Foreign Travel Advice
We recommend that you seek advice from the Foreign Office regarding your holiday destination(s) before you book your holiday. You can easily contact them here:
• gov.uk/travelaware
• email: consular.fco@gtnet.gov.uk
Alternatively, you can contact the ABTA Customer Support team on 020 3117 0599.

Passport and Visas

You know what? If you turn up for your flight with an invalid passport or no visa when you need one, we will be very sympathetic but... YOU CANNOT BOARD THE FLIGHT.
You must have a full and valid passport. Some destinations require you to have 6 months validity on your passport from the return date of travel. You should check with the Embassy for current requirements as these are subject to change.

Visas are required by British citizens for a number of our destinations, and a charge may be applicable. For up-to-date information, check with the relevant embassy. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documentation. All other passport holders should check with the relevant embassy or consulate. If you are travelling to the USA, please refer to the information below on how to obtain an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation). For all other destinations, please visit our partners CIBT visas on www.cibtvisas.co.uk/ for advice on whether the destination that you’re travelling to requires a visa.

UK Passport Information
If you haven’t yet got a passport, our recommendation is that you should apply for one at least 10 weeks before your holiday departure date. The Passport Service has to confirm your identity before issuing your first passport and anybody aged 16 or over applying for their first passport will need to have an interview as part of the application process.

Please note that this new process will increase the time it takes for your application to be processed. In all cases, the passport office advises you not to book any travel arrangements until you have received your new passport.

For full details of passport requirements for your chosen holiday please contact the British Passport Office on 0870 521 0410 or www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-passport-office. The US embassy can be contacted on 0207 499 9000 or https://uk.usembassy.gov/

The name on each person's ticket must match the name as stated in their passport. When making your booking, please ensure the information given to us is correct. Failure to do so may result in significant charges being incurred, as some airlines treat an amendment as a name change and will charge accordingly.

Need to renew your passport?
Through our partners CIBT visas you can renew your passport in as little as one day! Please visit CIBT visas on www.cibtvisas.co.uk/ for more information.

Childrens Passports?
All children, including newborn babies, must now have their own individual passport.

Please Note: Some destinations require a letter of authority if children are not accompanied by both legal guardians. Please check with us for further information if this applies to you.

Need to apply for a child passport?
Through our partners CIBT visas you can obtain a child passport in up to 6 working days! Please visit CIBT visas on www.cibtvisas.co.uk for more information.

Travelling to the USA
Passports issued on or after October 26, 2006, must include an integrated circuit chip capable of storing the biographic information from the data page, a digitised photograph and other biometric information. If your passport was issued on or after this date and doesn’t have this information, you WILL require a visa.

It is mandatory for anyone travelling to or transferring through the US under the Visa Waiver Program, to obtain approval to travel no later than 72 hours prior to travel by completing an online process ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) scheme. The cost of an ESTA is currently approximately $14 per person and can be obtained by visiting https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov or you can apply for your ESTA through our partners CIBT visas who make the process as easy as possible, and will apply for the ESTA on your behalf. Please visit CIBT visas on www.cibtvisas.co.uk for more information.

Once completed & approved, the ESTA application is valid for two years and allows multiple visits without the need to reapply. Travellers can apply for an ESTA even if they have no firm plans to travel to the US.

An ESTA is only valid for stays of 90 days or less. Failure to obtain an ESTA could result in the passenger being denied boarding by the airline. The ESTA is very similar to the automated visa that you purchase to enter Australia and is completely paperless.

*Under certain circumstances (eg. if you have a criminal record) you may require a visa and you could be refused entry into the USA.
If your passport shows you are a British Subject, you will need a Visa. This particularly applies if you are Irish but have a British Subject passport. In both these cases, you must check with the US Embassy or nearest consulate.

Anyone in doubt and all other passport holders should check with a US Embassy or consulate.

To qualify for the US Visa Waiver programme, you must NOT:
• Be suffering from any communicable disease, physical or mental disorder or be a drug abuser or addict.
• Have been arrested or convicted for any offence or crime. This includes spent convictions or an arrest not resulting in a conviction.
• Have ever been involved in espionage or sabotage, terrorist activities, genocide or been involved in any way with Nazi Germany or its allies between 1933 and 1945.
• Seeking work in the US, have been excluded or deported from the US, been previously removed from the US or attempted to procure a visa or entry into the US by fraud or misrepresentation.
• Been detained, retained or withheld custody of a child from a US citizen granted custody of the child.
• Been denied a US Visa or entry into the US or had a US visa cancelled.
• Have asserted immunity from prosecution.

