Terms of Service

1. About Us

Aussie Explorer is a travel agency based in Australia, specializing in Australian travel experiences. We are registered in Australia with ABN 12 345 678 901. Our primary office is located at 123 Travel Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.

We act as an intermediary between you and various travel service providers, including airlines, hotels, tour operators, and other travel-related services.

2. Definitions

In these Terms:

• "We," "us," "our," and "Aussie Explorer" refer to Aussie Explorer, its employees, officers, directors, affiliates, and partners.
• "You" and "your" refer to the person accessing our Site or using our Services.
• "Service Providers" refers to third-party providers of travel-related services, including airlines, hotels, tour operators, transportation companies, and other suppliers with whom we work.
• "Booking" refers to a reservation of travel services made through us.
• "Travel Documents" refers to tickets, vouchers, itineraries, and any other documents issued in connection with your booking.

3. Using Our Site

3.1 Acceptable Use

When using our Site, you agree to:

• Use the Site only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms.
• Not use the Site in any way that violates applicable laws or regulations.
• Not use the Site to send, knowingly receive, upload, download, or use any material that is illegal, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable.
• Not attempt to gain unauthorized access to, interfere with, damage, or disrupt any parts of the Site, the server on which the Site is stored, or any server, computer, or database connected to the Site.
• Not attack the Site via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of-service attack.
• Not use any robot, spider, or other automatic device, process, or means to access the Site for any purpose, including monitoring or copying any of the material on the Site.

3.2 User Accounts

If you create an account on our Site:

• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account details, including your password.
• You agree to accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account.
• You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security.
• We reserve the right to disable any user account at any time if, in our opinion, you have failed to comply with these Terms.

3.3 Accuracy of Information

While we strive to ensure that information on our Site is accurate, we cannot guarantee that it is error-free, complete, or up-to-date. All information, including prices, availability, and descriptions of travel services, is subject to change without notice.

4. Booking Our Travel Services

4.1 Making a Booking

When you make a booking through our Site or directly with our travel consultants:

• You must provide accurate and complete information for all travelers, including full names as they appear on travel documents, dates of birth, and contact details.
• You must have the legal capacity to make the booking (be at least 18 years old or have the consent of a parent or guardian).
• You agree to pay the specified price for the services booked.
• A booking is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation email or voucher from us.

4.2 Contract Formation

When you make a booking with us:

• Your booking request constitutes an offer to purchase the specified travel services.
• A contract is formed when we accept your offer and send you a confirmation.
• The contract is between you and the relevant Service Provider(s). We act as an intermediary facilitating the booking.
• Your booking is also subject to the terms and conditions of the relevant Service Provider(s), which may include separate rules for cancellations, changes, and refunds.

4.3 Special Requests

If you have special requests (such as dietary requirements, room preferences, or accessibility needs):

• We will pass these requests to the relevant Service Provider(s).
• We cannot guarantee that these requests will be accommodated, as their fulfillment depends on the Service Provider(s).
• Failure to meet special requests does not constitute a breach of contract by us.

5. Payments and Fees

5.1 Prices

• All prices are displayed in Australian Dollars (AUD) unless otherwise specified.
• Prices include GST and other applicable taxes unless otherwise stated.
• Prices are subject to change until your booking is confirmed.
• Price changes may occur due to exchange rate fluctuations, increased taxes, surcharges, or errors.

5.2 Payment Methods

• We accept various payment methods, including major credit cards, direct bank transfers, and PayPal.
• For certain bookings, we may offer payment plans or installment options.
• Credit card transactions may incur a processing fee, which will be clearly disclosed before payment.

5.3 Deposits and Final Payments

• Some bookings require a deposit to secure your reservation, with the balance due by a specified date.
• If a final payment is not received by the due date, we reserve the right to cancel your booking and retain your deposit.

5.4 Service Fees

• We may charge service fees for making, changing, or canceling bookings.
• Service fees are non-refundable, even if your booking is canceled or changed.
• All service fees will be clearly disclosed before you confirm your booking.

6. Cancellations and Changes

6.1 Cancellations by You

• Cancellation policies vary depending on the Service Provider(s) and type of booking.
• Cancellation fees may apply and can range from a percentage of the booking cost to the full amount.
• Cancellation requests must be made in writing to our customer service team.
• In addition to the Service Provider's cancellation fees, our service fees are non-refundable.

