22 September 2021
Read Time: 7.8 mins
Get the facts on what the best tour operators are doing to keep you safe on your travels.
Tour Providers Safety Protocols
Topdeck
Intrepid
Contiki
Insight Vacations
Trafalgar
G-Adventures
Globus
APT
Travel Marvel
Cosmos
Wendy Wu
Backroads
AAT Kings
It’s a brave new world out there – while we’ve all enjoyed the communal fun of group travel before – sharing memories, personal space and most likely a swig of that drink or a bite of that sweet treat! We certainly think twice now before coming in for that big group hug or taking a lick of a friend’s ice cream.
When it comes to getting back on the open road, with 20 or more of your newest tour companions across the world’s most sought-after destinations, the tour company’s you know and love (or are super keen to get on board with) have got your back when it comes to making sure your safety is paramount – not just from the vehicles you travel in but how to co-exist in the post-COVID era of travel.
Here’s how these top tour providers are doing it – so grab the sanny (sanitiser) and keep your mask at the ready!
Many of the below tour providers have received the World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels stamp which provides travellers with an assurance that they have adopted health and hygiene global standardised protocols. For more info on safety from tour providers and more, see our Help Centre.
*This information is correct at the time of publishing this article. Please note full Terms & Conditions for each tour provider can be found on their respective websites – this is but a guide.
Topdeck
*Offering a COVD-19 Assurance Policy with refunds available for COVID-19 diagnosis and lockdown flexibility at no additional cost, as well as a range of flexible travel policies.
Customers can expect:
- World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels stamp
- 24/7 on-trip health and safety support
- Immaculate and regular cleaning of the Topdeck coaches
- The same safety standards with all Topdeck partners in destination
Intrepid
*Offering flexible bookings, refunds for trips affected by COVID-19.
Customers can expect:
- World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels stamp
- All Intrepid leaders and crew to be vaccinated, or have tested negative to COVID-19 no more than 72 hours before they start a trip
Pre-trip health screening (travellers are required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination (some exemptions apply)
- Masks to be worn to meet requirements by local health authorities
- Physical distance guidelines to be complied with
- Local leaders to be there to guide customers and ensure safety and wellbeing is the number one priority
- An average group size of 10 people, meaning travellers have the security of a group, but can avoid large crowds
- High-touch public areas including private transport surfaces and rooms to be thoroughly cleaning and disinfected regularly
Contiki
*Offering a Flexibility Promise to help you book with confidence in the event of changes.
Customers can expect:
- World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels stamp
- All Trip Managers and travellers to complete and submit a Self-Health Declaration
- Smaller group sizes to comply with regional distancing requirements
- All coaches to be equipped with modern, well maintained air-conditioning systems to be able to completely filter and change the air within the vehicle
- Thorough cleaning protocols, using medical-grade disinfectants and cleaning products across all coaches
- To bring and wear their own face masks to comply with regional guidelines
- All of Contiki's partners and in-destination suppliers to be fully compliant with local mandated standards and to follow hygiene protocols
Insight Vacations
*Offering a flexibility promise to change your plans up to 30 days prior to departure and a ‘no risk deposit’ with 30-day refund guarantee.
Customers can expect:
- World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels stamp
- To complete a Pre-Trip travel declaration
- Hygiene equipment freely available, including hand sanitiser (travellers to bring their own mask)
- Frequent disinfection of highly touched surfaces
- High air filtration on all coaches
- Expertly-trained Travel Director
- 24/7 Support Team
Specially trained and dedicated Well-Being Director to provide additional support and assistance during your travels
- On-coach distancing, based on government distancing requirements
Trafalgar
*Offering flexible booking cancellations and free changes, and a no risk deposit option.
Customers can expect:
- World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels stamp
- To complete a Pre-Trip travel declaration
- Hygiene equipment freely available, including hand sanitiser (travellers to bring their own mask)
- Frequent disinfection of highly touched surfaces
- High air filtration on all coaches
- A dedicated Wellbeing Director on all trips of 21 or more guests
- Expertly-trained Travel Director
- 24/7 Support Team
- On-coach distancing, based on government distancing requirements
G-Adventures
*Offering peace of mind with their Book with Confidence policy – Cancel and rebook up to 14 days before your tour.
