Vuex Travel is committed to monitoring and amending our approach to travel during these uncertain times by providing guests with both flexibility and security during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Annexure replaces any previous releases and is applicable from 01 August 2021 and remains in place until such time as the restrictions impacting outbound travel from guests home country and/ or inbound travel to the destinations in their respective itineraries (in particular those countries where Vuex Travel operates) and / or restrictions on operations as a result of government lockdowns are lifted.

Once these conditions are lifted, any booking yet to travel or made under the auspices of this annexure are subject to Vuex Travel standard Terms and Condition

The revised annexure applies to all travel inside and outside the United States. The Terms and conditions offered by; and the application of those terms by partner properties and service providers not owned or managed by Vuex Travel remain at the sole discretion of these partners and service providers concerned.

The Terms:
Will need to be vaccinated to travel outside the United States,the White House announced that vaccines will be required for international travelers coming into the United States, with an effective date of November 8, 2021.

If you test positive for COVID-19 during your trip or prior to flying back to the states, you not only cannot get on your flight home, you must also respect that country’s current quarantining regulations. Whether you are exhibiting symptoms or not, a positive test is all that matters in their eyes. Most countries will require a period of quarantine and self-isolation, which ranges from 7 to 21 days. Some countries may also require this if someone in your group tests positive, regardless of the outcome of your test. Therefore, you must be mentally and financially prepared to unexpectedly extend your trip for a few weeks. Depending on the country or region, this quarantine may be completed in a hotel room or a designated quarantine hotel or government facility.Vuex Travel will not be responsible for any extended stay and you will have to handle your own necessary arrangements.

If anyone in the group tests positive, they will automatically be removed from the group and the rest of the group will continue without the person, even if the person did pay for their trip they will not be allowed to join the group and they must follow the countries Covid-19 restrictions.

Must make sure you have a plan if you or someone in your family gets infected and needs to extend your stay.

Must wear a mask in the stipulated areas and follow 6ft social distance protocols.

These terms specifically relate to Vuex Travel owned and operated services only Vuex Travel endeavours to work with our partner properties and service providers to secure the most flexible terms possible. However, all amendments, reductions, refunds and cancellation policies of partner properties and service providers will be determined at the sole and unfettered discretion of the partner properties and service providers utilized in any itinerary.

Where a refund is requested, these payments will be made less any applicable bank charges.

Notifications to defer or cancel should be sent to Vuex Travel in writing. This notification must be received between 90 days from travel.

Vuex Travel reserves the right to recover any costs it incurred in preparation for the guests arrival should notification be received between 90 or less days and date of arrival where:

There has been no change to either the outbound or inbound travel restrictions between 90 and 60 days;

The traveller has not tested positive for COVID-19 and is within 10 days of travel;

The traveller’s flights have not been cancelled by the air carrier or flights have been cancelled but the rerouting of flights is possible;

Cancellation of any booking will have partial penalty (the penalty will depend on a by case circumstances), only applies where one or more of the following named COVID-19 reasons for cancellation impacts travel:

The government of the guest’s country of residence restricts all but essential travel or enforces a mandatory quarantine stay at a government specified site at the guest’s cost on return from the destinations the guests are travelling to.

The destination/s the guests are travelling to are under official government imposed lock-down which prohibits guests from traveling;

The destination/s have no formal lock-down but have closed their border either to international travellers or to travellers from the guest’s country of residence;

International flights are cancelled with no alternative routing available to reach the destination/s in the itinerary;

The guest has contracted COVID-19 and is under treatment or is in quarantine for COVID-19 within 72 hours of travel.

Other:

Any reason for cancellation not listed above may be construed as full disinclination to travel and Vuex Travel standard cancellation terms and conditions will apply.

Vuex Travel reserves the right to ask for any reasonable evidence, written statements and/or supporting documents.

Electing to cancel a confirmed booking based on the current level of uncertainty is understandable but our advice is to carefully consider before doing so. Lodging and service providers across Africa, Asia and South America may elect to impose their normal terms and conditions or recover costs they have incurred. This may result in any deposits or funds paid being unrecoverable. At this time deferral remains the best outcome to ensure funds paid are retained for future use.

If you have already deferred your booking to a future date or have deferred your booking multiple times and then elect to cancel your booking, Vuex Travel will assess the fees applicable against the original travel and revised travel dates and will consider any service based costs as well as costs which may have been incurred in the lodges. The terms and conditions of our partner properties or service providers and how they are applied remain at that partner’s sole discretion. Should you be unsure how this applies to your booking please speak with your travel specialist.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

As flexible as Vuex Travel is in relation to future travel, we will require travel insurance to all guests but recommend that guests take out comprehensive travel insurance, including “cancel for any reason” (where still available) to ensure any funds lost can be recovered. There are many travel insurance providers that are able to cover some or all Covid-19 related reasons for cancelling. Travelers will be responsible for obtaining their own travel insurance with any third party providers. Vuex Travel can only make recommendations but is not responsible for finding travel insurance for guests.

GENERAL

Unless otherwise specified:
Our partner properties and service providers’ terms and conditions, and how they are applied to a booking, remains at that partner’s sole discretion.

All Travellers need to have a COVID-19 negative test 24-48 hours prior in going on any trips including group trips.

Any variations from the above terms and conditions are at Vuex Travel discretion due to unforeseen circumstances due to COVID-19 pandemic or other global matters that affects the travel industry and Vuex Travel reserves the right to amend or withdraw the terms and conditions without prior notice. This also includes any changes to refunds, discounts, or itinerary changes of the booking.

