Is Your Holiday Financially Protected??????
If you are jetting off over in the forthcoming months, it is essential to ensure that your travel arrangements are adequately protected.
The closure of UK air space for 6 days due to the volcanic erruption in Iceland has highlighted just how important it is to have a fully protected holiday when travelling abroad and also adequate travel insurance. Hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers have been stranded all over the world with only a few reliable and proactive tour operators and airlines providing food, accommodation and up to date information for their clients. Most people have been left to fend for themselves and have simply been told to keep all receipts and submit a claim upon return.
At Haslemere Travel we aim to book our clients with our most trusted partners who will look after them in every situation.
If you make one promise to yourself this year, please make sure that it is to book your next holiday wisely, to know what is covered by the Tour Operator and when choosing insurance, to know what is excluded. You can't put a price on 'peace of mind'.
Haslemere Travel is a Specialist Travel Agent member of AiTO (Association of Independent Tour Operators) and many of the holidays that we book for our clients are with AiTO Tour Operators (Kirker Holidays, Caribtours, Classic Collection, Sunvil and Prestige Holidays - to name but a few). All tour operator members of AiTO will offer 100% financial protection for all elements of your holiday so please do ask when you next book a holiday with Haslemere Travel if your chosen operator is a member.
If your operator is not a member of AiTO then of course all is not lost and you won't be left high and dry, as we insist, at the very least, that they are bonded by ABTA and have an ATOL license. If you are buying a 'package holiday' where all travel and accommodations are booked together with one operator then you should have the full cost of your holiday reimbursed.
Unfortunately this is where independent travellers who have bought flights and accommodation separately, often on-line, will find themselves out of pocket. They may be able to obtain an alternative flight but are unlikely to get any accommodation or ground arrangement costs refunded.
A travel insurance policy will give the added protection of covering the cancellation or curtailment of your holiday for medical reasons that are not pre-existing, loss of baggage, medical expenses whilst overseas and repatriation if this is necessary. Legal expenses can also be covered should you inadvertently cause an accident overseas and face recovery costs. Most policies also pay for items lost or stolen whilst on holiday.
Our experienced team at Haslemere Travel will always been on hand to discuss holiday protection and insurance with you so please feel free to pop in or give us a call on 01428 658 777.
Don’t Forget that whatever travel plans you have booked with Haslemere Travel, we do have an emergency number should you need to get in contact with us. Please call our main number 01428 658 777 and the message will give you further details of who to get in touch with.
