Booking Conditions

Ground Arrangements:

Selective Asia have made it clear on this website and your itinerary paperwork that delays and changes to methods of transport are common throughout the regions we operate in and that they can run below operational standards that would be regarded as normal in much of the developed world. We cannot accept any claim for indirect or consequential loss arising from the failure of transport suppliers to conform either to timetables supplied by us or to their own timetables. We cannot accept any claim for shock, loss, distress, whether mental or financial, arising from deviations from operational standards by 3rd party transport suppliers whose services form part of our itineraries (whether original or amended). Please note that the times of road and rail departures are estimates only.
Various standards of preparation and certain levels of fitness are required for many of our more adventurous itineraries - it is each individual participant’s responsibility to asses their own suitability and to prepare themselves to a suitable level for any of our itineraries. We are unable to refund any money in respect of services from which you withdraw after arrival. With reasonable notice, alternative versions of most of our activities can be organised for our customers and we will endeavour to assist in all reasonable instances.
If you are in any doubt about whether you should travel on any of our itineraries, you should consult your medical adviser.

Flights:

Routings / Timings / Reconfirmation
Unless otherwise stated, the routing on your air ticket cannot be changed once booked. Please note that the times of air departures are estimates only. These times may be affected by operational difficulties such as weather conditions. Flight times may be subject to change and the latest available times will appear on your final itinerary. Please note that direct flights can have a scheduled stop en route and all flights (indirect and direct) can be operated by another carrier (code-share). Most airlines reserve the right to alter their schedule, destination airport and/or type of aircraft. Such changes will not entitle you to compensation nor to cancel or change your travel arrangements without paying additional charges. Please also note carriers have conditions of carriage which will apply to you and which limit or exclude liability. Selective Asia will not make alternative travel arrangements if there is a delay at the outbound or inbound points of departure. Most airlines however do make provisions in certain circumstances. You must reconfirm all flight reservations directly with the relevant airline at least 72 hours prior to departure (your guide will be able to assist you with this when you are abroad). This allows the airline to inform you of any schedule changes to your itinerary. You may also be asked to provide contact details that they can use in the event of further delays or cancellation. For worldwide airline contact details please visit www.airlinecontact.com
You must check in for all international flights at least two hours prior to departure or follow up to date advice.

Airfare taxes
These are payable on departure from (and sometimes on arrival at) most airports. Taxes that have been paid in advance will be marked on your invoice. We do not collect all airfare taxes, some of which are to be paid locally. Arrival and departure taxes are government-imposed taxes and can change without notice. Selective Asia has no control over this aspect of your travel arrangements. Additional costs, such as fuel surcharges, can be levied by a supplier at any point up to a ticket/voucher being issued.

Pricing and Payment:

A booking will be accepted once a non-refundable and non-transferable deposit is received. All bookings are accepted on a request only basis and are based on the itinerary and booking details sent to by your consultant - it is your responsibility to check these details carefully and advise us of any errors immediately. In certain circumstances there can be a charge for amending any errors (i.e. an incorrectly spelt name on an issued airline ticket).
Receipt of a completed booking form does not imply availability of any holiday. Whilst your deposit secures your reservation with Selective Asia, it does not guarantee the availability of any hotels or land/water tour services. Your holiday cost can change due to external influences, out of our control, such as hotel availability, exchange rates, fuel surcharges and airlines changing or cancelling services.
Final costs are only guaranteed once all services have been confirmed and in the case of flights, all airline tickets have been issued.

Payment schedule:

To confirm a booking:
Over 10 weeks before departure
A 20% deposit on all land arrangements and £100 per person deposit on all flights will be required. The full balance payment will be due at least 10 weeks before departure.
Many ex-UK flight tickets require full payment immediately or soon after you make a booking.

Within 10 weeks of your departure
A 20% deposit on all land arrangements and £100 per person deposit on all flights will be required. Full payment will be required upon confirmation of your holiday availability in most instances.
It is your responsibility to ensure that all payment deadlines are met. Selective Asia will not send out any reminders.

Full payment deadlines are set to protect your booking as airlines and operators are within their rights to raise prices and in some instances cancel bookings.
If the balance due date is not met, your travel arrangements may be cancelled and you may forfeit your deposit. It is therefore to your advantage to finalise payment as soon as possible.
(please note: these payment terms are liable to change - your consultant will advise you at the time of booking).

How to pay:

You can pay by direct debit and electronic bank transfer. You can also pay by debit card (UK cards only - no surcharge), credit card (international cards are accepted - 2% surcharge) and American Express (2.5%). We do not under any circumstances accept payments made by a third party. Personal cheques require a minimum of 15 working days to clear.

