Inspireski Terms & Conditions (Bookings After 1st November 2022)
We set out below an explanation of the Terms and Conditions that apply when you book a ski trip with us. It is important that you read these conditions as, together with the information pages in your tailor-made package, they not only define our obligation to you but also impose some important commitments upon you.
These Booking Conditions, together with our Privacy Policy, together with any other written information we brought to your attention before we confirmed your ski trip booking, form the basis of your contract with International Sports Tours Limited trading as inspireski/inspiresport, with registered company number: 05101939 ABTA No: Y6767, ATOL No: 12127, VAT No: 123366434. (“we”, “us”, “our”).
Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. In these Booking Conditions references to “you” and “your” include the first named person on the booking and all persons on whose behalf a booking is made or any other person to whom a booking is added or transferred.
Your Ski Trip contract
By making a booking, the first named person on the booking (the lead booker) agrees on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking that:
- a) he/she has read these Booking Conditions and has the authority to and does agree to be bound by them.
- b) he/she consents to our use of personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and is authorised on behalf of all persons named on the booking to disclose their personal details to us, including where applicable special categories of data (such as information on health conditions or disabilities and dietary requirements).
- c) the lead booker is over 18 years of age and resident in the United Kingdom and were placing an order for services with age restrictions declares that he/she and all members of the party are of the appropriate age to purchase those services; and
- d) he/she accepts financial responsibility for payment of the booking on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking.
These booking conditions and any agreement to which they apply are subject to English Law. We both agree that any dispute claim or other matter which arises between us out of or in connection with your contract or booking will be dealt with by the Courts of England and Wales only. You may however choose the law and jurisdiction of Scotland and Northern Ireland if you live in those places, and you wish to do so. No variation of these terms will be valid unless confirmed in writing by us. A contract will exist as soon as we issue our confirmation invoice.
Your Financial Protection
We provide financial security for flight-inclusive packages and ATOL protected flights by way of our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence number [12127], issued by the Civil Aviation Authority, Gatwick Airport South, West Sussex, RH6 0YR, UK, telephone 0333 103 6350, email: [email protected].
When you buy an ATOL protected fight or flight inclusive holiday from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information and what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong.
We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative service). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you).
You agree to accept that in those circumstances that an alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding will be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable).
If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.
We provide full financial protection for our package holidays which don’t include flights, by way of a bond held by ABTA Ltd, The Travel Association 30 Park Street London SE1 9EQ www.abta.co.uk.
You agree to accept that in the event of our insolvency, ABTA may arrange for the travel services you have booked to continue, or for a suitable alternative to be provided at the same cost of your original booking. You also agree to accept that in circumstances where the travel services supplier provides the services you have booked, you agree to pay any outstanding sum under your contract with us to that alternative travel service provider. However, you also agree that in some cases the services will not be provided, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under ABTA’s Scheme of Protection (or your payment card issuer where applicable) for a refund of the monies you have paid.
ABTA
We are a member of ABTA, membership number Y6767. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you an arbitration scheme for the resolution of disputes arising out of, or in connection with this contract. The arbitration scheme is arranged by ABTA and administered independently. It provides for a simple and inexpensive method of arbitration on documents alone with restricted liability on you in respect of costs.
There is a limit of £25,000 per booking. This scheme does not apply to claims which are solely in respect of physical injury or illness or their consequences. The scheme can however deal with compensation claims which include an element of minor injury or illness subject to a limit of £1,500 on the amount the arbitrator can award per person in respect of this element. Your request for arbitration must be received by ABTA within eighteen months of the date of return from holiday.
Outside this time limit arbitration under the scheme may still be available if we agree, but the ABTA Code does not require such agreement. For injury and illness claims, you can request the ABTA Mediation Procedure and we have the option to agree to mediation. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com
Pricing Policy
You will be advised of the current price of the trip that you wish to book before your contract is confirmed. When you make your booking, you must pay the required deposit. The deposit is the total of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or any number of split deposits agreed at time of booking (Excluding infants under two years of age at the date of return). Should your booking include budget or scheduled flights/ low-cost airlines, cruises or other special arrangements the deposit required may vary up to the full ticket price.
We endeavour to ensure that all the information and prices both on our website and in our promotional materials are accurate, however occasionally changes and errors occur, and we reserve the right to correct prices and other details in such circumstances. You must check the current price and all other details relating to the arrangements that you wish to book before you make your booking.
Some accommodation providers may also require additional deposits at the time of booking.
The balance of the price of your travel arrangements must be paid 12 weeks before your departure date. For any bookings made within 12 weeks of the departure date, full payment must be made at the time of booking.
Balance due dates may vary where scheduled flights are included and where ticketing deadlines are unexpectedly brought forward. This may result in a request for earlier payment. If the deposit and/or balance are not paid on time, we reserve the right to cancel your travel arrangements, retain your deposit and cancellation charges will be due. The price of your holiday may change after you have booked due to changes in transportation costs including the cost of fuel, taxes or fees chargeable for services such as landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports and exchange rates. However, there will be no change within 30 days of your departure.
