Safety and Hygiene Concept

Travelling Safely With Us

The Covid-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus has massive impacts on our social life. It has led to new and widened hygiene standards in many areas of life that have been implemented. We at welcome berlin tours have worked with high intensity to create a comprehensive safety andy hygiene concept in order to prevent an infection with Covid-19. These can vary from destination to destination. They all focus on providing the best protection possible for our customers.

This concept takes into consideration all aspects of a study trip from departure to arrival back home in accordance with the guidelines and recommendation of the Robert-Koch Institute (RKI). Our primary concern is to responsibly protect both our employees and customers. Therefore we work closely with our local partners and health authorities in the destinations. We are continuously adjusting our concept in accordance to the latest developments in each of our destination.

welcome berlin tours has been certified with the EpiCert “Save against Corona corporate certificate" by the Gesellschaft für Epidemieprävention (Association for Epidemic Prevention).

Contact person for the safety and hygiene concept:

Ferdinand SchnuchelFerdinand Schnuchel
Tel: +49 (030) 44 33 93 - 24
Fax: +49 (030) 44 33 93 - 36
ferdinand.schnuchel@welcomeberlintours.de

 


Safety and Hygiene Concept

Distance
All participants have to keep a distance of 1.5m to their fellow peers and all other guests. Teachers are to encourage their students to keep the distance.

Mouth and Nose Protection
Wearing a mouth and noise protection is mandatory in all public areas where the minimum distance cannot be adhered to, such as reception and lobby areas, on public transportation and in shops.

Desinfection and Cleaning
Sensitive areas in coaches and accommodations are equipped with disinfection dispensers. Such areas are for instance hotel/hostel lobbies and areas with F&B services. Furthermore, tables, door knobs and surfaces are cleaned frequently. All rooms are cleaned and disinfected with antiviral detergents prior to every new guest arrival.

Coach Travel
Depending on occupancy and composition of your group, wearing a mouth and nose protection may be mandatory while aboard your coach. Coach drivers will ensure that safety and hygiene measures are abided to.
Customers traveling by train and air have to adhere to the respective measurements of their transportation provider.

Accommodation
Markings on the floor, Plexiglas walls and allocation of the tables and seats in all public areas (reception, lobby, F&B and common areas) ensure the minimum distance. Information material with conduct recommendations is visibly displayed in all public spaces.

One representative of the group takes care of the groups’ check-in and check-out process. The rest of the group waits outside the accommodation in the meantime. Multi-bedded rooms aren’t fully occupied. Food and beverages are contained. They will be served on the table or can be purchased for take away.

All public areas including door knobs, public restrooms etc. are cleaned and disinfected frequently by trained staff. There will be hand sanitizer dispensers at free disposal. Because of the increased safety standards, rooms will only be entered and cleaned by cleaning staff on explicit request. 

Activities
Games and sports programs take place in small groups, mainly outside and in low intensity. Physical activities with high intensity and higher aerosol emissions are conducted with greater distance. All materials being used will be disinfected afterwards.

Coronavirus: Latest information in regards to travelling with us | 13.07.2020

+++ Updates +++
Since 17 March 2020 entry restrictions have applied throughout the EU for non-essential travel from third countries. These restrictions also specifically apply to travel to Germany.
From 2 July 2020 entry restrictions have been relaxed. You can find an overview of the restrictions and useful information about traveling to Germany here:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/einreiseundaufenthalt/coronavirus
https://www.bmvi.de/SharedDocs/EN/Articles/LF/coronavirus-order.html


Our Commitment
Despite the current situation caused by the novel coronavirus/Covid-19 pandemic with all its impacts and challenges, we are optimistic that we will soon be able to offer and successfully operate class trips again.
We are committed to operate every trip planned or booked for a future travel date in 2020. We are in close contact with our local partners in all our domestic and European destinations. They all have implemented hygiene and safety concepts in order to ensure a safe stay. We will inform you about the feasibility of every single service of your itinerary at any given time. Should there be any updates in regards to having to make adjustments to your itinerary, we will get in touch with you right away.
You are concerned traveling with your students in this uncertain time, but want to hold on to your trip? We will assist you in postponing your trip to a later date or rebook to a different destination at attractive conditions without any rebooking fee. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us so we can assess your options.

