These general terms and conditions apply to package travel agreements from July 1
2018 and are regulated by the Act on the sale of package holidays, linked travel arrangements and travel services of 21 November 2017.
2.1 The organizer and also the retailer provide the traveler with the legally required standard information before he or she is bound by a package travel agreement, as well as, insofar as this applies to the package tour:
1° the main characteristics of the travel services:
a) the travel destination(s), the route and the periods of stay, with the dates and number of nights;
(b) the means of transport, their characteristics and categories, the places and dates and times of departure and return, the duration and location of stops and connections; If the exact time has not yet been determined, this will be communicated approximately
c) the location, main characteristics and category of the accommodation according to the rules of the country of destination;
d) the meals provided;
e) the visits, excursions or other services included in the total price agreed for the package trip;
f) if it is not clear, whether the travel services are provided to the traveler as a member of a group;
g) the language in which other tourist services are provided, if any;
h) whether the trip is generally suitable for persons with reduced mobility;
2° the total price of the package trip, and, where applicable, a statement of the type of additional costs that may be borne by the traveler;
3° the payment terms;
4° the minimum number of people required to carry out the package tour and the deadline for possible termination of the agreement if this number is not reached;
5° general information about the requirements in the country of destination regarding passport and visa obligations, including the approximate time needed to obtain a visa and information about health formalities;
6° the statement that the traveler can cancel the agreement upon payment of a cancellation fee;
7° information about cancellation and/or assistance insurance.
2.2 The professional ensures that the correct standard information form is provided to the traveler.
2.3 The pre-contractual information provided to the traveler forms an integral part of the package travel agreement.
It cannot be changed except by mutual agreement of the parties.
3.1 The person who concludes the package travel contract must provide the organizer and the retailer with all useful information about himself and his fellow travelers that may be important for the conclusion or performance of the contract.
3.2 If the traveler provides incorrect information and this leads to additional costs for the organizer and/or retailer, these costs may be charged.
4.1 Upon concluding the package travel agreement or within a reasonable period of time, the organizer or, if a retailer is involved, the latter will provide the traveler with a confirmation of the agreement on a durable data carrier, such as an email, a paper document or a PDF.
If the package travel agreement is concluded in the simultaneous physical presence of the parties, the traveler has the right to request a paper copy.
4.2 The package travel contract or confirmation thereof contains the full content of the contract, including all information referred to in Article 2 and the following information:
1° the special wishes of the traveler to which the organizer has responded;
2° that the organizer is liable for the proper execution of the package tour and has an obligation to provide assistance;
3° the name and contact details of the entity responsible for insolvency protection;
4° the name, address, telephone number, e-mail address of the local representative of the organizer or of another service in case the traveler is in difficulty or wishes to complain about the possible non-conformity;
5° the traveler's obligation to report the non-conformity during the trip;
6° information enabling direct contact to be made with an unaccompanied minor or with the person responsible for him at his place of residence;
7° information about the internal complaints handling;
8° information about the Travel Disputes Committee and the EU platform for online dispute resolution;
9° information about the traveler's right to transfer his agreement.
4.3 In good time before the start of the package tour, the organizer provides the traveler with:
1° the necessary receipts
2° the vouchers and tickets
3° information about the planned departure times and, if applicable, the check-in deadline, the planned times of stops, connections and arrival.
5.1 After conclusion of the package travel agreement, prices can only be increased if the agreement expressly provides for this. In that case, the package travel agreement will indicate how the price revision will be calculated.
Price increases are only permitted as a direct result of changes in:
1° the price of passenger transport that is attributable to the increased cost of fuel or other energy sources, or
2° the amount of taxes or fees on the travel services included in the agreement, which are levied by third parties not directly involved in the execution of the package tour, including tourist taxes and departure or arrival taxes at ports and airports, or
3° the exchange rates that are important for the package trip.
If a price increase is anticipated, the traveler is entitled to a price reduction in the event of a decrease in the costs listed above.
5.2 If the increase exceeds 8% of the total price, the traveler can cancel the agreement without a cancellation fee.
5.3 A price increase is only possible if the organizer notifies the traveler no later than twenty days before the start of the package trip via a durable data carrier, such as an email, a paper document or a PDF, stating reasons for this. price increase and a calculation.
5.4 In the event of a price reduction, the organizer has the right to deduct the administrative costs from the refund due to the traveler. If the traveler requests this, the organizer will substantiate these costs.
6.1 Unless otherwise agreed, the traveler pays part of the total travel sum as an advance as determined in the special conditions when concluding the package travel agreement.
6.2 Unless otherwise agreed in the package travel agreement, the traveler pays the balance of the price no later than 1 month before the departure date.
6.3 If the traveler, after having been given prior notice of default, fails to pay the advance payment or travel sum required of him, the organizer and/or retailer will have the right to terminate the agreement with the traveler by operation of law, with the costs at the expense of the traveler.
7.1 The traveler may transfer the package travel agreement to a person who meets all the conditions that apply to that agreement, provided that he:
1° informs the organizer and, if applicable, the retailer as soon as possible and no later than 7 days before the start of the package trip via a durable data carrier, such as an email, a paper document or a PDF, and
2° bears any additional costs arising from the transfer.
7.2 The person transferring the package tour and the person taking over the agreement are jointly and severally liable for the payment of the amount still owed and for any additional compensation resulting from the transfer. The organizer will inform the person transferring the agreement of the costs of the transfer.
If the traveler requests another change, the organizer and/or the retailer who can accommodate this may charge all costs caused by this.
9.1 The organizer cannot unilaterally change the provisions of the package travel agreement, with the exception of price changes before the start of the package tour, unless:
1° the organizer has reserved this right in the agreement, and
2° it concerns an insignificant change, and
3° the organizer informs the traveler of this via a durable data carrier, such as an email, a paper document or a PDF.
9.2 1. If, before the start of the trip, the organizer is forced to significantly change one of the main features of the travel services or cannot meet the confirmed special wishes of the traveler, or proposes to reduce the price of the package tour increase more than 8%, the organizer must inform the traveler of this and inform him:
1° of the proposed changes and their effect on the price of the package tour;
2° of the possibility to terminate the agreement without costs, unless he accepts the proposed changes;
3° of the period within which he must inform the organizer of his decision;
4° of the fact that if he does not expressly accept the proposed change within the specified period, the agreement will be automatically terminated, and
5° where applicable, of the proposed replacement package trip and its price.
9.3 If changes to the package travel agreement or the replacement package result in a reduction in the quality or costs of the package tour, the traveler is entitled to an appropriate price reduction.
9.4 If the package travel agreement is canceled on the basis of Article 9.2 and the traveler does not accept a replacement package tour, the organizer will refund all amounts paid to the traveler no later than fourteen days after the agreement has been canceled.
10.1 The organizer can cancel the package travel agreement:
1° if the number of people registered for the package tour is less than the minimum number stated in the agreement and the traveler is informed by the organizer of the termination of the agreement within the period specified in the agreement, but no later than:
a) twenty days before the start of the package tour for trips of more than six days;
b) seven days before the start of the package tour for trips of two to six days;
c) 48 hours before the start of the package tour for trips lasting less than two days, or
2° if he cannot perform the agreement as a result of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances and he informs the traveler before the start of the package tour that the agreement is being terminated.
10.2 In these cases, the organizer will reimburse the traveler for all amounts received for the package trip without being liable for additional compensation.
11.1 The traveler can cancel the package travel agreement at any time before the start of the package trip. In the event of cancellation, the traveler may be obliged to pay a cancellation fee to the organizer.
Standardized cancellation fees may be determined in the package travel agreement based on the time of cancellation before the start of the package trip and the expected cost savings and income from alternative use of the travel services.
If no standardized cancellation fees have been established, the amount of the cancellation fee corresponds to the price of the package trip minus the cost savings and income from alternative use of the travel services.
11.2 However, if unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances arise at the place of destination that have significant consequences for the execution of the package tour or that have significant consequences for the passenger transport of the travelers to the place of destination, the traveler has the right to terminate the package travel contract without to cancel payment of a termination fee. In the event of termination of the package travel contract on the basis of this article, the traveler is entitled to a full refund of all amounts paid for the package tour, but cannot claim additional compensation.
11.3 The organizer will refund all amounts paid by or on behalf of the traveler within fourteen days, less the cancellation fee.
12.1 The traveler shall inform the organizer without delay of any non-conformity that he has discovered during the performance of a travel service included in the package travel agreement.
12.2 If any of the travel services are not performed in accordance with the package travel agreement, the organizer will remedy that non-conformity, unless:
1° is impossible, or
2° entails disproportionately high costs, taking into account the degree of non-conformity and the value of the travel services concerned.
If the organizer does not remedy the non-conformity, the traveler is entitled to a price reduction or compensation in accordance with Article 15.
12.3 If the organizer does not remedy the non-conformity within a reasonable period determined by the traveler, the traveler has the option to do this himself and request reimbursement of the necessary expenses. It is not necessary for the traveler to set a deadline if the organizer refuses to remedy the non-conformity, or if an immediate solution is required.
12.4 If a significant part of the travel services cannot be provided, the organizer will offer, without additional costs to the traveler, other arrangements of, if possible, equivalent or higher quality.
If the other proposed arrangements lead to a package tour of lower quality, the organizer will grant the traveler an appropriate price reduction.
The traveler can only reject the other proposed arrangements if they are not comparable to what was agreed in the package travel agreement, or if the price reduction granted is insufficient.
12.5 If the non-conformity has significant consequences for the performance of the package tour and the organizer has not remedied it within a reasonable period determined by the traveler, the traveler may terminate the package travel contract without payment of a cancellation fee and, where appropriate, request a request a price reduction and/or compensation. If the package tour includes passenger transport, the organizer also provides for repatriation of the traveler.
If no other arrangements can be proposed or the traveler rejects the other proposed arrangements, the traveler is, where appropriate, entitled to a price reduction and/or compensation, even without termination of the package travel agreement.
12.6 If, due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, the return of the traveler cannot be arranged as agreed in the package travel agreement, the organizer will bear the costs of the necessary accommodation, for a maximum of three nights per traveler.
12.7 The limitation of costs referred to in 12.6 does not apply to persons with reduced mobility, to persons accompanying them, to pregnant women, to minors traveling alone and to persons requiring specific medical assistance, provided that the organizer has notified at least 48 hours before were informed of their special needs at the start of the package tour.
12.8 The organizer may not rely on unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances to limit liability if the carrier concerned cannot rely on them under applicable Union law.
12.9 The traveler can address messages, requests or complaints in connection with the execution of the package tour directly to the retailer from whom he purchased the package tour. The retailer will pass on these messages, requests or complaints to the organizer without delay.
The traveler is liable for any damage incurred by the organizer and/or retailer, their employees and/or representatives as a result of his/her mistake, or if he/she has failed to fulfill his/her contractual obligations.
14.1 The organizer is liable for the performance of the travel services included in the package travel agreement, regardless of whether these services are provided by the organizer or by other travel service providers.
14.2 If the organizer is established outside the European Economic Area, the obligations for organizers apply to the reseller established in a Member State, unless the reseller proves that the organizer meets the conditions prescribed by the law of 21 November 2017.
15.1 The traveler is entitled to an appropriate price reduction for any period in which there was non-conformity of the services provided, unless the organizer proves that the non-conformity is attributable to the traveler.
15.2 The traveler is entitled to appropriate compensation from the organizer for any damage he or she incurs as a result of non-conformity. Compensation will be paid without delay.
15.3 The traveler is not entitled to compensation if the organizer proves that the non-conformity is due to:
1° the traveler;
2° a third party who is not involved in the performance of the travel services included in the package travel agreement, and the non-conformity could not have been foreseen or prevented, or
3° unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances.
16.1 The organizer shall provide appropriate assistance without delay to the traveler in difficulty, in particular by:
1° to provide useful information about medical services, local authorities and consular assistance;
2° to assist the traveler in using remote communication and in finding other travel arrangements.
16.2 If the difficulties are the result of intent or negligence on the part of the traveler, the organizer may request compensation for this assistance. Under no circumstances will this compensation exceed the actual costs borne by the organizer.
