ON THE WILD SIDE

India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives

Viv's India is an Australian travel agency specialising in introducing travellers to the fascination of incredible Indian destinations. In 2016 Viv's India was a Finalist in the Travel Agency category of the Australia India Business Community Awards.

As a wholesaler, the agency works closely with a reliable and professional India-based business partner to provide the best possible service for exciting and memorable travel to the Indian sub-continent.  Where needed this partner provides responsible drivers, guides and local specialists.

As a retailer, Viv's India provides a service for local clients wishing to benefit from the expertise acquired from numerous personal visits to India.

Viv Craig has visited India frequently, on educational tours, personal tours as a Tour Leader, or to attend such travel marts as GITB (Great Indian Travel Bazaar), SATTE (South Asia Tourism & Travel Expo), KTM (Kerala Travel Mart), RARE and TRES (2019) and the travel expos in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh.

Viv and her husband, Peter, have combined to lead several tours together.  In India , these have included Rajasthan, Bengal and Assam and elsewhere Botswana and Madagascar.  Peter has also had tour leadership experience  In Europe (England - cricket, France - FWW battlefields), and Botswana.

In this document, “we”, “our” or “us” refers to Viv’s Travel Bug, (t/a Viv's India) registered in Australia (ABN 99 860 907 350), “you” refers to our client, and “T & Cs” refers to Terms and Conditions

Viv’s Travel Bug is concerned that all our clients have read our Terms and Conditions and understand, or acknowledged reading and understanding, them. The list of issues is not exhaustive but rather identifies suggested areas that should be addressed.

As an ATAS accredited travel agency, Viv’s Travel Bug is required to provide you, or any person, as soon as practicable, these standard T & Cs and where available, full details of any standard fees and charges that we may apply.

Our Terms and Conditions will be clear; consistent; provided at the time of, or before you enter into, a sale with us; advise you of our obligation to protect the confidentiality of your information; and provide you with information about our ATAS-standard complaints handling policy/conflict resolution.

You should use the following information as a guide to what is your responsibility and what is that of Viv’s Travel Bug

Passport / Visa

• Best to assume you need a visa but to be sure, enquire on Smartraveller website.
• We may be able to assist with general enquiries but your responsibility to check.
• You will not generally be permitted to board plane/vessel unless six months remaining validity of your passport.
• Travel on foreign passport may require re-entry visa on return to Australia.
• Passenger’s responsibility to inform us if passport / visa difficulty.

Travel Insurance

You acknowledge we recommend the following:

• personal travel insurance is compulsory for all our tours.  This should include a comprehensive medical cover including repatriation, personal effects and luggage, as well as cancellation and curtailment insurance.  If you are in any doubt about the cover you need, please contact us or your insurance company.
• We recommend that you purchase insurance at the time you pay your deposit.

General / Specific Travel Advice

Your responsibility to

• Check Smartraveller for information and advice.
• Register with DFAT for emergencies.

Health Precautions

• Need for vaccinations / some countries may deny entry.
• Consult medical specialists.
• General advice Smartraveller.

GENERAL BOOKING CONDITIONS

Booking procedure & Security Deposit

• Quoted prices are subject to change.
• Required to pay a deposit of AUD550 when booking.
•  Some airfares or services must be paid in full at time of booking.
• Generally, price is only guaranteed once paid for in full.
• Even if paid in full, price may change by reason of matters outside our control.
• Supplier fees may apply where a booking is changed. If we incur a fee for booking you change or cancel, you are responsible.
• When a booking is made, there is an understanding that the participant has read, understands and agrees to abide by the conditions set out in this document.

Final Payments

• Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure
• If payment has not been received by the due date we reserve the right to treat the booking as a cancellation and the deposit lost.

Special Security Deposit Requirements

Some tours require higher Security Deposits to meet the local tour operator’s booking conditions.  These include:

• All wildlife lodges/tours                20%
• River cruises                                       20%
• Luxury train journeys                     30%
• Bhutan tours                                      30%

Cancellation Fees

If in the circumstances, it is necessary to cancel your booking, you should notify us immediately by email and phone.

All monies will be forfeited as follows, based on the number of days before departure.

