Terms & Conditions

Last updated December 5, 2023

CONTRACT

Contours Travel is a tour operator specialising in Latin America. All Services provided by Contours Travel are sold on these terms and conditions (“Terms”). Please read the following booking conditions carefully and make sure you understand them before making your booking. By paying the non-refundable deposit or payment in full, you acknowledge that you have read, understand and agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions and warrant that you have brought them to the attention of all travellers in your booking.

BROCHURE & WEBSITE VALIDITY                                     

Information in Contours Travel current brochures (“Brochures”) and on Contours Travel website (“Website”) is valid at the time of publication and is subject to change. You can check the accuracy of information by contacting us prior to booking.

BOOKINGS

A booking request is accepted when we issue a written booking confirmation and you have paid your deposit. It is at this point that a contract between us and you comes into existence subject to these Booking Conditions. We reserve the right to decline any booking at our discretion. No employee of ours other than the director has the authority to vary or omit any of these Booking Conditions or to promise any discount or refund.

SERVICES

The services we provide to you are limited to (a) the arrangement and coordination of your travel arrangements; and (b) the delivery of travel arrangements which we directly control. This includes (often significant) work undertaken prior to travel to arrange and coordinate the delivery of your travel arrangements. You also receive the benefit of work we undertake in anticipation of bookings.

DEPOSITS

A $500 deposit per person is required within 7 days (unless otherwise stated) of us accepting your booking. The deposit represents a fee payable to us for services associated with the processing and confirmation of your booking and any consultations on travel arrangements that we may provide to you. Because these services are provided as soon as we confirm your booking, the deposit is non-refundable other than where we cancel your travel arrangements for reasons other than Force Majeure (see below).  For bookings that include cruises, Amazon lodges, all-inclusive hotels, Inca Trails and other products, additional deposits may be required.

Please note that we may not hold any services for you until we receive payment of your deposit, meaning that services may become unavailable, or prices may increase, in which case you will be responsible for paying the increased price, and we will not be responsible if services become unavailable.

FINAL PAYMENT

Payment in full must be received by the date(s) reflected on your invoice or if not specified then by no less than 70 days before commencement of your trip. Note: some trips may require payment (including full payment) earlier or in additional instalments and this will be advised with the booking confirmation.

If you fail to make payment by the due date, we will remind you to make payment. In addition to the payment, you will also be responsible for any costs imposed on us by suppliers resulting from late payment. If we do not receive payment within 7 days after the reminder, you will be deemed to have cancelled your booking.

For late bookings (bookings within 30 days of departure), full payment is required at the time of request. You acknowledge that we may not be able to confirm services, in which case we will provide you with a refund.

Please note that credit card payments are subject to the following surcharges: 1.4% for Visa/Mastercard and 2% for Amex. These surcharges reflect our costs to process card payments.

DESCRIPTIONS, MAPS & PHOTOGRAPHS

Descriptions featured in the brochure or on the website are based on current guides and are subject to change at any time. Maps and photographs are included for general information and may not necessarily reflect actual routings, locations, or services. Hotel room photographs may not be specific to the actual room occupied.

AIRLINES

The depiction or recommendation of any domestic and international airline in the brochure or on the website does not commit the airline to any travel arrangements and the airline shall not be responsible for statements or literature relating to the travel arrangements in the brochure or on the website. All airline tickets are issued subject to the condition of carriage and fare rules as specified by the airline.

TOUR COSTS

Our costs include but are not limited to costs of research, consultation and communication with travel agents and overseas suppliers, marketing and advertising. All prices are per person and expressed in Australian Dollars, unless stated otherwise.

We reserve the right to vary the cost of your travel arrangements prior to commencement for circumstances beyond our control such as the imposition of fuel surcharges or new or amended Government charges.

We also reserve the right to vary the cost of your travel arrangements due to currency fluctuations. However, we will not vary the cost for currency fluctuations once full payment has been received by us and we will absorb the first 2% of any negative currency fluctuation.

Any airfares quoted or confirmed are subject to change without notice prior to the ticket being issued. Please note security and airport taxes around the world change daily.

Prices quoted or confirmed do not include costs that are not a compulsory part of the relevant tour. Such costs may include but not be limited to the following: visas, insurance, excess baggage, meals not mentioned, vaccinations, beverages, tips, shipboard gratuities, costs of a personal nature including but not limited to laundry, telephone calls, cost of passport and personal services to hotel rooms, emergency evacuation costs, airport departure taxes, security charges, other airport taxes, international and domestic airfares.