We will absorb and you will not be charged for any increase equivalent to 2% of the price of your travel arrangements, which excludes insurance premiums and any amendment charges. You will be charged by the amount over and above that, plus an administration of £1.00 per person together with an amount to cover agents’ commission.
If this means that you have to pay an increase of more than 8% of the price of your travel arrangements, you will have the option of accepting an alternative holiday if we are able to offer one or cancelling and receiving a full refund of all monies paid, except for any amendment charges and Insurance charges.
Should the price of your holiday go down due to the changes mentioned above, by more than 2% of your holiday cost, then any refund due will be paid to you. However, please note that travel arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent currency changes have no impact on the price of your travel dues to contractual and other protection in place.
Any money paid to an authorised agent of ours in respect of a booking covered by our ATOL is held by that agent on behalf of and for the benefit of the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust at all times, but subject to the agent’s obligation to pay it to us for so long as we do not fail financially. If we do fail financially, any money held at that time by the agent or subsequently accepted from the consumer by the agent, is and continues to be held by that agent on behalf of and for the benefit of the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust without any obligation to pay that money to us.
If you change your booking (excluding name changes)
If, after our confirmation invoice has been issued, you wish to change your travel arrangements in any way, for example your chosen date of departure or accommodation, we will do our utmost to make these changes, but it may not always be possible. Any request for changes to be made must be made in writing from the lead booker.
You will be asked to pay an administration charge of £25 and any further cost we incur in making this alteration. You should be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date that changes are made. You should contact us as soon as possible.
Note: Certain travel arrangements (e.g., scheduled or low-cost flights) may not be changeable after a reservation has been made and any alteration request could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.
Transfer of Booking
If you or any member of your party is prevented from travelling, that person(s) may transfer their place to someone else, subject to the following conditions:
- that person is introduced by you and satisfies all the conditions applicable to the holiday.
- we are notified not less than 7 days before departure.
- you pay any outstanding balance payment, an amendment fee of £25 per person transferring, as well as any additional fees, charges or other costs arising from the transfer; and
- the transferee agrees to these booking conditions and all other terms of the contract between us.
You and the transferee remain jointly and severally liable for payment of all sums. If you are unable to find a replacement, cancellation charges as set out in these booking conditions will apply in order to cover our estimated costs. Otherwise, no refunds will be given for passengers not travelling or for unused services.
Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended or transferred after they have been confirmed and any alteration could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements. Changes are dependent on the carrier and in the majority of cases airlines will not allow name changes and you would be required to purchase a new ticket.
If You Cancel Your Booking
You, or any member of your party, may cancel their travel arrangements at any time. Written notification from the person who made the booking must be received at our offices.
Since we incur costs in cancelling your travel arrangements, you will have to pay the applicable cancellations charges up to the maximum shown in the table below:
| Period before departure within which written cancellation is received by inspireski/inspiresport | Amount of cancellation charges shown as a percentage of the booking price. * |
| More than 98 days | (Normally 1st, 2nd and 3rd or any low deposit) as indicated on invoice. |
| 98-72 days | 30% or deposit if greater |
| 71-42 days | 50% or deposit if greater |
| 41-22 days | 75% or deposit if greater |
| 21-15 days | 90% or deposit if greater |
| 14 days or less | 100% |
Note: if the reason for cancellation is covered under the terms of an insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges. The full insurance premium is retained in the event of cancellation.
*Bookings that include Budget/Low cost or Schedule Flights and/or cruise may incur different cancellation charges. Some accommodation providers may also require additional non-refundable deposits. Please enquire at the time of booking.
**Where a low deposit has been paid at the time of cancellation you will be required to pay the remainder of the full deposit. For clarity THE DEPOSIT is the total of all the deposit instalments.
Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended after they have been confirmed and any alteration or cancellation could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements in addition to the charge above.
Cancellation by You due to Unavoidable & Extraordinary Circumstances
You have the right to cancel your confirmed holiday before departure without paying a cancellation charge in the event of “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” occurring at your holiday destination or its immediate vicinity and significantly affecting the performance of the holiday or significantly affecting the transport arrangements to the destination. In these circumstances, we shall provide you with a full refund of the monies you have paid but we will not be liable to pay you any additional compensation. Please note that your right to cancel in these circumstances will only apply where the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against travel to your destination or its immediate vicinity. For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” means warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination.
This clause outlines the rights you have if you wish to cancel your booking. Please note that there is no automatic statutory right of cancellation under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
Cutting Your Holiday Short
If you are forced to return home early, we cannot refund the cost of any travel arrangements you have not used. If you cut short your holiday and return home early in circumstances where you have no reasonable cause for complaint about the standard of accommodation and services provided, we will not offer you any refund for that part of your holiday not completed or be liable for any associated costs you may incur. Depending on the circumstances, your travel insurance may offer cover for curtailment, and we suggest that any claim is made directly with them.
If We Change or Cancel Your Booking
It is unlikely that we will have to make any changes to your travel arrangements, as we plan the arrangements many months in advance. Occasionally we have to make changes and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Most of these changes are minor and we will advise you of them at the earliest possible date. We do use the services of independent suppliers such as hotels, airlines, over which we have no direct control.