17.1 If the traveler has a complaint before departure, he must report this to the organizer or retailer as soon as possible in a substantiated manner.
17.2 Complaints during the execution of the package travel agreement must be reported by the traveler to the organizer or retailer as soon as possible on site, in an appropriate and probative manner, so that a solution can be sought.
17.3 If a complaint was not satisfactorily resolved on site or if it was impossible for the traveler to formulate a complaint on site, he must submit a complaint without delay to the organizer or the retailer after the end of the travel contract in an evidentiary manner.
18.1 In the event of a dispute, the parties must first seek an amicable settlement between themselves.
18.2 If this attempt at an amicable settlement fails, each of the parties involved can contact the non-profit organization
Ask the Travel Disputes Committee to initiate a conciliation procedure. All parties must agree.
18.3 To this end, the secretariat will provide the parties with conciliation regulations and a "conciliation agreement".
18.4 In accordance with the procedure described in the regulations, an impartial conciliator will then contact the parties in order to pursue an equitable reconciliation between the parties.
18.5 Any agreement reached will be recorded in a binding written agreement.
19.1 If no conciliation procedure is initiated or if it fails, the claimant may, if desired, initiate arbitration proceedings before the Travel Disputes Committee or initiate proceedings before the court.
19.2 The traveler can never be obliged to accept the authority of the Travel Disputes Committee, either as a claimant or as a defendant.
19.3 The organizer or retailer who is the defendant party can only refuse arbitration if the amount demanded by the plaintiff party is more than 2,500 euros. He has a period of 10 calendar days for this after receipt of the registered letter or email with acknowledgment of receipt indicating that a file with a claim from 2,501 euros has been opened at the Travel Disputes Committee.
19.4 This arbitration procedure is governed by dispute regulations and can only be started after submitting a complaint to the company itself and as soon as it has been established that the dispute could not be settled amicably or as soon as 4 months have passed after the (anticipated) end of the journey (or possibly from the performance that gave rise to the dispute).
Disputes regarding personal injuries can only be settled by the courts.
19.5 The jointly composed arbitral tribunal will rule on the travel dispute in a binding and final manner, in accordance with the dispute regulations. No appeal is possible against this.
Secretariat of the Travel Disputes Committee:
Telephone: 02 277 62 15 or 02 277 61 80 (9am to 12pm)
fax: 02 277 91 00
City Atrium, Progressstraat 50, 1210 Brussels
E-mail: reisgeschissen@clv-gr.be
01/01/2024
These special terms and conditions, specific to The Horse Traveler BV, form an integral part of the agreement and supplement the general terms and conditions of the Travel Disputes Committee. They apply to all trips booked from 21/5/2024.
2.1 Verbal quotations by The Horse Traveler BV are indicative. Only written price confirmations by e-mail or post are final.
2.2 The prices concern the services as agreed in the quotation and the package travel agreement.
2.3 The quotation is subject to change. The price and itinerary are subject to change until final confirmation in the package travel agreement.
2.4 The general and special sales conditions of The Horse Traveler BV apply.
3.1 When signing the order form, the traveler pays an advance of 70% of the travel price.
3.2 The balance of 30% is due no later than 8 weeks before departure.
3.3 Travelers who book within 8 weeks before departure must pay the full amount immediately upon signing the order form.
3.4 With specific offers or different payment terms from our suppliers, there may be deviations from our standard payment terms. These deviations are clearly stated on the order form.
3.5 Advances and invoices are payable at the registered office of The Horse Traveler BV, net and without discount.
3.6 The Horse Traveler BV reserves the right not to release travel documents as long as the travel amount has not been paid. If, after a final reminder, the travel sums due remain unpaid after three working days, The Horse Traveler BV has the right to terminate the package travel agreement. The cancellation fees stated below remain applicable.