AMENDMENT BY YOU

We will endeavour to accommodate amendments and additional requests. You acknowledge that these may not be possible to fulfil, and for group departures a transfer of a booking to a different departure is deemed a cancellation. An amendment fee of $50 per country and/or supplier will be levied to cover communication and administration costs for any changes to bookings. You will also be required to pay any additional costs charged by suppliers.

AMENDMENTS BY US

Prior to travel

Due to the dynamic nature of the travel industry, we may occasionally need to make amendments or modifications to the itinerary and its inclusions and you acknowledge our right to do this. Most changes will not be significant. If we become aware of any significant changes to your itinerary or its inclusions that materially detract from the overall value of the trip (where we determine it can still proceed), then we will notify you within a reasonable time and refund you an amount attributable to any reduction in value determined by us acting reasonably.

During travel

You acknowledge that the itinerary, modes of transport, accommodation and/or the trip’s inclusions may need to change during your trip due to local circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including road conditions, poor weather, changes in transport schedules, and/or vehicle breakdowns.

General

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

  • we will not be responsible for any omissions or modifications to the itinerary or the inclusions due to Force Majeure or other circumstances beyond our control happening after we have accepted your booking. This includes any loss of enjoyment or distress caused by omissions or modifications;
  • if you are entitled to any compensation for any modifications or omissions, then you agree it will be reduced by the value of any alternative services we provide which you accept; and
  • we will not be responsible to you for any other expenses or loss you incur resulting from any amendment or change to the itinerary or its inclusions. 

CANCELLATION BY YOU

You may cancel your booking by giving written notice to us. Cancellation fees and charges will be levied as follows irrespective of when notice of cancellation is received:

• Any amounts we have paid or have contractually committed to pay to third parties to deliver your travel arrangements which we cannot reasonably recover or which the third party agrees we no longer need to pay (for example payments made or due to airlines and ground operators);

• A fee which is the greater of the deposit and 20% of the booking value to compensate us for work performed up until the time of cancellation (including work performed in connection with your travel arrangements prior to your booking) and our loss of expected profit; and

• A fee which is the greater of $250 or 5% of the booking value to compensate us for processing the cancellation, associated refund and insurance documentation if required.

Cancellation fees and charges will not exceed payments received by us at the time of cancellation. If after the application of these fees and charges there is a surplus of payments you have made to us, we will refund this to you within a reasonable time.

You agree that these cancellation fees and charges are reasonable and required to protect our legitimate business interests.

Any payments we have made to third parties will only be refunded to you once we have deducted the above cancellation fees and charges and once we have actually recovered the amounts from the third parties. We will use reasonable endeavours to recover third party payments, but we make no guarantee that we will be able to make recoveries or that third parties will agree that payments attributable to your booking arrangements are no longer required.  . 

For group departures, a transfer of a confirmed booking to another departure date is deemed to be cancellation of the original booking.

MINIMUM STAY

The company is a specialist tour operator and does not normally accept reservations of less than five nights. Exceptions may be made at our discretion and subject to an under-stay fee being charged.

NO SHOW

The company is a specialist tour operator and does not normally accept reservations of less than five nights. Exceptions may be made at our discretion and subject to an under-stay fee being charged.

NO SHOW

If you fail to check in at a designated location or service as confirmed in your booking, a “no show” fee equal to 100% of the cost of that particular component of your travel arrangements will be charged.

UNUSED & DENIED SERVICES

No refunds will be made for of any travel arrangements not utilised, whether by choice or because of late arrival or early departure. This includes the failure of transport to operate according to schedule, which we disclaim responsibility for.

If you are not fully and validly vaccinated against Covid-19 in the destination(s) where services are to be provided, and particular suppliers refuse to provide you with travel arrangements, then you agree you will not be entitled to any refund for those arrangements. We will not be responsible to you for any loss or expenses you incur (including loss of enjoyment or the costs of alternative arrangements) if you are denied services in these circumstances. Contours Travel does not authorise any overseas suppliers to make any undertakings on our behalf or otherwise in respect of refunds or other matters.

