GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
For the following Terms and Conditions, both TICO TRIPS and COSTA RICA GAY TRAVELS will be referred to as THE AGENCY.
1. Designing your travel package or specific request
THE AGENCY will design a personalized itinerary upon the customer's request, based on the information provided by the webpage forms, via email or whatsapp message. THE AGENCY will request availability to the providers for every service involved in the itinerary or specifically requested (hotels, car rentals, tours and any other activities). Subsequently, an initial itinerary draft will be provided to the customer. If this itinerary is agreed upon, THE AGENCY will proceed to make all pre-bookings. THE AGENCY will inform the customer in case availability has changed in any of the proposed and approved properties/activities, and will suggest modifications when necessary. Customers must approve the final itinerary before their commitment for payment and agree to these Terms and Conditions.
2. Making your reservations
Booking in advance is essential to guarantee your accommodations on the specific dates you want to travel. Seasons are divided in Costa Rica as follows:
PEAK: December 15th to January 10th / Easter month / July 15th to August 15th.
HIGH: November 16th to December 14th / January 11th to April 30th
GREEN: May 1st to July 14th / August 16th to November 15th
3. Payment terms
Full payment of the total amount must be made:
GREEN SEASON: At least 30 days before the arrival date.
HIGH SEASON: At least 60 days before the arrival date.
PEAK SEASON: At least 90 days before the arrival date.
Certain providers may require additional prepayment time to guarantee space, especially during peak seasons. THE AGENCY will notify the customer if an additional time is required.
Itineraries or services designed IN LESS than 30 days prior to arrival date must be paid in full at the time of the package approval.
Bank transfers may be done to the following account:
Beneficiary: HEALTH AND FITNESS TRAVEL LTDA.
Account number: 200-02-147-006041-9
Swift: BNCRCRSJ
IBAN number: CR84015114720020060418
Beneficiary Bank: BANCO NACIONAL DE COSTA RICA
Address: Avenidas 1 y 3, Calle 4, San José, Costa Rica.
Bank telephone number: +(506) 2212-2000
All bank transfer fees or credit card handling fees incurred by THE AGENCY will be assumed by the customer.
For your convenience, you can make the payment with your credit card through our digital platform. Our travel designers will send you a secure link. We will never ask you for your card information, pin or password.
Some car rentals may be paid directly to THE AGENCY’S providers. In this case, we will provide a TOLL FREE number, where it is mandatory that the customer provides his credit card complete information to the car rental agency, in order to secure the booking. Failure to do so at least 72 hours prior to the customer’s arrival will automatically cancel the booking without any responsibility for THE AGENCY.
Split payments for itineraries/services are possible. If this service is requested, a 0.75% surcharge will apply for each installment.
4. Cancellations and refunds
All cancellations must be received in writing by email to reservations@ticotrips.com or reservations@costaricagaytravels.com , without exceptions.
A refund may be requested up to 24 hours after a partial or total payment is received by THE AGENCY and will be done subtracting the Government retention amount (8.0 %) plus a USD $200 handling fee.
NO REFUNDS are applicable to cancellations received 24 hours after any payment has been received by THE AGENCY.
Once the itinerary starts, NO REFUNDS will be made for any part of the program that the customer has not used. Any additional expenses incurred during the trip, in addition to the services originally purchased, if any, will be assumed by the customer(s).
Modifications of activities less than 72 hours prior to their starting date and time, if possible, will incur in a penalty fee.
We recommend that you purchase a trip cancellation insurance policy. If you need to cancel you can apply for credit and re-book within 365 days (1 year) not applicable to PEAK Season and Easter Week.
5. Responsibility
THE AGENCY (Health and Fitness Travel LTDA) acts only as an agent of the client concerning travel and does not assume responsibility for any circumstance beyond its direct control. THE AGENCY will not reimburse those who, by their own decision, responsibility, or negligence, decide not to use any or any of the services included in their itinerary.
If there is a modification after the itinerary has been approved and paid, which implies an additional fee, the client must cover it. THE AGENCY has the right to modify the original itinerary due to circumstances beyond its control and participants whose behavior is inconvenient for the development of the itinerary without compensation or reimbursement.
THE AGENCY or its agents cannot accept any responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in schedules, theft, loss (or damage) of luggage or any item belonging to customers, sudden or chronic illness, personal health, injury, death, weather conditions, strikes, fires, explosions, earthquakes, floods, epidemics, trail conditions, river levels, road conditions, transportation delays, wars, accidents, change, or other "force majeure" causes. All these expenses will be borne by the customer.
Many of the tours/activities can be physically challenging. Each passenger must verify the classification of the level of difficulty sent within the itinerary proposal. It is the passenger's responsibility to judge the suitability of these travel activities according to their physical capabilities and to release THE AGENCY from any liability.
THE AGENCY requires that all customers be covered by adequate life, accident, medical insurance and extended stay coverage due to medical reasons and are financially responsible for such expenses. THE AGENCY requires that participants who plan to operate a motor vehicle in Costa Rica must obtain liability and collision insurance that covers them in the country. Insurance can be obtained from the car rental agency and will be included in the car rental portion of the itinerary. THE AGENCY recommends that all customers ensure their personal belongings for loss and theft. THE AGENCY is not responsible for costs or losses resulting from such events.
6. Passport, visa and health regulations
Each customer must be in possession of a valid identity card - possibly with a visa - and is responsible to ensure compliance with passport, entry, vaccination, currency and customs regulations. This also applies to valid driving licenses. All costs, in particular the payment of rescission costs arising from non-compliance with these regulations, shall be borne by the customer.
7. Applicable Law and jurisdiction
Costa Rican law governs contractual and legal relationships between the traveler and THE AGENCY. The place of jurisdiction for complaints of the traveler against the destination agency is San José, Costa Rica. If THE AGENCY takes legal action against the traveler, the residence of the traveler shall be applicable.
8. Digital vouchers
We're not against printing. We're against wasting resources. We don't want to stop people printing. We simply think that sometimes, people, and not everyone, need reminding that wasting paper, ink and toner doesn't make economic or environmental sense. Every day, people hit the print button without really considering why. Often it's because we're used to seeing things on paper and we have some irrational desire to hoard information "so we've got it to hand", but so often this spontaneous compulsion to print is unnecessary.
Once the customer has purchased and paid for any approved individual service or package, THE AGENCY will send them digital vouchers which contain all information required about the service(s) to be provided. Customers may keep them in their smartphone, tablet or laptop, to be presented at the hotel/activity to identify that it has been paid for and what is included in the service. A copy of this voucher will be forwarded to the service provider as well.
By consenting to this document through email or on the website forms, you declare that you have read, fully understood, and accept these Terms and Conditions.