6.2 Changes by You

• Requests to change your booking must be made in writing.
• Changes are subject to availability and may incur fees from both the Service Provider(s) and us.
• Some bookings may not be changeable after confirmation, particularly discounted or promotional fares.
• If a change results in a price increase, you will be responsible for paying the difference.

6.3 Cancellations or Changes by Us or Service Providers

• In rare circumstances, we or the Service Provider(s) may need to cancel or significantly change your booking.
• This may occur due to force majeure events, safety concerns, insufficient participants for group tours, or other unforeseen circumstances.
• If this happens, we will notify you as soon as possible and offer alternatives or a refund as appropriate.
• The maximum refund will be the amount you paid for the affected services, less any non-refundable components.

6.4 Travel Insurance

We strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance to protect against cancellation fees, medical emergencies, and other unforeseen events. Insurance should be purchased at the time of booking to ensure maximum coverage.

7. Travel Documents and Requirements

7.1 Travel Documents

• You are responsible for ensuring that you have valid travel documents, including passports, visas, and health documentation required for your journey.
• Passports should have at least six months' validity beyond your return date.
• We can provide general information about travel document requirements, but you should confirm specific requirements with the relevant authorities.

7.2 Health Requirements

• You are responsible for ensuring you meet any health requirements, including vaccinations, for your destination.
• If you have any medical conditions or mobility limitations that may affect your travel, you must inform us at the time of booking.
• We recommend consulting a travel medicine specialist or your doctor for advice about health precautions for your specific journey.

7.3 Travel Advice

• You should check government travel advisories for your destination before booking and again before departure.
• We are not responsible for any issues arising from failure to follow official travel advice.

8. Limitation of Liability

8.1 Our Role as Agent

When you book travel services through us, we act as an agent for the Service Provider(s). While we select our partners carefully, we do not control their operations and are not responsible for their actions or omissions.

8.2 Service Provider Liability

The Service Provider(s) are responsible for providing the travel services you book through us. Any issues with the delivery of these services should be raised with the Service Provider directly at the time they occur, and also reported to us so we can assist where possible.

8.3 Limitation of Our Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• We are not liable for any injury, loss, damage, accident, delay, or irregularity that may be caused by any Service Provider or other third party.
• We are not liable for any changes to your travel plans due to force majeure events, including but not limited to natural disasters, weather events, civil unrest, terrorism, strikes, or government actions.
• Our liability for any claims arising from our own negligence is limited to the total amount paid to us for our service fees.
• We are not liable for indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages.

8.4 Website Liability

We do not guarantee that our Site will be secure or free from bugs or viruses. You are responsible for configuring your technology to access our Site and should use your own virus protection software.

We are not liable for any loss or damage caused by a virus, distributed denial-of-service attack, or other technologically harmful material that may infect your computer equipment, programs, data, or other material due to your use of our Site.

9. Intellectual Property

All content on our Site, including text, graphics, logos, images, audio clips, digital downloads, and software, is the property of Aussie Explorer or our content suppliers and is protected by Australian and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works from, publicly display, or exploit in any way any of the content on our Site without our express written permission.

10. User Content

10.1 Reviews and Feedback

When you submit reviews, comments, or other content to our Site:

• You grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, distribute, and display such content worldwide.
• You confirm that the content is accurate, not confidential, and not in violation of any applicable law or infringing upon any third party's rights.
• We reserve the right to remove any content that we consider to be inappropriate, offensive, or otherwise in breach of these Terms.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Aussie Explorer, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that such parties may incur as a result of or arising from your violation of these Terms.

12. Governing Law

These Terms and your use of our Site and Services are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of New South Wales, Australia, without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision.

Any legal action or proceeding relating to these Terms or your access to or use of our Site or Services shall be instituted exclusively in the courts of New South Wales, Australia. However, we retain the right to bring any suit, action, or proceeding against you for breach of these Terms in your country of residence or any other relevant country.

13. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. The date at the top of these Terms indicates when they were last revised. Your continued use of our Site or Services after we post changes to these Terms means that you accept and agree to the changes.

We encourage you to check this page periodically for any changes. If we make material changes to these Terms, we will provide notice through our Site or by other means, such as email, if appropriate.

14. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at: