Group Events - New Zealand Tours and Australian Tours

Teacher Zone

Welcome to our Teacher Zone where we aim to provide you with lots of useful information on Planning, Booking and undertaking your next trip.

Planning and Booking your Visit

A wide range of information to help you plan and book your trip including;

Advantages of a fully inclusive tour itinerary

Health & safety details

Teacher preview visits

Collective passports & visas

Promoting your educational visit to pupils & parents

Useful transport & travel information

Luggage handling for music and sporting groups We aim to minimise your baggage costs if required

Assistance with risk assessment

USE OUR EXPERTISE!
So much more can be achieved on the phone.
Pick up the phone and dial TOLL FREE 1800 655 661 ex AUST
0800 442 554 ex NZ

Parents Zone

This Parents Zone has been written to provide parents and guardians of children travelling on a school or college trip with Group Events, a few details on our company and what we do.

Who is Group Events?
Australia’s leading educational and group travel company, dedicated to providing high quality curriculum focused educational visits to Primary and Secondary Schools, and Colleges. Group Events is a fully licensed travel agency and a member of the Travel Compensation Fund. You can find out more using the link here. Travel Compensation Fund

Can Parents contact Group Events?

In some cases schools allow parents/other family members on tour – we do deal directly with parents to make arrangements for pre or post family tour extensions. Otherwise Group Events deals ONLY with Schools and Colleges and is not able to deal directly with parents of children on an organised school trip. We very kindly ask that you direct any questions about your child’s trip to the appropriate teachers and organisers at their school or college. In cases of an emergency, your school/college should be your first point of contact. Thank you.

(A) RE: Extended Tour Arrangements as a Family - YES
Often mums and dads wish to meet up at the end of the tour and join their child for a more extensive tour. Group Events will be happy to talk to you and arrange the air fares to suit your family itinerary and anny additional arrangements you may require.

(B) RE: School managed tour arrangements where student is part of school group tour - NO

Non group bookings or splits from groups

In all cases, GROUP EVENTS reserves the right to apply the following fees (PER PERSON) in addition to any fees imposed by the various travel operators and service providers.

BOOKING AND SERVICE FEES (in addition to operator charges)
• DOMESTIC COACH AND RAIL $ 33.00 (per person)
• VIRGIN BLUE FLIGHT BOOKINGS $ 33.00/person
• JETSTAR FLIGHT BOOKINGS $33.00/person
• QANTAS DOMESTIC FLIGHT BOOKINGS $33.00/person
• INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT BOOKINGS VIA THE INTERNET (e.g. Polynesian Blue) $ 33.00/person
• FREQUENT FLYER REDEMPTION – DOMESTIC $65.00
• FREQUENT FLYER REDEMPTION – INTERNATIONAL $ 80.00
• LATE BOOKING FEE (within 72 hours) $55.00 plus $60.00 per hour after first hour for complex itineraries.
• ACCOMMODATION BOOKINGS WHEN LESS THAN 3 NIGHTS $55.00
• PREPARATION OF DETAILED ITINERARIES $ 75.00* plus $60.00 per hour after first hour for complex itineraries.
*May be credited towards final trip payment

CANCELLATION FEES WHEN A REFUND IS APPLICABLE (in addition to operator charges)
• ALL DEPOSITS PAID ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
• DOMESTIC RAIL & COACH – 10% of purchase price
• TRAVEL INSURANCE $ 50.00 (per policy)
• DOMESTIC FLIGHTS ONLY (refundable tickets only) 10% of purchase price
• INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS ONLY 10% purchase price
• ALL PACKAGE HOLIDAY BOOKINGS 10% purchase price
• CRUISES BOOKINGS 10% purchase price

AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING BOOKINGS (per amendment, in addition to operator charges)
• DOMESTIC EXPRESS COACH AND RAIL $33.00 (per ticket)
• DOMESTIC FLIGHTS TICKETS $33.00
• INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT TICKETS $33.00
• INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT TICKETS REQUIRING RE-ISSUE $33.00
• ALL CONFIRMED PACKAGE HOLIDAY BOOKINGS $33.00
• CRUISE BOOKINGS $33.00

RECONFIRMATIONS
• ON ALL TICKETS NOT ISSUED BY GROUP EVENTS $ 33.00

VISA PROCESSING FEES (in addition to Consular charges & document delivery charges)
• VISA ADMINISTRATION FEE – (PER PERSON PER CONSULATE) $ 33.00
PLUS COURIER FEE OF $16.50 LOCAL $23.50 INTERSTATE

CREDIT CARD MERCHANT FEES (where not absorbed by our suppliers)
VISA OR MASTERCARD 2% on purchase price
AMERICAN EXPRESS 3% on purchase price

Travel Insurance - IMPORTANT

When travelling in a group or by yourself, it is important that you have adequate travel insurance cover in the event that the unpredictable happens. All travellers should consider travel insurance. Group Events sell Travel Insurance from QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited. QBE specialises in insuring group travel and offers reduced premiums for groups.