CANCELLATION

In these Booking Conditions, the term Force Majeure means an event or events beyond our control and which we could not have reasonably prevented, and includes but is not limited to: (a) natural disasters (including not limited to flooding, fire, earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption), adverse weather conditions (including hurricane or cyclone), high or low water levels; (b) war, armed conflict, industrial dispute, civil strife, terrorist activity or the threat of such acts; (c) epidemic, pandemic; (d) any new or change in law, order, decree, rule or regulation of any government authority (the events in (d) being “Government Restrictions”).

Force Majeure – Prior to travel

If:

  • in our reasonable opinion we (either directly or through our employees, contractors, suppliers or agents) determine that your travel arrangements cannot safely, lawfully or reasonably proceed due to a Force Majeure event; or
  • you give us notice no more than 14 days prior to commencement of your booked travel arrangements that you cannot reasonably make use of them due to Government Restrictions (for example due to border closures)

then we may:

  • reschedule your travel arrangements, but only if you are agreeable to the rescheduled arrangements; or
  • cancel your travel arrangements, in which case our contract with you will terminate.

If we cancel your travel arrangements, neither of us will have any claim for damages against the other for the cancelled arrangements. However, we will either at our election:

  • issue you with a credit equal to payments received by us for the cancelled travel arrangements, redeemable within 24 months of issue against any travel services offered by us; or
  • refund payments attributable to the cancelled travel arrangements less: (a) unrecoverable third party costs and other expenses incurred or payable by us for the cancelled travel arrangements; (b) overhead charges incurred by us relative to the price of the cancelled travel arrangements; and (c) fair compensation for work undertaken by us in relation to the cancelled travel arrangements until the time of cancellation and in connection with the processing of any refund.

Please note that our ability to issue you with a credit may be dependent on our suppliers issuing corresponding credits to us. We cannot guarantee that our suppliers will issue corresponding credits and so in such circumstances we may opt to pay you a limited cash refund as outlined.

Force Majeure – During travel

If due to Force Majeure we cancel travel arrangements after your trip has commenced, we will provide you with a refund of recovered third party costs plus any third party costs we don’t incur for cancelled travel arrangements only.

Force Majeure – General

Where a limited cash refund is to be paid by us, we will use reasonable endeavours to recover payments from third parties attributable to your booking, but we make no guarantee that we will be able to recover these payments either partially or at all. If after we have paid you a limited cash refund (or after we determine that no cash refund is currently payable) we recover payments from third parties attributable to your booking, then we will pass on this payment to you.

We will not be responsible for any other loss or costs you incur in connection with your booking (for example, airfares, insurance and visa expenses) if your trip or particular travel arrangements are cancelled due to an event of Force Majeure.

If we provide you with any alternative services or assistance where travel arrangements are cancelled or rescheduled due to Force Majeure which you accept, then you agree the amount to be refunded to you will be reduced by the value of these services and assistance.

You acknowledge that the terms in this section are reasonably necessary to protect our legitimate business interests. We strongly encourage you to purchase travel insurance that adequately responds to cancellation and rescheduling risks associated with Force Majeure events as soon as you have paid a deposit.

Other cancellations

If we cancel your travel arrangements for reasons other than Force Majeure, you will be offered (at your election) a refund of all funds paid, or the offer of travel arrangements of substantially equal quality if appropriate. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we will not be responsible to you for any other expenses or loss you incur resulting from our cancellation.

ACCOMMODATION

Due to the dynamic nature of the travel industry, we may need to substitute hotels, vessels and other forms of accommodation with properties or vessels of a substantially comparable or higher standard. We will endeavour to minimise substitutions. You acknowledge that these substitutions will not be considered a significant change.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

It is a condition of booking that you have adequate travel insurance for the full duration of your travel arrangements in respect of illness, injury, death, medical expenses, loss of baggage, personal items and deposits, cancellations and curtailment of tours en route and that you provide us with the policy number and emergency contact number prior to travel. We strongly encourage you purchase at the time you pay your deposit. This is because cancellation fees are payable from that time.

PASSPORT & VISAS

It is a requirement that you hold a valid passport and any required visas for your trip. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of the necessary documentation to comply with the laws and regulations of the countries to be visited.

HEALTH & FITNESS

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a suitable level of health and fitness to undertake the trip of your choice. If you have doubts about your ability to undertake the trip, please contact us to discuss your circumstances prior to making a booking request.

Existing Medical Conditions

If you have a medical condition which may reasonably be expected to increase your risk of needing medical attention, or which may materially affect the usual conduct of the trip, then you must advise us prior to or at the time you make your booking request.