Baggage Allowance
Take a look at the Virgin Atlantic website here (https://help.virginatlantic.com/fr/en/baggage.html) to get the most up to date information on all the questions you ever need to know about the luggage you can take. There’s plenty of other information such as what sports equipment you can carry, the sizes, weights and any restrictions.
If you’re travelling with any other airline, then take a look a look at the relevant airlines website for this information.

Inoculations and Medical Precautions
As health requirements change, we recommend that you consult your doctor well in advance of travel, for the latest advice.

Travelling with medication
Please contact the relevant Embassy or High Commission for up-to-date drug transportation rules.

Booking Procedure
When we receive your deposit, we'll email you an invoice showing the details of your holiday and charges.
If you agree to these, the balance should be paid 12 weeks before departure. Bookings made 12 weeks or less from the departure date must be paid for at the time of booking the reservation.
We accept payment by cheque, credit card and debit card.

Early Booking/Bonus Offers
Please note, these offers are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at anytime. Where dates are mentioned, offer applies to stays taken and completed between the dates stated.

Please note that proof of marriage is required in order to benefit from the honeymoon offers available at selected hotels.

Insurance (this really is important)
You must, repeat must, have proper travel insurance. Not all activities/excursions featured in our brochure are covered by a standard insurance policy. Please check your policy carefully to ensure that you are fully covered for all the activities/excursions in which you intend to participate. If your activity/excursion is not covered by your policy, it may be possible for you to pay an additional premium to extend your cover to include the activity/activities.

Unaccompanied Age Restrictions
For those wishing to travel unaccompanied by a parent or guardian, the minimum age is 18 years. However, some hotels and resorts do not allow under-21s in a room by themselves - please check at the time of booking for more details on this.

Boarding Pass
If you’re using a boarding pass on your mobile phone, take a screenshot of it and save it in your pictures folder on your phone (rather than relying on the airline’s app or on a good internet connection at the airport).
OR
Although we live in an age where you can check in with your smartphone and email, you should print your boarding pass as you never know when your phone may just run out of battery or pack in.

Security
Take a spare ziplock bag or two to get your toiletries through security checks .

Never wear flip flops
In the unlikely event of an emergency, it’s best to have a good set of sturdy shoes that will protect your feet from heat or sharp objects.

Try not to use a checking bag and pack essentials in a carry on.

1. Use an incognito browser when booking or using the BWG Lifestyle site to book flights or accommodation only and clear cookies.
2. Search for flexible dates if you can to see the range of costs over days.
3. Sundays, Thursdays and Tuesdays usually are cheaper to fly and return on.
4. Use a VPN to check fares from other countries.
5. Search during off-peak times.
6. Check round-fare vs one way rates to ensure you are getting the best rate.
7. If travelling to a far country, travel to a stop-over country and fly from there for cheaper rates as less flights are booked from these regions vs the U.K. or U.S.A..
8. Avoid travelling on seasonal holidays.
9. Check to see whether its high season or low season for travel.
10. Night & early morning flights are the cheapest.
11. Boat is usually cheaper than plane so check if you don’t mind travelling by boat to cut travel rates.

Sign up for a priority pass or no.1 lounges for airport lounges. Be sure to check before you fly, which airport lounges are available at the airport you are visiting.

1. Take cash and exchange money in town vs at the airport to avoid overpaying or getting scammed. Exchange just enough to get a taxi to your accommodation and ask it to stop at a bureau de change in the city or town that you are staying in and then go to your accommodation with enough cash for the holiday. One large transaction warrants a better exchange rate and is cheaper than returning several times.
2. Sign up to Revolut or Post Office for travel money or find another good travel card which will allow you to spend the local currency or a credit card that you only use for travel and clear within 5-10 days of travelling.

Check to see if there is a deposit on your stay with your accommodation partner so that there are no surprises.

1. Always buy travel insurance as you never know what is going to happen.
2. Try to book group accommodation to reduce the cost of accommodation.
3. Check to see if the water is safe to drink in the country that you are travelling in.

1. When travelling, use an envelope, plastic wallet or folder that you designate for travelling which will store all of your important documents (Negative covid-test, visa, boarding passes, destination contacts & accommodation information).
2. When travelling, fold your clothes and pack items strategically, using the compartment of the luggage.
3. When travelling, use durable, easily identifiable luggage or add a trinket or piece of cloth to the bag to avoid wasting time and luggage delays.
3. When travelling, ensure that you weigh your bag (with bag scales or an appropriate scale) to ensure that your luggage is within the agreed weight with your air travel provider.
4. When travelling, use a wash bag or separate small appropriate bag for your toiletries and more.
5. Pack liquid-filled toiletries like shower gel, shampoo, toothpaste and conditioner in separate sandwich bags or small plastic bags to avoid any broken or leaking items.
5. Pack clothing around the outskirts of bags and toiletries in the middle underneath layers of folded clothing to avoid leakage & damage.