Click here for a copy of the Product Disclosure Statement and Policy Wording - AND - your Travel Insurance Application form. click here

To obtain a quotation or purchase an individual policy online. click here

Things to consider and disclose
Specified Items eg. Musical Instruments - Item limits apply. Some home and contents insurers may already cover instruments domestically and or overseas – policy holders must check their individual policy to see if additional cover per below is needed.

Instruments with current value of $500 or less are automatically covered under QBE’s policy. (To establish value for the purposes of this policy a copy of receipt if purchased in previous year or music store valuation letter must be provided with your application should you wish to QBE insure an item valued over the $500 limit).

For instruments valued over $500 consider either paying the 3% of the total value to QBE covering just the short time away or perhaps look at an annual worldwide policy (includes Australia): click here
- you may find Marsh’s cost and benefits in their cover more suitable for your annual needs.

Existing Medical Conditions - Please read pages 5 to 7 of the QBE brochure to see if you need to complete a medical appraisal form – your group organiser will be able to supply medical appraisal forms on request from GROUP EVENTS.

Group Discounts QBE Travel Insurance
To receive the 10% group discount on the above we must receive one payment pertaining to all completed applications. This payment must be to Group Events Pty Ltd in one cheque or paid by direct bank deposit. Any other individual policies will attract the full premium.

Please contact Group Events to be sent copies of the Product Disclosure Statement and Policy Wording. This brochure also contains the International Travel Insurance Application Form. The Application Form must be fully completed and signed by the adult tour member or the parent/guardian of any participating minors and returned to our office along with the premium for cover to commence.

As we do not provide advice based on consideration of your personal needs, objectives or financial situation, you should carefully consider any information we give you in respect of QBE Travel Insurance or any Insurance product, before deciding whether to purchase it.

TOUR COSTS SCHEDULE ATTACHMENT A

A1. TOUR COST
Please see our Tour Costs Tables provided separately. Determine your number of paying passengers and then look at the column that best fits that number and use that column for both the Student and Adult costs. Example Say you have a group of 33 students and 4 teachers. On the basis that 1 teacher travels at No Extra Charge for every 12 students, you would be entitled to 2 teachers/tour leaders at no extra charge throughout (except requested room upgrades, airline taxes and travel insurance). On that basis your group size would be 35 paying passengers and the column you would use would be 35. Please note that we have provided a cost based on likely current exchange rate values which are subject to currency fluctuations until settlement.

In the case of non-student groups, normally only one tour leader only is included at No Extra Charge (except requested room upgrades, taxes and travel insurance), unless otherwise specified.

A2. AIRFARES & RELATED TAXES
Airfares provided in our quotations are on a Group Purchase basis. These special fares may be conditional and are usually non-refundable, non-transferrable and non-changeable without payment of fees or a penalty. Airfares and related taxes are subject to price fluctuation until Fully Paid and tickets are issued.
No later than 60 days prior to travel taking place we are required to submit all names as per passport to the airline.
35 days prior to travel we are required to provide final names and funding for all air tickets. Failure to meet the 35 day deadline may mean an increase in price and seats may be cancelled automatically and late cancellation penalties imposed by the airline.

A3. BAGGAGE ALLOWANCES
Generally International airline limits baggage to 20kgs per person checked in (this can be averaged over the group) and 7kgs per person in the cabin. We can negotiate assistance for Music and Sporting groups who provide a list of baggage requirements at the time of booking. Any extra allowance is purely at the airlines’ discretion. No one piece of baggage will be accepted if weighing more than 32kgs. All excess baggage charges are the group's responsibility and payable direct to the airline. Group Events Pty Ltd will not be held liable for any breakage, loss or damage to any baggage or group belongings.

A4. TOUR LEADER “NEC POLICY”
This is specific and indicated on Tour Cost Sheets. ‘NEC’ means that official tour leaders indicated on tour cost schedules, will tour at No Extra Charge for the itinerary and its inclusions, except airline taxes and travel insurance. We can provide costs for additional NEC’s by prior arrangement.

A5. ACCOMMODATION
Unless otherwise required Adult Group member costs are based on Twin Share Rooms throughout. Student Group member costs are based on multi-share - usually Triple Share Rooms, on a run of house basis, for students one person, per bed, is our rule usually being twin to quad to suit the hotel. Should a single room be required an additional cost will be charged (this also applies to NEC tour leaders/teachers).