We may request you to provide an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If the assessment indicates that you are not fit to travel or will require special assistance which we cannot reasonably provide, then we may cancel your booking. Provided you notified us of your medical condition prior to or at the time you made your booking request, we will provide you with a full refund of funds received. 

If you fail to provide a medical assessment within a reasonable time, then this will be considered a cancellation by you and cancellation fees and charges will apply (See ‘Cancellation By You’ section above).

New Medical Conditions

You must advise us of any new or changed medical conditions which may reasonably be expected to increase your risk of needing medical attention, or which may materially affect the usual conduct of the trip.

We may request you to provide an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If the assessment indicates that you will require special assistance which we cannot reasonably provide or if you fail to provide a medical assessment within a reasonable time, then this will be considered a cancellation by you and cancellation fees and charges will apply (See ‘Cancellation By You’ section above).

Non-Disclosed Medical Conditions

If any non-disclosed medical conditions mean that you will require special assistance which we cannot reasonably provide, then we acting reasonably may exclude you from the trip. This will be considered a cancellation by you and cancellation fees and charges will apply (See ‘Cancellation By You’ section above).

We strongly suggest that your travel insurance policy includes comprehensive cancellation coverage.

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS

Special dietary requests are required to be notified to us within 7 days after we confirm your booking. We will endeavour to communicate your requirements to relevant suppliers. However, we cannot guarantee requests will be met by suppliers. It is your responsibility to check that meals and beverages do not contain any allergens. We expressly disclaim any liability for meals or beverages that contain allergens.

VACCINATIONS

We strongly encourage you to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with a vaccine approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. This is so health risks for yourself and others you come into contact with can be mitigated. Subject to the Illness or Vaccination Status Preventing Travel section above, if you choose to travel without being fully vaccinated, then you do so accept the implicit risks to your health and you agree to provide us with waivers and releases as we may require.

It is your responsibility to obtain vaccinations and preventative medicines as may be required for the duration of the trip. Any information provided by us is given in good faith.

ILLNESS OR VACCINATION STATUS PREVENTING TRAVEL

If due to any illness, suspected illness or failure to satisfy any required tests (such as a PCR or rapid antigen test in relation to Covid-19) or vaccination requirements: 

  • an airline or other common carrier refuses you carriage;
  • a hotel or vessel refuses to accommodate you; or
  • we or our suppliers (acting reasonably) exclude you from the trip

and you are consequently prevented from commencing or continuing your trip, then:

  • if you have already commenced your trip, we will provide you with reasonable assistance to arrange alternative travel arrangements or to continue the trip. This will be at your cost.
  • if you have not commenced your trip then we regret we will not be in a position to provide such assistance.

We will not be liable to refund the cost of your trip (or any part of it) because we would have already paid (or committed to pay) suppliers and we would have already performed significant work preparing for the delivery of your trip and servicing your booking. 

We will not be responsible for any other loss or loss you incur in connection with your booking (for example, airfares and visa expenses) if you are prevented from commencing or continuing your trip in these circumstances.

ACCEPTANCE OF RISK

You acknowledge that travel involves personal risks which may be greater than those present in your everyday life. This could be as a result of the adventurous nature of your trip or the visiting of destinations which present geographical, political or cultural risks and dangers.

You should consult guidance issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) applicable to the destinations within your itinerary. You acknowledge that your choice to travel is made having had the benefit of DFAT guidance, and you accept any additional personal risks associated with your travel. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim any liability for these risks.

You acknowledge that you are travelling at a time when Covid-19 is endemic and that Covid-19 presents risks to your health and may cause death. By making a booking request, you accept all risks associated with Covid-19 infection during travel and you release us (and our directors, officers, employees and suppliers) from liability in connection with Covid-19 infection.

INDEPENDENT SERVICES

We are not responsible for any additional activities or excursions which are not included in the booked itinerary or which we sell as agent for the principal operator. Any advice or recommendation given by us, a guide or local representative is made in good-faith, based on known information, and does not make us responsible for the acts or omissions of the principal operator of the excursion or activity.