Customers can expect:
- World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels stamp
(Adventure Travel Trade Association) ATTA’s COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines
Travel with Confidence PLUS Collection of tours – with max group size of 12 travellers or less, private transportation (aside from planes), your own room for 50% off, private en-suite bathrooms
Travel-Ready Tours: All travellers and CEOs (Chief Experience Officers) must have received a full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose given at least 14 days prior to the start of the tour, or a negative PCR test within 96 hours prior to the welcome meeting on the first day of the tour
Vaccinated Tours: All travellers and CEOs must have received a full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose given at least 14 days prior to the first day of the tour
All travellers are required to bring masks with them and wear them on vehicles and wherever physical distancing of a minimum of two metres is not possible
Globus
*Offering a Peace of Mind Travel Plan with flexibility to move holidays to any other 2021, 2022 or 2023 date, destination, itinerary or even, another brand in our vast travel portfolio.
Customers can expect:
- World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels stamp
- All Tour Directors, local hosts and motorcoach drivers to be fully vaccinated
- Pre-trip health screening
- The requirement to bring and wear their own mask
- Hand sanitisation available throughout each trip, on coaches and in hotels
- Enhanced cleaning procedures with hotel partners, on motorcoaches, vehicles and more
- All motorcoaches to be equipped with air filters that clean regularly and provide constant ventilation
APT
*Offering COVID Flexible Booking Cover for both rebooking and new bookings.
Customers can expect:
- World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels stamp
- To complete pre-boarding health screening and reporting
- Reduced group sizes for increased social distancing
- Increased sanitation measures
- All crew to receive professional training and are equipped to escalate illness cases
- Frequent disinfection of highly-touched surfaces"
Travel Marvel
*Offering COVID Flexible Booking Cover for both rebooking and new bookings.
Customers can expect:
- World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels stamp
- To complete pre-boarding health screening and reporting
- Reduced group sizes for increased social distancing
- Increased sanitation measures
- All crew to receive professional training and are equipped to escalate illness cases
- Frequent disinfection of highly-touched surfaces"
Cosmos
*Offering a Peace of Mind Travel Plan with flexibility to move holidays to any other 2021, 2022 or 2023 date, destination, itinerary or even, another brand in our vast travel portfolio.
Customers can expect:
- World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels stamp
- All Tour Directors, local hosts and motorcoach drivers to be fully vaccinated
- Pre-trip health screening
- The requirement to bring and wear their own mask
- Hand sanitisation available throughout each trip, on coaches and in hotels
- Enhanced cleaning procedures with hotel partners, on motorcoaches, vehicles and more.
- All motorcoaches to be equipped with air filters that clean regularly and provide constant ventilation
Wendy Wu
*Offering low deposit, flexible payment, and unlimited changes up to 75 days before departure.
Customers can expect:
- National Escorts & guides will conduct a health and safety briefing with all travellers
- Hand sanitiser will be provided
- Vehicles will be thoroughly cleaned with disinfectant
- There will always be a minimum of one seat clearance between you and the other passengers within the vehicles
- Wendy Wu partners, including accommodation providers, will all comply with local government protocols, which includes ensuring all staff wear face masks, social distance and regularly clean all surfaces
Backroads
*Offering a COVID-19 Assurance Policy - new bookings for travel during 2021-22 are now 100% refundable in the unfortunate event you are diagnosed with COVID-19 or unable to travel due to government-enforced lockdowns prior to your scheduled departure date.
Customers can expect:
- To complete a Pre-Trip travel declaration
- Face masks to be worn to comply with local government regulations
- 24/7 trip leader and emergency support
- Trip Leaders that are trained on CDC & WHO safety guidelines
- Increased cleaning protocols
AAT Kings
*Offering ‘Rebook. Refund. Relax’ program for flexible travel.
Customers can expect:
- World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels stamp
- To complete a Pre-Trip travel declaration
- Travel Directors that are trained in new and enhanced hygiene and physical distancing procedures
- 24/7 support teams
- Stringent on the road protocols, aligning to the guidance from WHO
- Enhanced and regular cleaning of all main AAT Kings surfaces
- Coaches to be equipped with modern and well-maintained air conditioning
