are unable to Attend Your Booking because of one of the following reasons associated with Covid-19:

1. You, or someone within your Immediate Household, become infected with Covid-19 within the 7 days immediately prior to Attending Your Booking, meaning you have to isolate or shield; supported by evidence of a positive PCR test result, carried out at an authorized laboratory and carrying a QR or bar code that can be verified.
2. Someone within your Immediate Household, becomes infected with Covid-19, meaning you have to isolate or shield according to the law of the appropriate national government, supported by evidence of positive PCR test or government communication of isolation.
3. The hospitalization, or death, of Your Immediate Family Member due to Covid-19, within the 14 days immediately prior to Attending Your Booking; supported by a medical / death certificate.
4. A significant change in Your pre-existing medical condition in the 7 days immediately prior to Attending Your Booking results in a Doctor recommending you do not Attend due to the risk of exposure to Covid-19.

Refunds are not issued where You do not Attend because You are worried about catching Covid-19 or You are isolating without a positive Covid-19 test in Your household, or where Your travel plans are affected by Covid-19 restrictions.

Read more about COVID-19

The ongoing pandemic has led to many questions from our customers on whether they can get a refund for their booking for reasons associated with Covid-19.

We do provide refunds for a range of reasons linked to Covid-19, so here we have tried to give some clarity on refunds we can pay…

Isolation
If someone within your Immediate Household, becomes infected with Covid-19, meaning you have to isolate or shield according to the law of the appropriate national government, supported by evidence of positive PCR test or government communication of isolation.

Infection
If you are infected with Covid-19 within 7 days of the start of your booking that can be supported by evidence of a positive PCR test result, carried out at an authorized laboratory and carrying a QR or bar code that can be verified, we can refund you.

Pre-existing medical condition
If you have a significant change in your pre-existing medical condition in the 7 days immediately prior to attending your booking, and a Doctor recommends you do not attend due to the risk of exposure to Covid-19, we can refund you.

Shielding
If someone in your household has tested positive for Covid-19 within 7 days of the start of your booking and has evidence of that test, or if you have a change in a pre-existing medical condition, you may need to shield, and we can refund you.

Hospitalisation or Death
If someone in your immediate family is hospitalised, or has died due to Covid-19, within the 14 days before the start of your booking and you have evidence, we can refund you.

What we can’t pay
We cannot pay refunds where you are concerned about catching Covid-19 or are self-isolating without a positive Covid-19 test in your household or family.

We also cannot pay refunds for any travel restrictions caused by measures to control the spread of Covid-19.

Our refunds are always considered subject to the entirety of our terms, requiring the presentation of appropriate evidence, on an entirely discretionary basis, and we offer no unconditional guarantee of refund.

These reasons for refund are considered on an entirely discretionary basis and are not to be taken as a guarantee of refund.