COVID-19 & Vuex Travel DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

When travelling with Vuex Travel your safety is of paramount importance to us. We have implemented various COVID-19 related safety measures, processes and procedures (“Infectious Diseases: Health and Safety Protocol”) at our lodges, hotels, individual and group travel to ensure we create an environment that is both safe and hygienic when you stay with us, which protocol was developed by taking guidance from guidelines and hygiene policies prescribed and published by the World Health Organisation, the South African National Department of Health, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases of South Africa and all the relevant health authorities of the destinations we operate in.Third Party Service Providers of Vuex Travel have committed to implement similar processes and procedures as to our Infectious Diseases: Health and Safety Protocol to try and protect guests making use of their services, Vuex Travel is not in a position to validate or dictate their health and safety protocols which will vary between Third Party Service Providers. As a result we cannot confirm the standard to which Third Party Service Providers protocols adhere to and as such we cannot accept any form of liability (in the broadest terms) should you (or any member of your party) contract an infectious disease (including COVID-19) when using the services of a Third Party Service Provider. The same will apply in respect of public areas (i.e. landmarks, public venues, sightseeing venues, etc.) which you may wish to visit whilst staying at either our lodges / hotels or properties owned by Third Party Service Provider as neither Vuex Travel nor Third Party Service Providers have any control over health and safety protocols followed at public areas or any action(s) of a member of the public which may cause an infection of an infectious disease.

As with any protocol the measure of success in implementing a process or procedure under a protocol will be determined by the level of compliance and adherence to the relevant processes and procedures prescribed by the relevant protocol. Vuex Travel will ensure full compliance by its management, employees and contractors with the Infectious Disease: Health and Safety Protocol, Vuex Travel cannot accept any liability in the event of a guest(s) contracting an infectious disease (including COVID-19) as a direct or indirect result of complying or adhering to Vuex Travel Infectious Diseases: Health and Safety Protocol.

Covid- 19 Visa Requirements

Your contingency plan also needs to consider what will happen if you’re forced to spend an extra week or two in another country (or however long it takes to recover and be cleared by a doctor). While some hotels and resorts may help, many others won’t be able to — or won’t know the rules. For instance, if you’re in a country that offers a 30-day visa upon arrival, will it expire when your quarantine is completed? Make sure to contact the local U.S. embassy for assistance.

Covid-19 Additional Information

For Bahamas

All travelers to the Bahamas must opt-in to mandatory COVID-19 health insurance when applying for their Travel Health Visa. The insurance covers travelers for the duration of their stay in the Bahamas. It includes medical expenses incurred on-island due to COVID-19 up to $50,000, trip interruption and delay for quarantine up to $500 per day with a maximum of $7,000 and medical evacuation due to COVID-19 up to $50,000. People who test positive while in the Bahamas must quarantine at a private residence or rented accommodation or a hotel or private club in an unoccupied bedroom with its own connected bathroom or private boat. Travelers who can’t quarantine at these facilities must stay at a government-mandated quarantine facility at their own cost. Travelers with a positive RT-PCR test must quarantine for 14 days or the duration of stay, whichever is shorter, according to the U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas.

Costa Rica

According to the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica, the country’s Ministry of Health mandates quarantine to any person who receives a positive COVID-19 test, which can last between 10 to 12 days. The mandate cannot be appealed, even if subsequent test results taken during the 10- to 14-day mandatory quarantine are negative, which means you’ll have to fulfill the entire quarantine requirement before being allowed to leave the country.

Through Aug. 1, all travelers bound for Costa Rica need to provide proof of medical insurance to cover any COVID-19 related medical treatment or quarantine lodging while in Costa Rica. The policy must cover at least $50,000 in medical treatment and at least $2,000 for extended lodging expenses. However, Costa Rica will allow entry without travel insurance to minors under 18 and adult tourists fully vaccinated beginning Aug. 1. It’s unclear if travelers quarantining in Costa Rica are allowed to quarantine at a hotel or must stay in a government-designated facility.

France

Travelers aren’t required to have travel insurance to enter France, but those who test positive in the country will be required to be quarantined. According to Politico, French authorities seek to mandate a 10-day quarantine in light of a surge caused by the delta variant.

Germany

Like France, travelers aren’t required to have travel insurance to enter Germany. Travelers who test positive must be quarantined for at least 10 days, but the length varies depending on the duration and the severity of the disease. Quarantining at a hotel is permitted.

Iceland

Travel insurance isn’t required, but travelers who test positive will be required to isolate themselves for 14 days. Isolation can end if 14 days have passed from the positive COVID-19 test and the traveler has been symptom-free for at least seven days. Home isolation is permitted, but those who cannot meet the country’s requirements must stay in an official quarantine facility or hotel.

Italy

Travel insurance isn’t required to visit Italy, but travelers who test positive upon entry or in Italy must quarantine.

Mexico

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico says it’s “advisable” for travelers who test positive for COVID-19 to quarantine for 14 days.

Portugal

Travel insurance is not required. Travelers who test positive must quarantine for 14 days.

Spain

Travel insurance is not required. However, travelers who test positive must quarantine (seven to 10 days minimum) at a local hotel at their own expense, according to the U.S. Embassy.

Regardless of where you travel, it’s best to check with each country that you plan to visit to see what will be covered or what you’ll have to pay for at your own expense any inquiries please contact the Travel Specialist who made your booking or email at contact@vuextravel.com