CHINA 2009 AND INDIA 2008 TOURS - TERMS & CONDITIONS

You book subject to these conditions. Please print out and sign, then fax or post with your deposit.

BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS
Passengers and participants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted the following conditions. Marion Gorr and Jon Gorr in partnership shall be known as "Beautiful Silks " in the conditions listed below.

1. RESERVATION, DEPOSIT AND PAYMENT OF TOUR
A deposit of A$500 per person is required upon booking. However, a payment of deposit does not constitute the confirmation of tour. All group packages are subjected to a minimum group size of 8 persons in order to depart. Names must be given as they appear on the passengers’ passport.

2. BALANCE OF PAYMENT

Full payment is required not less than 60 days prior to departure. Payment by instalment plan cannot be made. Failure to do this may lead to a cancellation of your booking and a cancellation fee may apply.

3. CREDIT CARD/CHARGE CARD
Payment by credit card or charge card may attract a 2% bank surcharge.

4. ACCOMMODATION, SINGLE ROOMS AND SHARING ROOMS
Single rooms are limited to 15% of total group numbers and the relevant single room supplement will be charged. If you are sharing accommodation with a particular person, we require a final rooming list 15 days prior to tour departure date. All unused space is then released.

Hotel accommodation is subject to availability at the time of reservation. If Beautiful Silks is unable to confirm the hotel(s) listed in our quotation, we will attempt to secure space at a similar hotel of equal standard and cost. In the event a similar hotel is not available, a supplement may be charged. Some hotels require non-refundable and non-transferable deposits in order to guarantee a booking.

5. CANCELLATION AND CANCELLATION CHARGES
For any cancellation of tours by passengers, the following charges will apply accordingly:
Cancellation Notice More than 35 days prior to departure 20%
15-34 days prior to departure 50%
08-14 days prior to departure 80%
07 days or less prior to departure 100%

Cancellation of confirmed booking must be made in writing to avoid misunderstanding.
If the number of passengers in the group falls below 6, the tour will be cancelled and your reservation will be transferred to our next tour or refunded at your option.

6. TOUR FARE INCLUDES
• Only those airport transfers (airport/hotel/airport) indicated (all in China, arrival only in India unless you take the luxury hotel option at the end).
• Hotel accommodation on twin-share basis.
• When booking triple-share rooms please note that the third bed may be a "roll-away" bed.
• Single room occupancy is at additional cost.
• All meals are as specified in the itinerary. If you get lost and you cannot eat a provided meal,, there shall not be any refund for meals not consumed.

7. TOUR FARE EXCLUDES
• Visa fees
• ticket costs Airport taxes, excess baggage charges
• Meals, beverages, room services or any other not listed in itinerary
• Gratuities to driver or tour guide
• Flight insurance
Tour prices are based on current room rates, service prices, government tax and exchange rates, applicable at the time of print or quotation and are subject to change with or without prior notice.

8. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
It is passenger's responsibility to ensure that her international passport has a validity of at least 6 months from the date of departure. Relevant visas and vaccinations will be required. Cancellation charges apply for any cancellation due to non-approval of visas or failure to obtain vaccinations. For foreign passport holders, it is the passenger's responsibility to hold valid re-entry visas for Australia.

Medical charges and visa fees will be borne by passenger. Beautiful Silks does not guarantee the approval of the visa application. If for any reason, application for visa permit is rejected, passengers must made know to us at least 30 days prior to departure. If less than 30 days notice is given, the relevant cancellation charge as stated will apply.

Beautiful Silks cannot be held responsible for any expenses, reimbursement or refund of any tour prices if passenger is refused entry by any country on the tour for whatever reasons, including lack of necessary visas.

9. SEAT ROTATION
For the convenience of all members of the group, passengers are requested to rotate their seating arrangements on the coach during the period of the tour. Please cooperate when called upon to do so by the tour leader/guide.

10. TRAVEL INSURANCE
Travel insurance is compulsory for each traveler and it should cover against theft, personal accident, personal liability, legal assistance, medical expenses, repatriation and cancellation of holiday. Please send Beautiful Silks a copy of your current or new policy. Under no circumstances is Beautiful Silks to be construed as a carrier under contract for safe carriage of passenger or his/her baggage & belonging.

11. EXTENSION OF STAY/DEVIATION

Extension of stay/deviation may be permitted at the end of tour, subject to maximum validity and restrictions of air ticket, seat confirmation and availability of hotel prior to commencement of tour. You must tell us within 7 days of your initial booking. It is the passenger's responsibility to hold firm confirmation for their return flight. When extension of stay/deviation cannot be confirmed six weeks prior to the group's departure date, passenger is deemed to be taking the original tour schedule. All extra costs incurred to process the extension, for example administrative fees, or differeces in flight cost, will be borne by the passenger.