RESPONSIBILITY

Services supplied by independent suppliers

Where a third party over whom we have no direct control (Independent Supplier) is the supplier of travel arrangements that form part of your trip, you acknowledge that our obligations to you are limited to taking reasonable steps to select a reputable Independent Supplier and arranging for them to provide those travel arrangements to you. Independent Suppliers over whom we have no direct control include but are not limited to airlines, railway and cruise operators, hoteliers, independent transport companies (i.e., vehicles not operated by us) attraction and venue operators and common carriers.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we will not be responsible to you for any loss, damage, personal injury or delay attributable to the actions or omissions of an Independent Supplier and not caused by our negligence.  Any claims you have in this regard must be made against the Independent Supplier. You acknowledge that the Independent Supplier’s liability to you may be limited by their own terms and conditions.

Services we directly supply

To the extent only that we are the principal supplier to you of travel arrangements or other services which we control, then we will provide those travel arrangements and services with reasonable skill and care.

We will only be responsible for our employees in the course of their employment, and for our agents and contracts (where we have direct control over them) if they were carrying out the work we had asked them to do.

We will not be responsible for any loss, damage, claim, or expense caused by the acts or omissions of yourself, of any other third party not connected with the provision of the travel arrangements or services, or due to an event of Force Majeure.

While we endeavour to meet scheduled arrival and departure times, we cannot guarantee this. We will not be responsible for any loss or additional expenses you incur for any missed connections/services attributable to delays.

Recreational Services

If we supply any recreational services to you, then to the maximum extent permitted by law we exclude any liability for death, physical injury or mental injury or any other liability referred to in section 139A(3) of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) resulting from our failure to comply with a guarantee that applies under Subdivision B of Division 1 of Part 3-2 of the Australian Consumer Law.

This exclusion does not apply to significant personal injury caused by our reckless conduct.

Recreational services means services that consist of participation in the activities referred to in Section 139A of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), being participation in:

(a) a sporting activity or similar leisure time pursuit; or

(b) any other activity that:

(i)    involves a significant degree of physical exertion or physical risk; and

(ii)    is undertaken for the purposes of recreation, enjoyment or leisure.

General liability limitation

We cannot guarantee schedules. We will not be responsible for any loss or additional expenses you incur for any missed connections/services attributable to delays.

You acknowledge that travel arrangements or services which comply with local laws and regulations will be deemed to have been properly performed, even if this would not be considered the case in Australia. 

Australian Consumer Law and corresponding legislation in State jurisdictions in certain circumstances imply mandatory guarantees into consumer contracts (“Consumer Guarantees”). These Booking Conditions do not exclude or limit the application of the Consumer Guarantees other than to the extent they can be excluded or limited, in which case we limit or exclude the Consumer Guarantees to the fullest extent possible. Other than the Consumer Guarantees, we disclaim all warranties and guarantees.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, our maximum liability to you under these Booking Conditions, in tort (including negligence) or at law is limited to arranging for the travel arrangements to be resupplied or payment of the cost of having them resupplied.

COMPLAINTS

In the event of a problem with any aspect of your travel arrangements you must tell us or make our representative or our local supplier aware of such problems as soon as possible. This is so we or our suppliers have had the opportunity to put things right on the ground.

If you notify us of a problem during travel and we haven’t resolved it to your satisfaction, please follow this up in writing within 30 days from the end of your travel arrangements. This is so we have the opportunity to pursue the claim with our own suppliers (if relevant).

If you fail to follow this procedure, this may limit your rights to make a claim.

SEVERANCE

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or in any way unenforceable, it shall be severed from these Terms and the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired and these Terms shall be construed so as to most nearly give effect to the parties’ intentions at the time when Contours Travel confirmed its acceptance of the relevant booking.

GOVERNING LAW

All matters in respect of the Services provided by Contours Travel but not in respect of other things are governed by the laws of Victoria and the courts of Victoria shall have the exclusive jurisdiction to determine all claims arising in connection with such Services or pursuant to these Terms and Conditions.

DEFINITIONS

In these Terms, the following terms have the following meaning: (a) “Contours Travel” means Contours Travel Pty Ltd of Suite 12, Level One, 520 Victoria Street, North Melbourne, Victoria, 3051, Australia and (b) “Services” means booking and packaging by Contours Travel of accommodation, transportation, tour, and other services provided by other suppliers.

CONTOURS TRAVEL PTY LTD
Suite 12, Level One, 520 Victoria Street North Melbourne VICTORIA 3051, AUSTRALIA
Tel: (03) 9328 8488, Toll-Free: 1300 135 391
Email: [email protected]
ABN 54907026274