We also reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your travel arrangements. For example, if the minimum number of clients required for a particular travel arrangement is not reached, we may have to cancel it. However, it may be necessary to cancel your travel arrangements less than 14 weeks before your departure date, for reasons of force majeure, failure of a supplier or failure by you to pay the final balance by the due date. If we are unable to provide the booked travel arrangements, you can either have a refund of all monies paid or accept an offer of alternative travel arrangements of comparable standard from us if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value). If it is necessary to cancel your travel arrangements, we will pay to you compensation as set out in the table below.
Please note the existence of a “UK Air Safety list” (available for inspection here) detailing air carriers that are subject to an operating ban within the UK.
In accordance with UK regulations, we are required to advise you of the actual carrier operating your flight/connecting flight/transfer. Any changes to the actual airline after you have received your tickets will be notified to you as soon as possible and in all cases at check-in or at the boarding gate. Such change is deemed a minor change. Other examples of minor change include alteration of your outward/return flights by less than 12 hours, changes to Clarity Business Travel will not be held responsible for any additional “out of pocket” expenses your party may incur due to holiday amendment.
When a major change occurs, we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible, if there is time before departure. You will have the choice of either accepting the change of arrangements, accepting an offer of alternative travel arrangements of comparable standard from us if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value), or cancelling your booked holiday and receiving a full refund of all monies paid. In all cases, except where the major changes arise due to reasons of force majeure, we will pay compensation as detailed below:
| Period before departure within which a major change or cancellation is notified to you or your travel agent | Credit/ compensation per full fare paying passengers |
| More than 90 days | Nil |
| 98-43 days | £10 |
| 42-29 days | £20 |
| 28-8 days | £30 |
| 7-0 days | £40 |
The compensation that we offer does not exclude you from claiming more if you are entitled to do so.
Force Majeure
Except where otherwise expressly stated in these Booking Conditions we will not be liable or pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by “Force Majeure”. For the purposes of these Booking Conditions, Force Majeure means any event beyond our or our supplier’s control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include warfare and acts of terrorism (and threat thereof), civil strife, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination or remain at the travel destination, the act of any government or other national or local authority including port or river authorities, industrial dispute, labour strikes, lock closure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological disaster, unavoidable technical problems with transport and all similar events outside our or the supplier(s) concerned’ s control.
Brexit Implications: please note that certain travel arrangements may be affected as a result of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. This could include an unavailability of certain flight routes, access to certain ports and airports and changes to the visa requirements of British citizens travelling to, within or through the EU. Please rest assured that this is something we will continue to monitor and will advise our customers as soon as possible if we become aware of any confirmed bookings that will be affected. However, since this is something which is completely unprecedented and outside our control, we would treat any such changes as Force Majeure, and whilst we will endeavour to provide suitable alternative arrangements or refunds where possible, we will not be liable to pay you any compensation.
If You Have a Complaint
If you have a problem during your trip, it is of the utmost importance that you immediately bring it to the attention of the relevant person (for example the resort representative, hotel manager or transport agent) who will do their best to put things right. If your complaint is not resolved locally, you should contact us to advise us of the problems so that we may endeavour to resolve it. However, should a problem remain unresolved, a complaint should be made in writing within 28 days of your return home to: Customer Service Department, inspireski, Abacus House, Caxton Place, Cardiff, CF23 8HA, providing your booking reference and all other relevant information. Please keep your letter concise and to the point. This will assist us to quickly identify your concerns and speed up our response to you.
It is strongly recommended that you communicate any complaint to the supplier of the services in question as well as any resort representative without delay and complete a report form whilst in resort. If you fail to follow this simple procedure, we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify your compliant whilst you were in resort, and this may affect your rights under this contract.
What Happens to Complaints
We aim to resolve all complaints amicably, but if this is not possible your complaint can be considered under an arbitration scheme arranged by ABTA. We aim to acknowledge your complaint with 14 days and respond in full within 28 days thereafter. Please see the above clause. Full details will be provided on request or obtained from the ABTA website: www.abta.com
Our Liability to You
We accept responsibility as an ‘organiser’ under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018.
If the contract, we have with you is not performed or is improperly performed by us or our suppliers we will pay you an appropriate compensation if this has affected the enjoyment of your travel arrangements. You must inform us without undue delay of any failure to perform or improper performance of the travel services included in this package. However, we will not be liable where any failure in the performance of the contract is due to: you; or a third party unconnected with the provision of the travel arrangements and where the failure is unforeseeable or circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised; or an event which we or our suppliers, even with all due care, could not foresee or forestall.
Our liability, except in cases involving death, injury or illness, shall be limited to a maximum amount calculated on the cost of your travel arrangements.
Many of the services which make up your holiday are provided by independent suppliers. Those suppliers provide these services in accordance with their own terms and conditions which will form part of your contract with us. Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier’s liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable International Conventions. Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions are available on request from us or the supplier concerned.
