LAST UPDATED: 10 May 2021.
On 7th May the UK government’s Global Travel Taskforce set out its ‘traffic light’ framework to safely reopen international travel after 17th May including confirmation of countries on the green, amber and red lists.
For travel from 17th May, the countries where we run trips (France, Italy, Spain, Slovenia) are all on the amber list. The government has advised that people do not travel to amber (or red) list countries for leisure. The current guidance for testing and quarantine requirements for these countries can be seen here.
Whilst we welcome this clarity, this is a constantly evolving situation so we are making decisions on whether or not we’re able to operate trips on a rolling basis.
We have been told by the government that they will review the lists of countries every 3 weeks so we’ll be keeping a close eye on the situation. We will let you know no later than 30 days before departure whether or not your much longed for cycling holiday will be able to run.
These are still unsettling times for all of us but we want to reassure you that we continue to closely follow the advice of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and ABTA, and we continue to monitor this as the situation develops.
We’re also keeping track of the airlines and flight cancellations, as well as country quarantine policies, and we’re considering how these will affect each departure individually.
It’s our mission to leave no stone unturned when it comes to planning your holiday and helping you have the very best possible experience on two wheels. We also care deeply about the Marmot community and our many loyal clients, so we’ve put together a few Q&A’s which are typical of the queries we’re receiving at the moment.
It goes without saying that the safety of our clients, guides and staff is of paramount importance to us. We would advise you to read the current advice from the FCDO here. As members of ABTA we are also taking their advice and you can read some helpful information they have compiled here.
“Is my European cycling holiday still going ahead this year?”
We have already cancelled all trips due to depart before 17th May, as well as the Cure Parkinsons Ventoux trip in May. Unfortunately, we have now been forced to cancel all trips up to and including those departing on 6th June 2021. We ask you to bear with us and keep an eye on this page and The Link for updates. Where we have been forced to cancel a trip that you’re booked on, we will be in touch with you individually as quickly as possible.
“I’m not sure I want to go ahead with my holiday. What are my options?”
If you choose to cancel your holiday, then our normal Terms & Conditions do apply. You can read them here.
However, we appreciate that some of you have concerns about travelling – maybe you’re a non-UK client and are facing different travel restrictions imposed by your own country, or you may be vulnerable and already know you don’t want to or can’t travel at all. We can offer you the option to rebook on any of our 2021 trips (with no admin fee and subject to availability) as long as you inform us at least 30 days prior to the departure date of your current booking.
“Can I use my deposit on another trip in the future?”
Yes, you can transfer your deposit to another available holiday in 2021. Please note there is already limited availability for groups wanting to come on holiday with us this year (especially toward the end of the season) so we advise you get in touch soon to discuss your plans with us. All our existing itineraries for 2021 can be found on our holidays page.
If you would like to do so, please email us your preferred holiday dates so we can pencil you in for a spot. You’ll then be able to make your booking on the Link and we’ll transfer any monies already paid to your new holiday. Please note that due to the impact of the pandemic we have had to increase the deposit amount to £400 (as of 1st August 2020).
As we continue to navigate our way out of the pandemic, we want to reassure you that we’re doing everything in our control to make sure the long-awaited holiday you’re looking forward to this year goes ahead as planned. As ever, please do get in touch with us if you’re still unclear or you’d like to discuss your personal travel plans. Drop us an email or call us on 01373 830409 and we’d be happy to talk.
