Booking & Reservation Terms and Help

The Broome Visitor Centre provides booking and information services for over 300 local business.

Each of our members have their own booking terms and conditions that apply when you book with a specific tour operator or accommodation provider. However, you can view the Broome Visitor Centre T&C's below. Our operators are doing all they can to assist travellers who need to adjust their travel plans.

In order for us to process a refund it must first be confirmed with the operator. Terms and conditions will vary between operators and in some cases consumers might not be entitled to a full, or any, refund of their booking. Some terms and conditions may provide for the ability to re-book, or credit notes, rather than refunds for cancelled bookings. Please review your itinerary for the operator's terms and conditions.

We understand that it is a disappointing situation you are in with having to cancel your tour arrangements and thank you for your patience and understanding. Please be advised it may take smaller businesses more time to respond because the impact of this pandemic is both unprecedented and complex.

Our team here at the Broome Visitor Centre working hard to ensure that your cancellation is processed within a reasonable timeframe.

Like many businesses we are under pressure to process the high number of cancellations at this time. Should a refund be issued please be aware that due to the large volume of cancellations and refunds we are currently receiving due to COVID-19 there could be a delay in processing your refund. We are working as fast as we can.

Thank you for understanding in these unprecedented times. Please email [email protected] and quote your itinerary/booking number, full name and a contact phone number.

Please, if you can re-book rather than cancel, all of our tourism industry operators would appreciate your support at this time.

Broome Visitor Centre Terms and Conditions

BOOKINGS AND PAYMENTS

Online bookings require full payment at the time of the booking request being made.
All reservations for tours, accommodation and vehicle hire bookings require a 50% deposit at time of booking when it is 6 weeks or more prior to the start date.
Full payment is due at time of booking on all reservations and bookings when start date is less than 6 weeks away.
We accept Visa and Mastercard only which attracts an additional fee of 1.5% off which is non-refundable.
All transactions are in Australian dollars and include GST. Quotes are an estimate only and are subject to availability & pricing at the time of booking.
If a payment is not received by the due date, every effort will be made to contact you; however, Broome Visitor Centre reserves the right to cancel bookings where payments are not received by the due date.
Online bookings with a $0 displayed anywhere in the booking will not be honoured.

CANCELLATIONS, ALTERATIONS AND REFUNDS

Whilst we provide a Free Booking Service, cancellation of confirmed bookings (where payment has been made) and or itineraries, will attract an AUD $50.00 (inc GST) charge.
This Administration Cancellation Fee is in addition to any advertised Cancellation Fee the Operator may have.
Please notify the Broome Visitor Centre as soon as possible if any changes are required.

OTHER CONDITIONS

The BVC makes every effort to ensure brochure information about tours, activities and accommodation are up to date however we are not able to guarantee that all the information is accurate.

LIABILITY

The Broome Visitor Centre acts as a booking agent for its members and as such it will not accept liability for any losses, damages, liability, claims or expenses (whatsoever and irrespective of whether direct, indirect, consequential) arising from the use of or connected with our booking service or any products or services purchased through that service by us, our employees or agents. We make no warranty or representation as to the fitness or suitability of any product or service booked through us.

All efforts are made to ensure every operator is adequately insured, but it rests with the client to satisfy themselves that such insurances are in place.

GRIEVANCES
We try to settle all complaints reasonably and quickly. Any correspondence should be sent to The General Manager, Broome Visitor Centre, P.O. Box 352, Broome WA 6725 or emailed to [email protected].

Below is information and links to third party information sites that may be helpful to consumers.

From the ACCC

View more information from the ACCC

You should check whether you are covered under any travel insurance policy.

In general, whether consumers are entitled to a refund for travel bookings cancelled due to government restrictions will depend on the terms and conditions of their booking.

Terms and conditions will vary between travel providers, and in some cases consumers might not be entitled to a full, or any, refund of their booking. Some terms and conditions may provide for the ability to re-book, or credit notes, rather than refunds for cancelled bookings.
Travel providers should act in accordance with the terms and conditions that were in place at the time a consumer made their booking, and if they do not, they may be engaging in misleading conduct under the Australian Consumer Law.

The consumer guarantee provisions of the Australian Consumer Law are unlikely to apply to cancellations as a direct result of government restrictions. This may impact the remedies available to consumers.

Consumers should contact the business directly to discuss the options available, including a request for a refund, credit or rebooking.
The ACCC encourages all travel and accommodation providers to treat consumers fairly in these difficult circumstances.

DMIRS

COVID-19 coronavirus Consumer Protection FAQ

My flight, cruise or tour has been cancelled. Am I entitled to a refund?

If your travel has been cancelled, in most circumstances Consumer Protection expects that you will receive a refund or other remedy, such as a credit note or voucher. We are aware that travel cancelled due to government restrictions may impact your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.

Consumers should check the original terms and conditions of their contract and contact their supplier to discuss. We encourage all businesses to work with their customers and treat them fairly in these exceptional circumstances.

After reviewing the terms and conditions you may wish to contact your supplier to negotiate options, which may include:

A refund: the terms and conditions will affect your ability to seek a refund and terminate the contract. If your terms and conditions include a right to a refund at the time the booking was made, the supplier is not able to change these terms at a later date in order to deny providing you with a refund.

A credit note or voucher: the supplier may provide you with a credit note or voucher that will allow you to use the money you have already paid to the supplier at a later date. Any credit note or voucher should have a long enough expiration date in order to allow you to use it given ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

If you are unhappy or unsure about whether a refund or other remedy is fair and reasonable, contact Consumer Protection. You may also wish to consider obtaining independent legal advice to understand your rights under common law, contract law and the Australian Consumer Law.

The ACCC has also published guidance for the Travel Industry where services have been cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CHOICE.COM.AU

COVID-19 travel cancellations: can you get your money back?

How long will it take to get a refund?

TIMING OF REFUNDS

Where a consumer is entitled to a refund, the refund must be paid within a reasonable time. The ACCC and ACL Regulators appreciate that, in the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, it may take longer than usual for businesses to be able to process the volume of cancellations and refunds. Where a business has received funds from a supplier or third party that are due to be returned to a consumer, the business must remit those funds to the customer as soon as possible in the circumstances. Businesses should communicate regularly with consumers about the timing of any refunds.*

*Excerpt from: ACCC and ACL Regulators best practice guidance for the Travel Industry for COVID-19 related travel cancellations