Our liability will also be limited in accordance with and/or in identical manner to:
- The contractual terms of the companies that provides t your travel arrangements. These terms are incorporated into this contract; and
- Any relevant international convention, for example the Montreal Convention in respect of travel by air, the Athens Convention in respect of travel by sea, the Berne Convention in respect of travel by rail and the Paris Convention in respect of the provision of accommodation, which limit the amount of compensation that you can claim for death, injury, delay to passengers and loss, damage and delay to luggage. We are to be regarded as having all benefit of any limitation of compensation contained in these or any conventions.
You can ask for copies of the independent suppliers’ contractual terms, or the international conventions, from our offices: Clarity Travel Limited, Broadhurst House, 56 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EU
This clause doesn’t apply to any excursions or activities that you might purchase whilst on holiday.
It is a condition of our acceptance of liability under this clause that you notify any claim to us and our supplier(s) strictly in accordance with the complaint’s procedure set out in these conditions. Where any payment is made, the person(s) receiving it (and their parent or guardian if under 18 years) must also assign to us or our insurers any rights they may have to pursue any third party and must provide ourselves and our insurers with all assistance we may reasonably require. Please note, we cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss or expense or other sum(s) of any description:
(a) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you.
(b) relate to any business.
(c) indirect or consequential loss of any kind.
We will not accept responsibility for services or facilities which do not form part of our agreement or where they are not advertised on our website or in our promotional material. For example, any excursion you book whilst away, or any service or facility which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you.
Where it is impossible for you to return to your departure point as per the agreed return date of your package, due to “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances”, we shall provide you with any necessary accommodation (where possible, of a comparable standard) for a period not exceeding three nights per person. Please note that the 3-night cap does not apply to persons with reduced mobility, pregnant women or unaccompanied minors, nor to persons needing specific medical assistance, provided we have been notified of these particular needs at least 48 hours before the start of your holiday. For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” mean warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely back to your departure point.
If you or any member of your party misses your flight or other transport arrangement, it is cancelled or you are subject to a delay of over 3 hours for any reason, you must contact us, and the airline or other transport supplier concerned immediately.
Under UK Law, you have rights in some circumstances to refunds and/or compensation from the airline in cases of denied boarding, cancellation or delay to flights. Full details of these rights will be publicised at UK airports and will also be available from airlines. If the airline does not comply with these rules you should complain to the Civil Aviation Authority at www.caa.co.uk/passengers. Reimbursement in such cases is the responsibility of the airline and will not automatically entitle you to a refund of your holiday price from us. If, for any reason, you do not claim against the airline and make a claim for compensation from us, you must, at the time of payment of any compensation to you, make a complete assignment to us of the rights you have against the airline in relation to the claim that gives rise to that compensation payment. A delay or cancellation to your flight does not automatically entitle you to cancel any other arrangements even where those arrangements have been made in conjunction with your flight.
If any payments to you are due from us any payment made to you by the airline will be deducted from this amount. If your airline does not comply with these rules you should complain to the Air Transport Users’ Council on 020 7240 6061 or www.auc.org.uk
Prompt Assistance in Resort
If, whilst you are on holiday, you find yourself in difficulty for any reason, we will offer you such prompt assistance as is appropriate in the circumstances. In particular, we will provide you with appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance, and assistance with distance communications and finding alternative travel arrangements. Where you require assistance which is not owing to any failure by us, our employees or sub-contractors we will not be liable for the costs of any alternative travel arrangements or other such assistance you require. Any supplier, airline or other transport supplier may however pay for or provide refreshments and/or appropriate accommodation and you should make a claim directly to them. Subject to the other terms of these Booking Conditions, we will not be liable for any costs, fees or charges you incur in the above circumstances, if you fail to obtain our prior authorisation before making your own travel arrangements. Furthermore, we reserve the right to charge you a fee for our assistance in the event that the difficulty is caused intentionally by you or a member of your party, or otherwise through your or your party’s negligence.
Passport, Visa, Immigration and Vaccination Requirements
A full passport (valid for at least 6 months beyond the end of your holiday) is required for travel. Your specific passport and visa requirements and other immigration requirements are your responsibility, and you should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements or if you are not in possession of the relevant vaccination certificates. Requirements do change and you must check the up-to-date position in good time before departure.
It is also your responsibility to arrange adequate insurance cover for your trip and to take relevant details of the policy with you.
Excursions / Après ski activities
Excursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on holiday are not part of your package holiday provided by us. For any excursion or other tour that you book, your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator.
Transportation
It is your responsibility to ensure that you arrive in good time to board all flights or other methods of transportation. To assist you we will notify you of the time by which you should arrive at all points of departure. If you miss a flight or other transportation, we will try to arrange alternative transportation, but reserve the right to recover from you any costs we incur in making such arrangements.
Any air, rail, road and other departure times are supplied by the carriers. They are subject to inter alia, air traffic control restrictions, weather conditions, the need for constant maintenance and the ability of passengers to check in on time. There is no guarantee that departures will take place at the times shown on your tickets. The timings are estimates only. Clarity Travel Limited does not have any liability to you for any delays that may arise. Further, your dealings with all carriers are subject to the conditions of the carrier, some of which may limit or exclude liability. Where we are in a position to do so, we will give information before you book concerning the airline on which you will fly, your airport of destination and type of aircraft on which you will travel. However, if any of these details change subsequently, and you choose to cancel as a result, our normal cancellation charges will apply. Any arrangements in the event of a delay will be at the sole discretion of the airline or other carrier involved.
