One of the things I had to deal with as an itinerary specialist for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu agency was plan changes. After having carefully designed the detailed itinerary and exchanged information, at some point, either I would encounter fickle-minded clients or there were really just some inevitable changes which could lead to the cancellation of the whole tour.
For those who are confused what this is all about, I just recently came back from a very long trip to finally work on my Travel & Tours startup project. Those who have been following and reading my posts should already understand what I'm talking about. And thank you to those who have been generous with their upvotes and those who are helping me make this happen.
The project is kind of a paradox because it is totally not my travel style. However, after having work experience in the travel industry, and knowing this island by heart, I believe I am more than capable of starting my own personalized eco-based tours, for myself, to help the locals and to initiate projects about marine life conservation. As a scuba diver, I am very keen on marine life conservation as a side project in the future.
I am putting here the draft of what I'm about to put on the website, let me know if there is something wrong or if missed anything. If you had booked any packaged or itinerary tours before, then you should know that this would always be given to you by the travel agent.
It says we below but it is actually just me at the moment. So what happens if you cancel your tour with me?
Booking Conditions and Cancellation Policy
BOOKING CONDITIONS
Non-Refundable Deposits
There is a non-refundable deposit of $200 per person to reserve all tours. The deposit can be made through Paypal, which will incur a 5.5% Paypal fee paid by the traveler. All deposits are fully non-refundable as we use these to arrange tours, purchase permits and reserve the hotels in advanced. In the event that you need to cancel your trip, cancellation fees will be assessed as outlined below under Cancellation Policy.
Final Payment Terms
Final payments are due at least 1 day before your tour begins. This can normally be paid here by cash (USD), once you arrived here and get settled in your hotel. The remaining balance can also be paid via Paypal which will incur a 5.5 % PayPal fee.
Cancellation Policy
Notification of cancellation must be made in writing to cancel@bookingsample.com. At the time we receive the cancellation, the following cancellation fees will apply.
** If you cancel 6 weeks or more days before departure: Cancellation fees equal the amount your deposit.
** 5 weeks to 2 weeks before departure: 60% of the total tour price is non-refundable.
** 1 week to 5 days before departure: 80% of the total tour price is non-refundable.
** 4 days to 48 hours before departure: 90% of the total tour price is non-refundable.
** less than 48 hours before departure: 100% of the total price is non-refundable.
We charge these fees because there are a lot of expenses that we pay to set up these tours. Unfortunately, there are no exceptions, but if you need a letter for your insurance company to help recover some of the costs, we would be happy to supply one.
I know what you might be thinking, PayPal can be such a pain sometimes, due to its outrageous fees and other conversion charges. You see it's 5.5% fee somewhat, but if we are talking about $1000++ x total pax, it can be huge. Most people can easily pay through this method, aside from wire transfer and western union.
I'm still working on other payment methods because if you are alone and have to go through hoops with the banks, it can be really such a pain in the back. So maybe it is time to include Bitcoin. Everyone should have a think of using Bitcoin as a payment method as bank charges are ridiculous. I'm still quite new to cryptocurrencies, but how do you think should I write about accepting Bitcoin as payment?
Are these fees reasonable? If you haven't worked in the travel industry, you will not understand all the work and effort in preparing and arranging your upcoming trip - networking with the local tour operators, logistics, guides, national park permits, transportation and hotel accommodations, it is not easy as you think. Sometimes we have to pay them in advance so they can secure the slots. This is especially true with hotel accommodations.
This is one thing why you seek the services of a travel agent, if you don't have all the time in the world to plan your own trip, then it can be specially designed to suit your needs. You pay and relax, then I do the hard work. This is why tour packages can be quite pricey, it is very detailed and it caters to your interest. But when you make any changes, especially last-minute, this can be problematic at times to the operator, you can't just refund everything, you have to understand the consequences of making the change.
I understand that sometimes we want to plan ahead and make everything work smoothly, but there can be events that could affect the trip along the way - health issues, job reasons, family, accident or other unforeseen circumstances. I've dealt with these reasons as an itinerary specialist in the past so I can understand perfectly well why some people would need to cancel. There were many times that I could give some alternative solutions, like rebook the trip if still possible, but sometimes, it is just really a cancellation.
We just don't know what the future is going to be like, there are no guarantees in everything.