3.7 In the event of non-payment of all or part of the price, the provisions of Book XIX of the Code of Economic Law apply, and The Horse Traveler BV will send the customer a free reminder to pay the amount due within 14 calendar days . If the traveler does not pay within that period, the outstanding amount will be increased by annual interest calculated at the reference interest rate increased by eight percentage points referred to in Article 5, second paragraph, of the law of 2 August 2002 on combating late payment in the event of commercial transactions calculated from the calendar day following the day on which the free reminder was sent to the customer, as well as with a fixed compensation of:
4.1 The traveler must take note of the formalities to be completed that are provided by The Horse Traveler BV.
4.2 Valid travel documents are essential. The traveler is responsible for obtaining the necessary visas. Belgian travelers can obtain information from the FPS Foreign Affairs. Travelers with a nationality other than Belgian must spontaneously declare their nationality and contact the embassy of the country of destination in order to know the valid formalities.
4.3 Children must have an identity document with a photo. Children traveling alone or accompanied by only one parent must present a document proving that both parents consent to travel and stating the dates of arrival and departure from the country concerned, as well as the address where they will leave their home. spend their holidays and their address in Belgium.
4.4 In the event of non-compliance with the legal regulations of the country concerned, the resulting damage will be borne by the traveler.
4.5 The traveler is responsible for any vaccinations. The traveler should consult a doctor for medical advice.
5.1 The traveler acknowledges that he/she has been informed about the exceptional circumstances of the coronavirus crisis and the possible impact on the trip.
5.2 The traveler must be sure of his/her health upon booking and departure and can also prove this to The Horse Traveler BV.
5.3 The traveler confirms that he/she has taken note of the safety risk that occurs in the country of destination but nevertheless expressly wishes to undertake the trip and undertakes to advance all costs that the organizer may incur due to changes to the program. or to compensate late return or repatriation.
5.4 If there are travel restrictions in place for your destination, the paid travel price will be fully refunded. By travel restrictions we understand that: (1) you are traveling to an area for which the FPS Foreign Affairs has issued a travel ban (this is the only authority that The Horse Traveler BV follows in terms of travel advice), or (2) you are traveling to an area that is imposes obligations on residents from Belgium upon arrival in the country, as a result of which the concluded travel agreement can no longer be carried out in a regular manner (e.g. a mandatory quarantine of 3 days upon arrival).
5.5 If the country of destination requests proof of vaccination against corona or a negative PCR test, this is not a reason to cancel free of charge. The costs of such tests or evidence cannot be recovered from The Horse Traveller.
6.1 The advice regarding maximum permitted weight of luggage must be followed. Any additional costs for excess weight will be borne by the traveler.
6.2 In the event of loss or damage to baggage during air transport, a Property Irregularity Report must be completed at the airport. Without this document it is impossible to obtain compensation. For transport by coach, a certificate must be requested from the accompanying hostess. The claim must be submitted directly to the airline or baggage insurer and not to The Horse Traveler BV. The Horse Traveler BV advises every traveler to take out “Luggage Insurance” before departure.
7.1 The stated timetables are indicative. In all circumstances, the traveler must take into account that these can be changed both before and during the trip.
7.2 The organizer will inform the traveler about changes to the itinerary. If the organizer is not aware of the place of stay, the traveler will only be informed at the e-mail address or mobile telephone number known to the organizer.
7.3 The travel documents (transport tickets, vouchers, etc.) will be sent to the traveler no later than 7 days before departure, unless the invoice has not yet been paid in full. If the traveler has not received the travel documents 5 days before departure, he or she must immediately inform the organizer.
7.4 The organizer is responsible for the performance of the agreed travel services, regardless of whether these are performed by the organizer itself or by another travel service provider. The organizer must execute the agreement in accordance with the expectations that the traveler could reasonably have on the basis of the publications, the agreement and the circumstances at the travel destinations.
7.5 The organizer shall provide the traveler with help and assistance if the traveler is in difficulty, in particular by providing good information about medical services, local authorities and consular assistance and by assisting the traveler in the use of remote communication and in finding of alternative travel arrangements. The organizer charges a reasonable fee for the help and assistance if the difficulties have arisen due to intent or negligence of the Traveler.
8.1 If a traveler decides to cancel the trip, this must be reported in writing to The Horse Traveler BV. The date on which the written cancellation is received by The Horse Traveler BV serves as the cancellation date.