In order to give you a peace of mind planning your next school trip, we have extended the free of charge deadline for all new bookings in 2021 until Jan 15, 2021. Furthermore, we adhere to the joint recommendation of the Reisenetz – Deutscher Fachverband für Jugendreisen e.V  (German Association for Youth Travel) and the „Bundesverband führender Schulfahrtenveranstalter e.V.“ (German Association of Leading School Tour Operators) that have released a “Recommendation for school trips / groups re. cancellations due to the corona virus pandemic”. These recommendations opt for a free of charge cancellation up to 72 hours prior to departure in case of a Covid-19 related cancellation. Such reasons can be for instance a mandated school closure, a quarantine requirement for the class or school concerned, official decree not to let school trip go ahead, among others.

We will do everything we can to protect our customers while ensuring the best and carefree experience possible. We are reviewing and improving on our hygiene and safety concept every single day. We are in close contact with our industry partners and institutions to share experience and best practices. Measures that have been implemented to ensure a safe trip are for instance reduced occupancy in our accommodations, limited numbers of persons in our means of transportation as well as hygiene concepts for dining services. The entire welcome berlin tours team works very hard in order to provide your group a successful school trip under the new regulations and requirements.

We`re here for you
We are currently receiving a high volume of requests regarding concerns and questions. Our staff does their utmost to be responsive and provide you with answers as soon as possible. This may take longer than usual as matters also depend on decisions and regulations by authorities. This unprecedented situation is new to us, too, but we are anxious to find the best and fair solutions for our customers.

We are available by phone from 10:00-15:00. Due to the high volume of incoming calls waiting times may occur. You can also get in touch with us by sending us an email at info@welcomeberlintours.de. We ask for your patience if answers are delayed. Please be reassured that your matter will be addressed.
Our top priority is the health and safety of you and your students, which is the basis for every decision we make. We are aware of the seriousness and severity of this situation, but we also believe that running a successful school trip is possible again.

General Information
As a tour operator we thoroughly and constantly acquaint ourselves with the current developments and will inform our customers, should there be an impact on their trip. We are in close contact with our local partners and health authorities in the destinations and monitor the situation and developments diligently. If you make a booking with a tour operator, you are entitled to withdraw from the booking free of charge should there be a travel advisory for your destination or if the trip cannot take place because of federal regulations.
We have amended our cancellation policy for new bookings. For all existing bookings the cancellation fee as outlined in our general terms apply. Further information is available at welcome berlin tours terms and conditions.
We recommend purchasing travel insurance for all participants to be protected in the event of illness before and during the trip.

A trained crises management team will be available during your trip to assist you (remotely) should there be any issues. In case of extraordinary events during your trip (such as suspension of immigration into a country, unforeseen disruption of activities) you can call our emergency number at any time. Our experienced staff will support you.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will my school trip take place? What’s the situation in my destination?
The worldwide travel advisory has been lifted and replaced by individual travel information. Information on entry to Germany can be found here. As a tour operator we are obliged to operate all confirmed trips. Should there be the need to adjust your itinerary because of requirements, we will get in touch with you.
You can check out this website as a resource for current restrictions and requirements and regulations in your destination.

When will I find out if my trip takes places?
We do your utmost to operator your trip in accordance with the current legal regulations and the individual hygiene and safety concepts of all our suppliers. Should we need to have to cancel your trip due to legal requirements, you will be informed immediately. This can happen on short notice until departure day.

How does traveling by coach work?
We are working with high intensity with all our long-standing coach partners on concepts that ensures safe coach traveling. As regulations are constantly changing, we are only able to provide vague information about the specifics in advance. We ask for your understanding. We have created an extensive hygiene and safety concept to ensure a peace of mind for you and your group without compromising on comfort and convenience. Depending on occupancy and composition of your group, wearing a mouth and nose protection may be mandatory while aboard your coach. Coach drivers will ensure that safety and hygiene measures are abided to.

How does traveling by air work?
Usually wearing a mouth and nose protection is mandatory in airports and check-in areas as well as aboard an aircraft. Please abide to the specific regulations of your carrier. Also, we ask for your understanding that we can only pass on the specifics shortly before your departure date. We recommend to get in touch with the airline or the airport for more detailed information.

