As the Covid-19 continues we have to remain vigilant and take every care in order to slow down the spread of this virulent disease. At TUBW Tours we are adopting a series of important measures to keep our clients safe. Your health and safety is indeed our top priority and so we are pleased to publish these guidelines on what we will be doing to keep you safe on every TUBW Tour.

We will of course at all times closely monitoring and adopting the British Government advice and guidelines. We will also administer the industry’s best practice and will be regularly updating our policies accordingly.

The Urban Birding elements of our tours will have to be handled with great care (please see Covid-19 Adaptations on TUBW Tours) and we recommend that you do not share the use of optical equipment and cameras.

Will my tour go ahead as planned?

Aside from our planned tours to Extremadura, Spain which are currently subject to participants completing a 14 day quarantine on return to British soil we are expecting the remainder of our tour schedule to go ahead. That said, we are holding back on asking for the final payment on the Lithuania tour pending news from their government regarding quarantine measures. If you are booked onto this tour we will write to you before your balance is due to update you on the situation. We are aiming to make the final decisions on whether to operate each tour around 3 – 4 weeks or so prior to departure at the absolute latest. During this period, please feel free to contact us if you have an urgent query but, otherwise, we ask you to please be patient, bearing in mind these five quick points of reassurance and clarification:

• Please be assured that if we ultimately have to cancel a tour due to FCO Travel Advice, we will refund you or offer to transfer you on a rescheduled departure in 2021. Please remember that as you would have taken care of your own flights that refunds here will (if due) have to come through the respective airlines. If you booked your flights through our travel colleague Sacha Barbato at Travel Counsellors then contact him for the update on refunds. He will be kept abreast of all our decisions.
• If you choose to cancel your holiday before we officially cancel a tour, our booking conditions will apply, although you may be able to claim back our cancellation charge from your insurer.

Prior to departure…

Prior to travel, we will let you know of any specific requirements for travel or in your destination country. We will also let you know of expected screening requirements at arrival and departure airports, and of any specific health requirements relating to Covid-19 in your destination. If you, or someone that you have been in close contact with, is displaying symptoms of Covid-19, or if you receive an alert from NHS Track and Trace, you MUST NOT TRAVEL under any circumstances. This applies in the 14 days prior to departure.

Protocol for Guided Tours to reduce the risk of Covid-19 Contagion:

1. Face masks, hand sanitiser and wipes will be available for the clients and a special container will be available for the disposal of used items.

2. The First Aid kit has a thermometer for detection of fever.

3. Social distancing will be observed at all times.

4. Physical contact will be avoided, apart from between people of the same household.

5. Items such as water bottles, sun block, insect repellent etc will not be shared.

6. A face covering will be worn at all times.

7. The number of clients will be determined by the number of seats in the minibus used, subject to maintaining social distancing as recommended by the authorities. Central seats will not be used.

8. Each person will always occupy the same seat and rotation will not be permitted during the day.

9. At the end of the day the vehicle will be disinfected only using products permitted and recommended by the authorities, with special attention to the surfaces and objects in contact with the passengers.

10. To reduce risk of contagion, the guide will not share his binoculars with any client. In the case of the telescope, clients will be asked to use hand sanitiser before and after touching the focusing ring. Spectacles or sunglasses must be worn when using the eyepiece.

11. Rest stops for use of bathroom facilities, if required, will only be at those establishments that can offer safe and hygienic facilities, which have been checked by the guide.

12. Any picnics will be pre-packed and distributed to each client before setting off each morning.

At the accommodation, hand sanitiser gel, tissues and disposal containers are available at both the entrance of the establishment and the dining room. Check-in registration may be done using an App, no pens required. Room keys are disinfected. The First Aid kit has a thermometer to check the temperature of anyone feeling unwell and a protocol is in place for follow-up of anyone showing symptoms of COVID-19.

Last updated: August 17, 2020