Extension of stay/deviation will be at passengers own expenses & transfer to airport will not be provided.

12. RESPONSIBILITY
Beautiful Silks and its associates act only as an agent for the transportation companies, hotels & other principals for the tour program.

Accordingly, participant(s) agree to seek remedies directly with the supplier, and not to hold Beautiful Silks liable, in the absence of its negligence, for any loss, injury, delay or expense which results directly or indirectly from any action or omission, whether negligent, criminal or otherwise, of any entity providing goods and services for the trip or any available option (e.g. without limitation, the quality of services, cleanliness of a hotel, hotel overbooking or any flight delays). Participant(s) also agree not to hold Beautiful Silks liable for any matters which arise by reason of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised. Beautiful Silks accepts no responsibilities for injuries, damage, accident, loss, delay, theft, quarantine, customs regulation, strike, changes in itinerary, deportation or refusal of entry by Immigration Authorities resulting from improper travel documents, possession of unlawful items or irregularities that may be caused to person or property. Any loses & expenses are the responsibility of the passenger. All proper travel documentation is the sole responsibility of the passenger. We do not limit our liability to you for death or personal injury caused by our actions or failure to act. Otherwise our maximum liability to you arising out of or in connection with this Agreement is limited to three times the cost of your holiday paid by you to us.

Beautiful Silks reserves the right to alter itineraries, travel arrangements, hotels reservations etc. If it is necessary or in the case of force majeure, Beautiful Silks reserves the right to cancel any tour prior to date of departure for any reasons, including insufficient number of participants. Should this happen, the entire payment shall be refunded without further obligations on the part of Beautiful Silks.

Participant(s) acknowledge that neither .Beautiful Silks or its agents have made any representation or promises with the respect to the tour described herein except as expressly set forth in Beautiful Silks ’ literature, unless such agreement is in writing and signed by an officer of Beautiful Silks.

Beautiful Silks also reserves the right to require any individual to withdraw from the tour if deemed his/her act of conduct is detrimental to or incompatible with the interest, harmony & welfare of other passengers and the tour as a whole. Beautiful Silks shall be under no further liability thereafter to any such person. No tour leaders/guides or other employee or agents of Beautiful Silks are authorized to commit Beautiful Silks to any liability whatsoever and Beautiful Silks will not be bound by any statement or representation unless in writing and signed by a management executive of Beautiful Silks.

Beautiful Silks reserves the right to take photographs & films of passenger while on tour with Beautiful Silks to be used for brochures advertising or publicity material without obtaining any further consent from passenger.

13. RATES
All rates given by Beautiful Silks for services are quoted in Australian Dollars, and are inclusive of all applicable Australian taxes at the rates in force at time of publication (28.05.2008). In the event of fluctuations in currency of more than 3%, Beautiful Silks reserves the right to amend the quotation and its prices accordingly. Tax rates and fuel surcharges are subject to change, and any such change will be notified to you as soon as it is known.

14. DATA PROTECTION

In order to process your booking and to ensure that your travel arrangements run smoothly and meet your requirements, we need to use the information you provide (such as name, address, any special needs/dietary requirements etc). We take full responsibility for ensuring that proper security measures are in place to protect your information. We must pass the information on to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements such as airlines, hotels, transport companies etc. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as customs/immigration if required by them, or as required by law. Controls on data protection in CHINA are not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. We will not however, pass any information onto any person not responsible for part of your travel arrangements.

15. COMPLAINTS
Should you have any complaints about any aspect of your holiday arrangements, you must inform your local guide immediately along with the supplier of the arrangements concerned if possible. In the unlikely event that an amicable solution cannot be found, you should then write to our Customer Relations Department within 28 days of your return with full details of your complaint. In the event that you do not tell us in that period, this may affect the company's ability to investigate complaints and may impact on the way that your complaint is dealt with.

Please print out and sign, then fax or post with your deposit.

More information from Marion on 03-94197745
Or, from these major Australian cities, ring  for the cost of a local call:

Adelaide: 08-8121-7745 (81217-SILK)
Brisbane: 07-3102-5745 (31025-SILK)
Perth: 08- 9467 4266
Sydney: 02-8005-1745 (80051-SILK)
Warrnambool: 03-55651882, 03-9016-3745