Your contract:

Bookings are only valid for the dates and routings specified by us and as listed on your booking confirmation.
A contract will exist as soon as payment confirmation is issued by the contract principal, either Selective Asia or by a supplier. If you do not receive your contract by email within a reasonable amount of time, and for whatever reason, it is your responsibility to contact us so a copy can be reissued. This contract is made on the terms of these booking conditions, which are governed by English Law. You may however, choose the law and jurisdiction of Scotland or Northern Ireland if you wish to do so
Any flight contract is between you and the airline – Selective Asia is acting as an agent on behalf of these airlines.
When making a booking you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of your party the terms of these booking conditions and the booking conditions of any supplier (contract principal) where we are acting as agent.
Whilst Selective Asia has no intention of making alterations or cancelling any travel arrangements made for clients, we reserve the right to substitute alternative transport or accommodation to ensure the completion of any itinerary or in the interest of all our guests’ safety and wellbeing. In the unlikely event that there are changes made to your travel arrangements both before or during you journey, Selective Asia will attempt to inform you by all possible means as soon as possible. Please note that we are not obliged to do this, nor are we obliged to provide compensation if travel arrangements are changed. If your booking is cancelled we will do our utmost to ensure you receive a full and prompt refund.
Selective Asia reserves the right to decline any booking.

Changing or cancelling your booking:

Changing your booking
If you wish to alter your booking arrangements, after payment confirmation has been issued we will endeavour to assist in making these changes to your booking. Selective Asia may charge a minimum £50 amendment fee. You should note that it is not always possible to make certain requested amendments. In addition to any charge levied by Selective Asia, the customer will be liable for any additional costs incurred by us or levied by a supplier. Please note that airlines do not allow passenger name changes. To change a passenger name on a booking may require full cancellation of the original booking and the repurchasing of another ticket.

Cancelling your booking
Requests to cancel a booking must be made in writing and signed by the client or emailed directly from the client’s own email account. Please note that full cancellation conditions as specified on your booking will apply and we cannot guarantee a refund. All applicable cancellation fees are shown on the confirmation invoice. Selective Asia reserves the right to apply additional administration fees to any refunds due. Most airlines set there own cancellation conditions (shown on your booking invoice) and will neither refund partially used tickets or tickets cancelled within 72 hours of departure. Refunds will take approx 12 weeks to process.

Cancellation Charges:
Prior to full payment and issue of vouchers/tickets: Loss of deposit. Please note that in many cases domestic flights have to be issued well in advance of your departure. These are often 100% non refundable once issued.
Once vouchers/tickets are issued:

Flights
As per the flight booking conditions on your booking invoice.

Holiday (land/water tour) arrangements *
In most circumstances the following guidelines apply.

• Up to 30 days before departure: Loss of 25 % of total holiday cost
• Between 29 and 15 days before departure: Loss of 45 % of total holiday cost
• Between 14 days and less before departure: Loss of 100 % of total holiday cost

* Please note: Numerous hotels in Burma and, less frequently, others elsewhere in Asia insist on upfront deposits at the time of booking to secure rooms. These deposits are non-negotiable and are non-refundable if a booking is cancelled

 - Please note that in many cases domestic and international flights used within your itinerary often have to be issued well in advance of your departure. These are 100% non refundable and will be in additional to the above losses.
 - Some hotels do not operate under these conditions and have more restrictive cancellation conditions especially during high season. Selective Asia has to pass these charges on to the client where relevant.
 - Special conditions: Depending on airlines and suppliers cancellation policies, the above conditions may be modified.
 - If the cancellation is not for the entire booking (e.g. just one party member) those cancelling may be liable for any single occupancy costs applied to the other members of the original booking.
 - Any refund does not include visas, visa processing fees and travel insurance which shall be 100% forfeit in all cases.

Clients must have suitable travel insurance cover in order to provide cover for these charges in the event of cancellation or delay. Selective Asia cannot be held responsible for any expenses arising from an unscheduled departure from any itinerary.

Additional travel essentials:

Dispatch of travel documents:

Travel documents will usually be posted by normal post but we cannot accept responsibility for documents mislaid or lost by Royal Mail and any other postal services. Clients living aboard will usually have their final travel documents sent by email unless requested otherwise.

Health
Please check the health and medical requirements for the destinations you are visiting with your medical adviser and arrange any vaccinations and medical certificates prior to your departure. Some countries have legal and/or medical requirements for visitors.
Clients are advised that throughout Asia there is no free health service, and that local vehicle insurance is of limited value.

Visa and Passport
The responsibility for obtaining and carrying correct visas, passports and other travel documents remains with the client. Passports should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your intended departure from Asia and hold sufficient pages for any visas, entry and exit stamps.

Visa and health requirements frequently change and it is advisable to recheck all requirements, close to your departure. It is your responsibility to ensure that you satisfy all applicable requirements in respect of passport, visa and health matters. Selective Asia cannot be held liable if you fail to ensure this.