A number of Governments are introducing new requirements for air carriers to provide personal information about all travellers on their aircraft to the Authorities before the aircraft leaves the UK. The data will be collected either at the airport when you check in or in some circumstances when, or after you make your booking. Accordingly, you are advised to allow extra time to check in for your flight. Where we collect this data, we will treat it in accordance with our privacy policy.
Explicit Consent – Personal Data & Transfer of Data to Non-EEA Countries
When you make a booking with inspireski/inspiresport, some of the personal data that you provide such as Medical and Dietary Information, will need to be passed to, processed and stored by relevant third parties; airlines, coaches, ferries, Eurotunnel, hotels, visits and attractions, insurance companies, and ground handling agents, so that they can provide you with the arrangements you require. Some of these third parties may be based outside of the European Economic Area (EEA). (The EEA comprising of 28 countries, and also including Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) There are some countries that are assessed as adequate in the area of data protection and they include Andorra, Argentina, Canada (commercial organisations), Faroe Islands, Guernsey, Israel, Isle of Man, Jersey, New Zealand, Switzerland, Uruguay and the US (limited to the Privacy Shield framework). Organisations that are based outside of the EEA may not be subject to the same level of controls in regard to data protection as exist within the UK and the EEA. In order for you to travel overseas, we may be required to disclose some of your personal data to Government bodies or other authorities in the UK and in other countries, such as those responsible for immigration, border control, security and anti-terrorism. Even if it is not mandatory for us to provide information to such authorities, we may exercise our discretion to assist them where appropriate.
Data protection
In order to make your booking and to ensure that your travel arrangements run smoothly we need to use the information you provide (such as names, addresses, special needs and dietary requirements, information for ski hirers and ski schools etc). We pass the information on only to the relevant suppliers such as airlines, transport companies, hotels, ski hirers and ski schools, insurers and, as may be required to be provided to public authorities, such as customs/immigration, or as required by law. We take full responsibility for ensuring that proper security measures are in place to protect your information. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons. We do not pass on any such information to any other person or organisation.
Miscellaneous
FCDO Advice
You are responsible for making yourself aware of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice in regard to the safety of the countries and areas in which you will be travelling and to make your decisions accordingly. Advice from the FCDO to avoid or leave a particular country may constitute Force Majeure.
Special Requests
Any special requests must be advised to us at the time of booking e.g., diet, room location, a particular facility at a hotel etc. You should then confirm your requests in writing. Whilst every effort will be made by us to try and arrange your reasonable special requests, we cannot guarantee that they will be fulfilled. The fact that a special request has been noted on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation or that it has been passed on to the supplier is not confirmation that the request will be met. Failure to meet any special request will not be a breach of contract on our part unless the request has been specifically confirmed by us. We do not accept bookings that are conditional upon any special request being met.
Your Behaviour
All our customers are expected to conduct themselves in an orderly and acceptable manner and not to disrupt the enjoyment of others. If in our opinion or in the opinion of any hotel manager or any other person in authority, your behaviour or that of any member of your party is causing or is likely to cause distress, danger or annoyance to any other customers or any third party, or damage to property, or to cause a delay or diversion to transportation, we reserve the right to terminate your booking with us immediately. In the event of such termination our liability to you and/or your party will cease and you and/or your party will be required to leave your accommodation or other arrangements immediately. We will have no further obligations to you and/or your party. No refunds for lost accommodation or any other arrangements will be made, and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of termination. You and/or your party may also be required to pay for loss and/or damage caused by your actions, and we will hold you and each member of your party jointly and individually liable for any damage or losses caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or losses must be paid directly to the hotel manager or other supplier prior to departure. If you fail to make payment, you will be responsible for meeting any claims (including legal costs) subsequently made against us as a result of your actions together with all costs we incur in pursuing any claim against you.
We cannot be held responsible for the actions or behaviour of other guests or individuals who have no connection with your booking arrangements or with us.
Conditions of Travel
We reserve the right to require any passenger to produce medical evidence of their fitness to travel. Passengers with a disability, which may require a special treatment or assistance, must advise inspiresport in writing of the condition so that appropriate advice and assistance can be given.
NB Passengers may be refused passage as a result of failing to notify us and if appropriate arrangements cannot be made.
We may require you to produce a doctor’s certificate certifying that you are fit to participate. Acting reasonably, if we are unable to properly accommodate the needs of the person(s) concerned, we will not confirm your booking or if you did not give us full details at the time of booking, we will cancel it and impose applicable cancellation charges when we become aware of these details.
inspireski/inspiresport has no control over the allocation of airline seats and cannot guarantee any seat requests. Baggage allowance will vary by destination-please check (with the airline used) for details. Passengers are advised that all airlines operate a non-smoking policy. You must declare pregnancy to us at the earliest opportunity as on certain airlines conditions and restrictions apply. Pregnant women are not permitted, typically if the pregnancy is more than 28 weeks at the anticipated return date. We reserve the right to refuse passage onboard to any person who appears to be in advanced stages of pregnancy.
