Keshet Journeys has over 25 years of experience in the travel industry and is recognized as one of the leading Incoming Tour Operators in Israel. Thank you for giving Keshet Journeys the opportunity of working with you. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with you.
Whilst cooperating closely with you, it is our intention to provide (y)our clients with an excellent standard of service throughout. In order to ensure the success of your group travel arrangements, we would like to draw your attention to the following terms and conditions:
1 – Confirmation and booking process
The project coordinator responsible for the quotation and operation of your tour (hereafter: the project coordinator) should be confirmed in writing if you wish to accept the quotation and proceed with the booking.
Upon receiving written confirmation of booking, the project coordinator will regularly brief you on the development and progress of the tour planning and hotel bookings.
The project coordinator will contact you approximately 120 days prior to your planned arrival in Israel to reconfirm the status of the tour and the final number of paying passengers traveling (hereafter: PAX).
Any changes in the number of PAX must be advised to Keshet Journeys in writing. If the final amount of PAX is lower than specified in the final quotation, a price increase may occur and you will be asked to pay the extra pro-rata charges. This especially, but not only, accounts for the situation in which the total amount of PAX drops below 20, which is the minimum amount to receive group rates at the hotels.
In case of major changes to the program and/or the number of PAX occurring after the initial invoice has been issued, Keshet reserves the right to separately invoice extra services as well as charge an additional administrational fee.
2 – Tour price and services quoted
The tour price is based on double occupancy and includes the services specified in the quote. The price does not include services and meals not listed in the quote, or passports, visa costs, or other travel documents, air or other transportation to and from the tour start and endpoints (unless otherwise stated in the quote), vaccinations where required, or personal expenses such as laundry, medical insurance, and communications.
Accommodation: Quotes are based on the accommodation level or -category and are subject to availability (unless specified differently on the quote). Hotel classification is based on formal indications of the local Israeli authorities. In order to be able to confirm a specific accommodation, we strongly advise confirming your travel arrangements far in advance. In case of overbooking by hotels, a similar- or higher level accommodation will be provided. Group rates are offered by hotels starting from 20 PAX on, of which a maximum of 10% of rooms can be single rooms.
Tips, gratuities, and porterage fees:
Porterage considers a service fee for the use of the doorman and/or bellboys at the different hotels.
Tips and gratuities are not included and should be gathered in cash and handed over to the guide, driver, and hotel staff unless specified differently on the quote. It considers $21 USD per PAX per touring day ($9 for guide, $7 for the driver, $5 for hotel staff). If your travel arrangements include meals outside the hotel’s premises, we recommend adding $2 USD per person per meal for restaurant personnel.
No additional personal tips are required.
Guiding:
A full day of guiding consists of a maximum of 10 hours. Guiding part of the day will be charged as a full guiding day. Additional charges apply for overtime during evening hours and for early morning departures before 7 am. Guiding on Sabbath (Saturdays) and Israeli public holidays will be charged 150%. During a tour, a guide can be given one day off in the residential area of the guide. If more than 1 day without guiding is included in the itinerary, the guide might be changed.
According to Israeli law, only licensed Israeli tour guides are allowed to guide groups in Israel. There is no requirement for every group to be accompanied by a guide, but no unlicensed (foreign) tour leader is allowed to fulfill the task of a tour guide.
Buses:
A full touring day consists of a maximum of 10 hours. Additional charges apply for overtime during evening hours and for early morning departures before 7 am. Legal limitations apply to the maximum amount of consecutive service hours and the minimum amount of off-duty hours in between services. To conform to legal requirements, changes of driver and bus on longer tours/touring days might occur. Furthermore, we would like to emphasize that not all drivers speak English and therefor English speaking transportation services cannot be promised nor guaranteed.
There are different bus sizes: 19- / 37- / 53- and 59-seaters. The 19-seater fits up to 14 PAX (due to size of luggage department), the 37-seater up to 24 PAX (due to size of luggage department), the 53-seater fits up to 53 PAX (including the middle back seat) and the 59-seater fits up to 59 PAX (including the middle back seat).