• More than 60 days          Loss of deposit
• 59 41 days                        45% of fare*
• 40 – 31 days                       65% of fare*
• 30 days or less                   No refund

NB.         Some tour operators charge higher cancellation fees for some tours.  These will be advised with our quote.

• Except those amounts that can be refunded, such as airfares (less those amounts forfeited under airline regulations and the company’s loss of profit). 
• Insurance premiums are non-refundable, but if the reason for your tour cancellation falls within the terms of the insurance cover, cancellation charges will normally be refunded by the insurance company.
• The non-issuance of an invoice or the non-payment and/or non-receipt of a security deposit or a major event such as a terrorist related incident, civil unrest or outbreak of a flu-type epidemic, etc. will not exempt passengers from these cancellation and administrative penalties.

Cancellation fees are designed to cover the cancellation fees charged by overseas tour operators as well as Viv’s Travel Bug/Viv’s India’s loss of profit and cover our time and effort for work completed.

NB   Employees of our overseas tour operators are not authorised to make any undertakings on behalf of the company regarding refunds or other matters.

         After travel has commenced additional costs incurred due to changes in your itinerary (e.g. due to airline schedule changes) must be settled directly by you and any requests for refunds must be made on your return.

Refunds

• Some tickets may be non-refundable or transferrable.
• Any refund for cancelled booking will not be paid until supplier provides any refund,  This may not include credit card surcharges / delays for cheque clearance, cancellation fees for domestic / international travel, local taxes, changes to reservations, may not be possible or may incur fees, and excess baggage (traveller’s responsibility).

Amendments

Due to the extra administrative costs, there will be an automatic minimum charge of $75 per amendment, in addition to any cancellation fees levied.

Deferring Travel

Normal cancellation fees can apply if you wish to postpone your departure

Late Bookings

• Bookings made less than 30 days before departure from Australia must be accompanied by full payment.
• Late bookings will occur a minimum $75 charge to cover extra administrative expenses.

Travel Documents

• Your responsibility to check accurate names corresponding with passport or identification for domestic travel.
• Not be permitted to travel if identification / passport does not match ticket.
• Your responsibility to review all travel documents and immediately advise of errors in names, dates or timings.

Airlines / Cruise Lines

• Airlines/cruise lines are third party providers and impose different terms and conditions to the ones imposed by us. Client should read their T & Cs before finalising travel bookings.
• There are numerous rules and regulations in relation to advance purchase and other discounted airfares which involve substantial cancellation or amendment fees and there may be no refund on cancellations or amendments.
• Client’s responsibility to re-confirm outbound and inbound flights and times.
• We not responsible for amended flight timings or other charges.

Frequent Flyer

• Your responsibility to let us know.

Service Providers

• We act as an agent and sell products on behalf of accommodation, transport and other providers such as airlines, rail, coach and cruise line operators.
• We are not a travel provider and, whilst we exercise care, we have no control over or liability for the services provided by the third parties.
• All bookings are subject to the provider’s T & Cs including conditions of carriage and limits on liability. You should read them before finalizing transaction.
• (Issues for discussion) We can provide their T & Cs if you ask / your responsibility to look up / or give a link to their T & Cs / or actually provide them.
• Our service is to arrange and co-ordinate the service offered by third party services providers. We arrange a contractual relationship between you and the provider.
• We cannot guarantee the performance of the service providers.
• Any brochures are not ours but are supplied by the service providers and we accept no liability for errors in that material.

Limits and Liability

• Subject to Australian Consumer Law we are not liable.
• Importance of travel insurance.

Governing Law

• Laws of Australia and NSW apply.

Your Responsibilities

• You warrant that you are over the age of eighteen (18) and have sufficient funds to pay for the travel services.
• You have read our T & Cs and if booking for third parties have conveyed these T & Cs to them.
• You have read the T & Cs of any third-party service providers and agree to be bound by those.
• You are responsible for checking the accuracy of all documents provided to you.
• You are responsible for contacting the airline at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to travel.
• You warrant and acknowledge that you have accessed the Smartraveller website for any specific enquiries in relation to your intended destination.
• Passport / visa and other required identification documents are your responsibility.

Force Majeure

• This should be detailed in T & Cs to avoid issues where severe weather or other disasters prevent scheduled arrangements occurring or flights departing.
• We are not responsible and reiterate importance of insurance.