We reserve the right to determine the hotel, air-carrier, flight routing (flights will not necessarily be direct or non-stop) and airport, for all sports tours advertised.
Travel Insurance Recommendations
It is highly recommended you take out adequate travel insurance cover for your trip. It is a condition of booking an inspireski/inspiresport tour that you take insurance cover that is equal to or superior to that offered by inspireski/inspiresport. It is important that any cover taken should cover students participating in sporting activities.
Health Requirements
There are currently no special requirements for France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Andorra, USA or Canada nor the countries you travel through. This is, however, a matter for the party leader to check on before departure. For trips to Europe, hospital treatment is currently provided free of charge at public hospitals as part of the EU reciprocal arrangements. Bills for chemists and ambulances must be paid locally and reclaimed under the terms of your insurance on your return. The insurance company we have chosen to use does undertake to pay or guarantee the payment of doctors’ bills (and hospital bills if travelling to the US) and in virtually all cases this is what happens. However, doctors are free agents and cannot be compelled to accept our guarantee; in such (rare) circumstances you will be required to pay on the spot and reclaim expenses from the insurance company upon your return to the UK. c) Each person must be in possession of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which must be produced at the doctor’s surgery or the hospital in case of treatment.
Consent to Emergency Medical Treatment Forms
It is a requirement that all medical centres in North America obtain written consent from a parent or guardian prior to treating a minor. Therefore, many resorts require our groups to bring their own “loco parentis” forms with them, completed and signed by each parent on behalf of their child. Please enquire, either with us, or your LEA for details. Certain resorts produce their own forms and if this is the case, we will supply you with these 4 – 6 weeks prior to departure along with your ski hire declaration forms.
Accommodation
All resorts and accommodation have been inspected by the company’s staff. Many hotels make a charge for the use of advertised facilities e.g., sauna, solarium, swimming pool, hot whirlpool, bowling etc. All hotels reserve the right to remove television sets and telephones from children’s rooms. Towels are not always provided. Single rooms are not normally available. Free places are granted based on the use of twin, double or multi-bedded rooms. If a single room is required, or necessary, for whatever reason an additional charge will be made including in respect of persons travelling on free places. Twin or double rooms are available for accompanying staff but are subject to restriction and special confirmation for adults exceeding the free place ratio. Prices and free place ratios are calculated on male and female staff sharing rooms. We cannot guarantee that couples/families will be accommodated together and where availability allows this, any subsequent increase in the number of rooms required will be invoiced for. Students are accommodated in multi-bedded rooms and prices are based on full occupancy of these rooms. The company reserves the right to charge a supplement for under occupancy if the number of students or their gender results in students being accommodated in single/twin rooms. Irrespective of the usual number of children per room as indicated in each description, pupils may be accommodated in larger rooms. In some cases, private facilities may be adjacent to the room as opposed to en suite. Certain hotels provide apartment-style accommodation with 2, 3 or 4 separate rooms per apartment sharing private facilities. Bunk beds, divans, couch beds and pull-down beds may be used and in some European and North American hotels also use double beds to accommodate school groups which may involve pupils sharing. An Austrian or Swiss twin usually comprises two separate mattresses, duvets and bed linen on a king-sized frame. Rooms must be vacated after breakfast on your last day. If, however, a hotel is, at its discretion, able to provide rooms until departure, it will do so. If rooms cannot be retained until departure we will arrange for showering/changing facilities, at our discretion, using bedrooms or the sauna area or corridor showers etc. as may be available. We may be able to provide rooming lists where available, but this cannot be guaranteed, and we do not undertake to accommodate boys and girls on separate floors of the hotel.
In certain resorts where we feature more than one hotel or centre, groups will be allocated to a specific accommodation on receipt of final numbers forms. Please advise us of your preferred accommodation on your booking form. Please note that some properties may not be available on all advertised dates and are booked on a request basis by us. We occasionally use accommodation in specific resorts which is not featured on our website or promotional material. In such cases, the accommodation will be of a comparable standard to that featured.
Meals
The board basis provided by each accommodation is detailed in your proposal. Lunch, where provided, is usually packed lunch and supplements may apply for the provision of hot lunches. In the event you or any member of your party has any allergies, you must inform us immediately on booking so we can advise whether the chosen accommodation is suitable.
Facilities
Wi-Fi and Internet services in hotels are subject to local supplier conditions over which we have no control and so cannot be responsible for non-availability or absence of service. Usage of leisure facilities such as swimming pools, hot tubs and saunas are determined by suppliers in accordance with local customs, guidelines, practice or regulations.