Liability:

Selective Asia accepts all bookings, and arrangements made, subject to the conditions imposed by our operators. All tickets, vouchers and coupons are issued by Selective Asia in its capacity as an agent upon the express conditions that we are not liable to any customers for loss, damage, delay, injury, cancellation or additional expense suffered by the customer whatsoever, or any cause beyond our control shall be occasioned to us or any of its officials and representatives.
Selective Asia may cancel, suspend, alter or withdraw a booking at any time prior to when final payment of the holiday is due, in which case Selective Asia will be limited Clients agree to comply with the laws and regulations of all the countries visited on any trip, and comply with all reasonable instructions of the guide relating to the safety and organisation of the trip.
Clients are advised that local duties and levies are frequently introduced, amended or increased without warning, and whilst we do our best to inform clients of what local costs are likely to be incurred, we cannot guarantee that further costs may be imposed or increased subsequent to our recent information. Such costs remain the client’s responsibility.
We cannot be responsible for the safety and well being of clients or their belongings. Whilst we shall provide all reasonable help and assistance it is imperative that you take out adequate travel insurance. To travel on any of our holidays clients must obtain personal travel insurance of a similar or superior standard to that offered by Selective Asia.
Our assistance shall not replace the assistance of the relative Consul responsible for you whilst abroad.

Family trips
Parents and legal guardians are ultimately responsible for the welfare of their children and those under there supervision. Neither Selective Asia nor any individual acting on behalf of Selective Asia can be held responsible for the wellbeing of children on our holidays.

If you have a complaint:

If you experience any problem during your holiday with Selective Asia, you must immediately inform your guide or our local operator offices making them aware of the situation in order that every effort can be made to correct the problem immediately. A contact telephone number of all local offices will be included in your travel pack.
If your complaint cannot be resolved in this manner, then you should contact the UK sales office either by phone - +44 (0)1273 670 001- during office hours or by email and we will endeavour to assist.
Upon return, if your complaint has still not been resolved then you should contact Selective Asia, within 28 days of your return, by writing to our Customer Services Dept. Please give your booking number and a full written summary of your concerns. If you fail to do this, Selective Asia will not have had the opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint and this may affect your rights under this contract.
We are unable to consider any claim where any suitable assistance, advice or alternative of our local representatives has been unsought, rejected or ignored.
We believe the descriptions of the services and facilities on our website are fair and accurate. In the event of faults or omissions by ourselves or those acting for us, appropriate compensation may be payable. Such cases will not include cases caused by 'Force Majeure'  (see below) and changes in transport timetables.

Your financial protection:

ATOL
When you buy an ATOL protected air holiday package from Selective Asia you will receive a Confirmation Invoice from us confirming your arrangements and your protection under our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence number 9203.
In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not
stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for
an advance booking.
Not all holiday or travel services offered and sold by Selective Asia will be protected by the ATOL Scheme. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to
your booking.
For further information you can also visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk

Selective Asia holds ATOL license # 9203, issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). ATOL - which is short for 'Air Travel Organisers Licensing' - exists to protect you, the customer, from losing money or being stranded abroad because of the failure of air travel firms. ATOL was first introduced in 1972 and it gives comprehensive consumer protection to 28 million people in the UK who buy flights or air holidays each year.

Our ATOL membership means that our accounts are subject to regular checks by the CAA and whilst this cannot guarantee against failure it goes a long way to ensuring peace of mind.

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.

Scheduled Airline Failure Insurance (SAF)
Schedule Airline Failure insurance protects you against an airline going out of business. Selective Asia issues this insurance free of charge to all customers purchasing ex-UK international flights with us (please note the insurance only covers your ex-UK flight carrier). The cover becomes valid once a ticket has been issued, applies to scheduled airlines only (i.e not low-cost operators such as Air Asia). This is not a travel insurance policy.

Force Majeure:

At any time Selective Asia may cancel, suspend, alter or withdraw a booking in the event or 'Force Majeure', in which case the client will be refunded monies returned to Selective Asia by ground suppliers, hotels and airlines -  less any deductions for expenses incurred.

Selective Asia cannot accept responsibility or pay any compensation for any loss, delay, cancellation or alteration of travel arrangements caused by circumstances that amount to 'Force Majeure'. This may include war or threat of war, outbreak or threat of disease, denial of border entry for any undocumented reasons, industrial disputes, fire, extreme and adverse weather conditions, natural disaster, riots/civil strife, terrorist activity, decisions relating to foreign nationals made by the elected or de facto leaders of such areas; and such other circumstances beyond Selective Asia’s reasonable control.

In such circumstances Selective Asia will do all possible to provide alternative necessary travel arrangements to ensure the safe passage for our clients. Any costs incurred are in addition to the original cost of the existing holiday and it may be required for them to be paid in advance.

Updates made to these booking conditions:

From time to time we have to update our booking conditions. Any alterations made within the past 6 months are shown and dated below:

8th October 2006
Added to 'Flights': You must check in for all international flights at least two hours prior to departure or follow up to date advice.

30th January 2008
Selective Asia contact details updated.

1st August 2009
Selective Asia (sole trader) incorporated to Selective Asia Limited (a company registered in England with number 631862)

This website & hotels

All information provided on this website is checked by Selective Asia staff and our travel partners and is correct at the time of being published. However, please bear in mind that property owners, hoteliers, restaurateurs, activity operators and organisers etc, may wish to maintain or improve their facilities at any given time. Circumstances such as these, or weather conditions, time of year etc, may cause some of the amenities we have described to be unavailable or different from those advertised on our web site. When we are told of any significant or long term changes we will always endeavour to advise you prior to departure.