Israeli staff overnights: Depending on the size of the group and the complexity of the itinerary, there might be costs included in the tour quote for Keshet Journeys’ local staff accompanying your group tour (e.g accommodation, food, transportation).
Sites: Entrance fees of all sites mentioned in the quote are included. Sites that are free of charge are not listed. Unused features are non-refundable. Entrance to all sites is subject to the regulations of the specific sites.
Keshet welcome package: The Keshet welcome package includes a hat, and touring map of Israel.
Whispers (optional): Whispers are portable audio systems for group travel. Unless specified differently in the quote, the rental of Whisper systems is not included. We highly recommend adding the Whisper service for any group over 30 PAX. If you wish to do so, please inform the project coordinator.
3 – Payment policy
Initial rooming lists should be provided 120 days prior to the start of the trip
30% down payment is due 90 days prior to the start of the trip
Full payment is due 60 days prior to the start of the trip
Different policies may apply if suppliers of Keshet require earlier pre-payment.
Failure to pay the above-mentioned amounts by the due dates constitutes grounds for Keshet Journeys to cancel all tour arrangements and bookings. If deposits have been paid, they will be forfeited.
4 – Cancellation
Land arrangements:
Full group cancellation: Full tour group cancellations received 90 days prior to the start of the tour or earlier will not incur a penalty. Full tour group cancellations received 61-89 days prior to the start of the tour will incur a 25% penalty. Full tour group cancellations within 60 days prior to the start of the tour will incur a 100% penalty.
Individual cancellation: individual cancellations (up to a maximum of 10% of the total PAX) received 31-60 days prior to the start of the tour will not incur a penalty. Individual cancellations (up to a maximum of 10% of the total PAX,) received within 30 days prior to the start of the tour will incur a 100% penalty.
Unused features are non-refundable
Different policies may apply if suppliers of Keshet require earlier pre-payment. All down payments to Keshet are non-refundable.
5 – Invoicing and payment methods
The invoice currency is US$. Upon request, tour prices can be charged in other currencies. Payments can be made by bank transfer directly to Keshet’s bank account as stated on the invoice, or by credit card. Any bank fees and transaction costs should be covered by the client.
For payments by credit card, Keshet can accept Mastercard, Visa and American Express. The following additional administrative charges apply for payments by credit card:
Invoice disputes: a dispute about a particular invoice does not constitute enough reason to delay payment.
6 – Travel insurance
Keshet Journeys recommends all clients to purchase and underwrite travel insurance at the time of booking to cover costs related to tour cancellation, injury, health issues, loss or damage to luggage, etc.
7 – Limits to the responsibility
Keshet Journeys will not be liable for any direct or indirect loss or damage arising out of or in connection with any unforeseeable or unavoidable action of a third party (including but not limited to initiatives taken by tour participants during the enjoyment of services provided by Keshet), unavoidable circumstances outside the scope of services provided under this contract, by accident, by force majeure (including but not limited to war, strike, riot, crime, epidemic or act of God), or any circumstance that Keshet Journeys could not, based on professional diligence, reasonably foresee, forestall or control.
8 – Changes during the tour
Keshet Journeys reserves the right to modify part of the tour arrangements after arrival in Israel if there are justified reasons to do so and/or if it benefits the tour experience.
9 – Modification of Terms & Conditions
Keshet Journeys may, at any time, and at our sole discretion, modify these Terms and Conditions with or without notice to the Client. Any such modification will be effective immediately upon public posting. Your continued use of our Service following any such modification constitutes your acceptance of these modified Terms.
10 – Applicable Law and Place of Jurisdiction
The here noted general terms and conditions of the agreement are subject to Israeli Law.
Place of jurisdiction is Jerusalem, Israel.
Date of publication: October 15, 2024