Hotel Description
Where accommodation is described as offering “doorstep” skiing it will be dependent on individual skiers’ ability and snow conditions in resort. Generally, the term will relate to a hotel <300metres. Where walking distances times are quoted, it is based on the guideline time for an adult walking 150m in one minute in standard footwear as timings will vary on footwear and conditions including personal fitness. Free ski bus services may be subject to capacity restrictions. The Austrian and Swiss star-grading system is voluntary so not all establishments have an official rating. In such cases we have given an inspireski/inspiresport star rating as an indication. The word “hotel”, as used in our publications and website, is a generic term which embraces all types of accommodation. The descriptions “Gasthaus, Gästehaus, Gasthof, Hotel, Pension, Albergo” and the like have no significance in terms of hotel category. For example, there is no difference in a category between a 2-star Gasthaus or Gästehaus, a 2-star Gasthof or a 2-star Hotel or Pension. Please always refer to the actual, detailed description on each resort page. If a hotel specialises in accommodating youth groups, this will be indicated
Damage Deposits
An increasing number of hotels/centres require a damage deposit. This is payable in resort on arrival and is refunded provided no damage is incurred. We will advise this at the time of booking or as soon as this is made known to us.
Tourist Tax or Other Resort Taxes
Many resorts are introducing a “Tourist Tax” that is payable upon arrival. Sometimes this is introduced with little or no notice, and with no publicity. Although we will pass on details and notify you as soon as we become aware, at times it may be that we are unaware of the implementation. Tax is applied to the individual travelling to the resort, ergo you are responsible in all cases in meeting these costs in full. Inspireski/inspiresport will not be able to pay these on an individual’s or group’s behalf under any circumstance.
Itineraries & Travel Schedule
All timings and route schedules featured on our website act as a guide only and once a booking is confirmed by the ferry company or airline certain amendments may be necessary. A complete itinerary will be forwarded to you two to three weeks prior to departure and all the information contained therein will be deemed to be part of the contract. Should there be a discrepancy between the information on our website and the itinerary, the information in the itinerary supersedes that on the website and will be considered the most up-to-date and accurate. Should any major changes occur after that, we will advise you accordingly. Certain services we depend on may, from time to time, change their schedules (e.g., ferry crossings, aircraft schedules, rail timetables) which may affect the overall length of time you spend in resort. In the event of this occurring, we would not accept responsibility for changes that are beyond our control. It is obviously important that our programme operates to strict time schedules, and we would ask for your cooperation with the various final timings given.
At the time of publication/quotation, we are not in a position to confirm your airline, aircraft type, definite timings or airport, either in the UK or overseas. Where this information appears on our website, it is intended as a guideline only and is subject to change. For European tours the provision of in-flight meals is subject to the individual airline’s policy. It is not always possible to allocate groups direct flights so it may be necessary for your group to be allocated on an in-direct flight. Coach itineraries can be varied, but alterations must at all times comply with EU regulations relating to drivers’ hours. The final itinerary will be agreed by the Company before departure from the UK. While coach drivers will do their best to point out places of interest and provide information, it should be noted that they are not employed as guides.
We will advise you of approximate departure and channel crossing times but will not be in a position finally to confirm these until we have received this information from the channel operator concerned. We will however provide this information no later than when final travelling instructions are sent out, approximately 7 days before departure. b) It should be remembered that on peak dates there is huge pressure on limited cross-channel capacity. While we attempt to meet each party’s preferences in terms of ferry or shuttle and timings, such arrangements must, for operational reasons, be entirely at our discretion. c) You have unrestricted use of your coach during your ski trip for travelling to the slopes or for entertainment purposes during the day or evening, subject only to EU drivers’ regulations. d) Whilst, once a minimum of 40 persons have been paid for, a party normally enjoys exclusive use of a coach, any unoccupied seats remain at the disposal of the company to use for clients or staff. Such a requirement (which applies equally when a small numbers supplement has been paid) is extremely unusual but we reserve this right in case of necessity. e) In the case of a breakdown, the company undertakes to provide alternative transport at its expense to and from the resort and, as necessary, for skiing. It should be noted, however, that the company will not accept any responsibility for delayed arrival or missed skiing but will reimburse any reasonable expenses which would not otherwise have occurred. Travel to ski resorts in winter inevitably involves the possibility of poor weather, including freezing conditions, heavy traffic, delays and breakdowns. The company undertakes to do its best to look after you in the event of breakdown, but it must be appreciated that replacement vehicles can be difficult to obtain at short notice wherever a breakdown happens to occur. f) In circumstances where a local bus is provided free of charge by us on the last ski day to return a party from the slopes to their hotel, the time and pick-up point of that transfer is entirely at the discretion of the company. If you prefer other arrangements to those the company can provide free, these may be reserved locally at a supplement of £250 per coach per transfer. g) The departure time from the resort on the last day after skiing is calculated to comply with legal requirements (EU drivers’ hours and rest regulations); it may not be changed to an earlier time without the specific agreement of the company. h) Luggage space on all coaches is limited; this is of particular significance when your coach has a (fairly) full complement. We recommend using flat pack luggage rather than hard shell suitcases to help maximise storage. Each passenger may place one medium-sized case or hold-all weighing not more than 15 kilos in the hold and take one small piece to be placed under the seat or on the overhead rack. If you have any additional luggage requirements, please contact the coach company directly for their advice. We will not accept any responsibility for transporting luggage which cannot be accommodated in the coach hold.