8.2 In the event of cancellation at any time, the 70% deposit will never be refunded as it concerns costs that were issued immediately after confirmation of the order form.
In case of cancellation
8.3 The above costs are based on our experience with costs that we cannot reclaim in the event of cancellation. If our costs are higher than the percentages mentioned above, The Horse Traveler BV reserves the right to charge the actual costs.
8.4 Specific travel offers or packages may have different cancellation conditions. If this is the case, these conditions will be clearly stated on the booking confirmation.
8.5 Changes to the travel date or travel destination by the traveler are considered a cancellation and are subject to the above cancellation charges.
8.6 We strongly recommend that travelers take out cancellation insurance to protect themselves against the financial consequences of cancellation.
9.1 Information in this document is based on data known up to six months before publication. Changes will be communicated as quickly as possible.
9.2 The Horse Traveler BV is not liable for travel services that are not explicitly stated in the agreement.
9.3 The Horse Traveler BV is not liable for unforeseen events such as the following examples, the list of which is not exhaustive: changes in regulations, delays, cancellations, accidents, strikes, epidemics, wars, weather conditions, etc. The additional transport and accommodation costs resulting from this are borne by the traveler.
9.4 The organizer's services start and end upon arrival/departure in the country of destination unless otherwise stated.
The Horse Traveler BV cannot provide assistance in the event of delays during the journey from the traveler's place of residence to the destination airport.
11.1 During the trip, photos and/or videos of travelers and activities may be taken by The Horse Traveler BV or by authorized third parties on behalf of The Horse Traveler BV.
11.2 The Horse Traveler BV will always request prior written permission from the relevant traveler(s) appearing in the footage for the use of such images for promotional, marketing or other business purposes.
11.3 Giving permission is voluntary. If the traveler does not wish his/her images to be used for such purposes, he/she will explicitly inform The Horse Traveler BV of this and The Horse Traveler BV will respect this.
11.4 Travelers retain the right at any time to withdraw previously given permission, after which The Horse Traveler BV will no longer use the relevant images in future publications.
12.1 The traveler must immediately inform The Horse Traveler BV, in an evidentiary manner, of any non-conformity that he experiences during the execution of the package travel agreement.
12.2 Reporting obligation of the traveler: if you are dissatisfied, you must immediately report this to the local partner/hotelier/reception so that they can find a solution for you. If the solution proposed on site does not satisfy you, we request that you contact The Horse Traveler BV as soon as possible (by e-mail or telephone during opening hours) in order to achieve a satisfactory solution. All costs associated with the consequences of non-compliance with this reporting obligation will be borne by the traveler.
12.3 If, despite the above, the traveler still wants to forward a complaint to the tour operator, this can be done up to 30 days after the end of the trip.
12.4 The consideration for services not received will only be refunded upon submission of a written certificate from the service provider concerned and which clearly states which services the traveler has not received.
12.5 Only the courts of the Leuven district have jurisdiction for any disputes that cannot be resolved via the “Travel Disputes Committee”.
12.6 Belgian law applies to all agreements.
In accordance with Article 36 of the Travel Contracts Act, The Horse Traveler BV has secured insolvency protection from MS Amlin Insurance. In the event of financial insolvency of the organizer and/or the retailer with whom you concluded a travel agreement, you can rely on MS Amlin Insurance. You can do this by contacting your organizer or retailer or by contacting them directly at the address: Koning Albert II-laan 37, 1030 Brussels or insolvency.claims.be@msamlin.com
There is no right of withdrawal in accordance with Article VI.53, 12° of the Code of Economic Law.
15.1 No cancellation or travel assistance insurance is included in the basic price. Luggage insurance is also not included in the basic price.
15.2 It is recommended to take out luggage insurance, cancellation insurance and travel assistance insurance. Travelers who have not taken out travel assistance insurance are responsible for the costs incurred as a result. Under no circumstances will The Horse Traveler BV intervene or advance any amounts.
15.3 In the event of damage, the claim must be submitted directly to the insurance company in accordance with the policy conditions.
By registering for a trip listed on our website or tailor-made, the traveler agrees to the general and special terms and conditions and confirms that he has received them prior to drawing up the travel agreement.
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