We will only continue to travel to a destination where the following criteria has been met:

• The FCDO’s travel advice is positive
• COVID infection rates are under control
• Entry requirements are reasonable and local restrictions do not significantly impair the itinerary
• We have access to a list of approved emergency medical services
• Our ground partners are able to meet our COVID safety requirements

Enhanced hygiene measures

Our trips have always required a higher level of hygiene due to other health risks posed by the destinations we travel to.  We are working with our ground partners and trip leaders to enhance these measures and introduce COVID specific protocols

• Cleanliness and hygiene measures for local guides, equipment, vehicles and venues
• Prevention of Spread of Infection (POSI) measures and procedures for trip guides
• Use of face masks for anyone involved in the preparation and serving of food
• Options to effectively distance from people outside of the team
• Measures laid out by local government or authorities

Team safety & Project work

We have analysed COVID-19 risk to our teams for all aspects of our trips including accommodation, transport and project activities.  We have carefully considered the use of indoor settings and interactions that will occur with people outside of the team.  The very nature of our trips is centred around invovlement with local communities, as such we are aware of the increased risk that this presents.  We have considered limiting the contact with the buddies to the bear minimum and concluded that with the following measures in place we are able to maintain the benefit of the cultural collaborative nature of our trips whilst ensuring minimum exposure:

• A team travelling as a ‘bubble’ for the duration of the trip
• Depending on the situation at the time of departure team members may be required to complete an additional health screening declaration prior to travel
• Trip leaders dynamically assessing COVID-19 risk throughout the trip and following Prevention of Spread of Infection (POSI) measures and procedures
• Use of face masks in all indoor settings and in some outdoor environments
• Trip leaders will minimise time spent in crowded public settings
• Enhanced personal hygiene measures for all team members monitored by adult leaders
• Accommodation ‘buddies’ to ensure where sharing of a tent or dormitory room is absolutely necessary, it is done so by the same subgroups each time
• Our UK office is available to support teams 24/7 with the support of Pharos Emergency Response if necessary

Accommodation

All the local providers of accommodation we use are required to comply with both our own minimum standards and those enforced by local governments.  These include:

• Enhanced cleaning measures, with a focus on ‘high-touch’ areas to be routinely carried out
• Processes implemented to allow for physical distancing in public areas, for example during the arrival process and in public seating areas
• Enhanced standards for food preparation which may include training, use of face masks if required, superior cleaning for areas that are involved in meal preparation
• On the spot auditing of premises by trip leaders for every stay using guidelines set out by the School Travel Forum

Transport

The majority of journeys will be in private vehicles restricted to team members only. We rarely use public transport, but if the need arises in an emergency we will implement the following measures:

• Trip Leaders will ensure that team members use the same seat for all journeys in the same day
• Vehicles are cleaned before use and hand sanitisers are readily available onboard where regular handwashing may not be possible​
• Vehicles and drivers are audited by trip leaders for every journey, using guidelines set out by the School Travel Forum

All our flight-inclusive trips are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, accomodation and other services) is listed on it.  For further information, please see our booking terms and conditions and visit https://www.caa.co.uk/ATOL-protection/Consumers/About-ATOL/.