Small Parties
Parties of less than 36 paying passengers are considered as a small party and are subject to the following conditions: a) The price quoted will include everything stated in the “What’s included” section of your quotation. Small parties must, in return for the savings they make, fully accept any limitations to services which may result from being a small party. This includes but is not limited to flexibility as to departure time from school, sharing a coach and agreeing with the other party or parties regarding use of the coach for evening entertainment and transfers to the slopes, and having a smaller number of ski classes with the attendant effects on progression and ability groups; small parties may, at our sole discretion, be combined with other parties to facilitate ski lessons and must accept any limitations or restrictions which may occur as a result.
Withdrawal or Limitation of Facilities for Which We Are Not Responsible
We draw your attention to the following non-exclusive circumstances which fall outside our direct control and where we are not prepared to accept liability. Note that some amenities (e.g., hotel lifts, swimming pools, etc.) require servicing and cleaning and may therefore not be available at all times. Some services are also affected by weather conditions (e.g., local staffing, availability of outdoor swimming pools, etc.) and their availability is at the discretion of the provider of the service. Entertainment (particularly live entertainment) provided by hotels is frequently subject to demand; its nature and frequency may be varied and there may be a lack of demand or insufficient numbers in the hotel. Adverse weather may also affect availability of ski areas, ice rinks, bus services, après ski activities or ski lift facilities in which case our suppliers will do their best to offer alternative facilities or activities.
Snow Conditions
The company cannot accept responsibility for snow and weather conditions which may affect skiing or ice skating etc. If you are covered by our insurance, you may be covered by special piste closure insurance. The decision of your ski school on the suitability of snow conditions is final.
Release of Liability Forms
It is also a requirement of certain resorts that a “release of liability form” is completed by each student and signed by the parent or legal guardian in order for them to participate in the ski school; this is standard practice. Please enquire of our office team for details.
Ski Passes
Virtually all lift companies require a list of pupils with their dates of birth in addition to a statement from the Head (including a school stamp) confirming that the group is a school party. The party leader undertakes to provide this documentation as prices are based on its availability. Certain lift companies require photographs for adults only or for all party members. Please consult the website for up-to date information. It is the responsibility of the party leader to provide these photographs on arrival in resort.
Ski Instruction
Groups booking 5- or 6-days x 4-hour lessons must expect to have lessons split equally in the morning and the afternoon. Additionally, instructors cannot accompany parties to other non-connected ski areas that may be included in the lift pass, as they would then be unable to instruct subsequent groups in the main ski area. b) Snowboarding groups are accepted subject to the conditions indicated in snowboarding section below. Please carefully consider whether you need to book extra instructors to cope with the numbers and composition of your group. c) Lessons are provided at group prices based on one instructor to twelve pupils. Persons travelling on free or concessionary places or extra paying adults do not count in determining the ratio of 1:12 instructors to pupils. You may, at your own discretion, vary the size of groups to take into account uneven group sizes caused by varying ski standards.
Groups which do not meet minimum number obligations may on occasion slightly exceed the 1:12 ratio or drop below this slightly but this is entirely at the company’s discretion, and we reserve the right to invoice you for any additional instructors required. Extra instructors are also available at an extra charge (speak to office for cost) should you wish to voluntarily decrease the ratio of instructor to students. d) In Italy a 2-hour lesson is by law 1 hour 50 minutes in order to allow instructors time to move from one group to another. Lessons each day are usually arranged on 4 x 2-hour rotations between 0900 and 1700hrs (i.e., 9-11am,11am-1pn,1pm-3pm, 3pm-5pm. In cases where this rotation applies the lunch break will be of 2 hours duration. e) In order to comply with UK Health and Safety recommendations it is a condition of the company accepting a booking that the party leader agrees that students will ski or snowboard only on marked and patrolled slopes and be supervised at all times while skiing either by the party’s teachers who are competent skiers or by ski school instructors provided by a ski school contracted by the company.
Snowboarders
A supplement is payable as indicated by your quotation to cover the increased costs of hiring snowboards instead of skis as well as covering the cost of hiring specialised snowboard instructors as there are far fewer of these in comparison to ski instructors. Our standard snowboard supplement covers the extra cost of hiring snowboard equipment and the extra cost of a snowboard (as opposed to a ski) instructor but it does not cover the provision of any extra instructors. As Snowboarders require a minimum of 1:8 instruction ratio and as mixed ski and snowboard groups of varying ski and snowboard abilities can cause serious grouping difficulties because one instructor cannot teach both disciplines at the same time, you will require an extra instructor at a fixed rate provided by your inspireski/inspiresport contact which will automatically be added to your invoice. You may, in certain circumstances, even require two extra instructors.
Ski Equipment
The party leader accepts the obligation of ensuring the party attends the ski shop for ski fitting should this be the arrangement in that resort. In addition, on the last day, the party leader agrees to return and check in all ski equipment with the supplier in the hotel or at the ski shop, whichever arrangement applies. b) The largest ski boot we are able to supply is 16 (normal shoe size 15). If any members of your party require boot sizes 15 or 16 (normal shoe sizes 14 or 15) we must be notified separately in writing no later than 3 months prior to departure. c) In order to hire snow sport equipment in North America, everyone will need to complete and sign a ski or snowboard hire declaration form; this is standard practice. We will endeavour where possible to supply you with these forms prior to travel.