What if a participant gets ill on the trip?
It goes without saying that we constantly monitor all our destinations. We would never operate a trip to a destination that is rated as a risk area. Nevertheless, illness can always occur during a trip. Should there be any suspicion of a Covid-19 infection, please get in touch with your travel insurance provider (if applicable) and inform welcome berlin tours. We are available 24/7 on our emergency number. Our staff will support and assist you in taking the necessary actions.

Do I have to inform welcome berlin tours if a travel advisory is put in place for my travel date/destination?
As we monitor all developments, we will reach out to our customers to inform them about the travel advisory and possible implications.

Can I cancel my booking free of charge?
Due to the lifting of the global travel advisory on June 15, 2020 there is no free of charge cancellation policy for trips that have been booked prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our general cancellation policy applies.
The cancellation policy according to our general terms is:
•    up to the 30th day prior to travel    10 %
•    from the 29th to the 22nd day prior to travel    20 %
•    from the 21st to the 15th day prior to travel    30 %
•    from the 14th to the 7th day prior to travel    50 %
•    from the 6th day prior to travel up to the date of travel or in the event of failure to travel 80% of the travel price.
wbt reserves the right to claim higher, specific damages instead of the lump sum stated above, provided that wbt proves that it has incurred substantially higher expenses than the lump sum applicable in each case. Should this be the case, wbt is obliged to quantify and substantiate the compensation claimed with due regard to expenses saved and any other use of the travel services.

Can I withdraw from my contract because of extraordinary situations?
Since we cannot foresee any restrictions in your destination at your date of travel, withdrawal from your contract doesn’t apply. Should the situation in your destination change, we will get in touch with you. We will do our best to adjust our hygiene and safety concept to the changing situation in order to still operate the trip. You can be assured that all measures implemented will be the measures we all are familiar with by now.

How can I rebook my trip?
You have already made up your mind to rebook your trip to a different date or destination? We will assist you in postponing your trip to a later date or rebook to a different destination at attractive conditions without any rebooking fee. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via phone or email so we can assess your options.

How can I cancel my confirmed trip?
Any cancellation has to be made in written form. Please send an email to info@welcomeberlintours.de or a facsimile to 030-443393-36 or 030-443393-39. Should you have any concerns or be unsure what do to, please let us know so we can assess the different options with you. Should your trip have to be cancelled or have to be amended on short notice (even though no travel advisory is in place), we will proactively get in touch with you.

What’s the difference between a travel advisory and a travel advice?
Travel Advisory: According to the Federal Foreign Office, a travel advisory will be issued if it can be assumed that there is a real threat visiting this country. Travel advisories can apply for an entire country or only certain parts or regions of it. Expats that live in such a country may be requested to leave the country. In case of an active travel advisory bookings can be cancelled free of charge.
Travel Advice: Travel advices from the Federal Foreign Office contain relevant information for visiting the respective country such as entry/custom/criminal and medical regulations. These are of high importance during the current Covid-19 crisis. The advices shall provide helpful information for travels to decide whether or not to travel to the destination. In this case there is no free of charge cancellation policy.

Does my travel insurance cover cancellation costs if I cancel because I am concerned about corona?
The travel insurance only covers costs if the insured person becomes ill. Our insurance partner „Allianz“ also covers costs in case the insured person contracted the coronavirus and therefore cannot travel. There is no coverage if a person is just concerned about contracting the coronavirus.

Will I get a refund of my deposit?
Processing refunds (deposit minus respective cancellation costs) are currently taking longer than usual due to the high volume of requests and transactions. We ask for your patience as we work on procession your refund back to your account.

Are there concepts for upcoming trips?
The entire welcome berlin tours staff does all they can in order to operate your trip. We have created a hygiene and safety concept with all relevant measures. Furthermore, we will inform you in our travel documents about the specific regulations and measurements in your destination provided prior to your departure.

How to get in touch with us
We are available by phone from 10:00-15:00. Due to the high volume of incoming calls waiting time may occur. You can also get in touch with us by sending us an email at info@welcomeberlintours.de. We ask for your patience if answers are delayed. Please be reassured that your matter will be addressed.