Tour leader's handbook

ABSTRACT

This is a comprehensive compilation of common situations encountered by groups with resolution for tour leader to review the information attentively to enhance their preparedness and ensure smooth travel experiences for their groups.

Kuoni Tumlare

Update on Mar2024

Our company, KUONI TUMLARE (hereinafter referred to as KT), compiled a list of various situations commonly encountered by groups during their journey to assist tour leaders in promptly addressing any similar issues that may arise during the journey. We highly recommend our tour leaders take some time to carefully read it before the trip begins.

Please review the final itinerary and vouchers provided as soon as you receive them, and please follow the schedule as confirmed.
For any questions or queries before group departure, or any necessary amendments before travelling, e.g., itinerary/pax number/timings, please write to us through your company’s representatives to ensure all requests proceeded properly.
Please make sure the passenger numbers are matched on the itinerary, if there are any amendments, please inform our company to proceed with necessary changes.
Please double check the passenger numbers and timing on the train tickets.

In case it caused any delays to your itinerary, please inform KT as soon as possible to make necessary changes to ensure smooth progress of the journey.

If the group has any luggage issues/enquiries, please liaise with the airline or its luggage handling lost and found department directly, because the 3rd party such as KT is not allowed to get involved due to privacy concerns.

LOST LUGGAGES

Report to the lost luggage/property desk claim area in the airport and obtain a declaration form and tracking number.
In case of luggage issue affecting the group's itinerary, please notify KT promptly.
Please confirm with the customers whose luggage is lost whether they have purchased any travel and luggage insurance.
Tour leader should maintain constant contact with the airline, or its luggage lost and found department for further follow-up.

LUGGAGE DAMAGE

After collecting the luggage, report to the airline and obtain a claim form. Please follow up with the airline for any subsequent compensation query.

COACH PARKING/PICK UP POINT

NOTE: Some airport terminals have access restrictions, and all buses are required to remain in the parking area until instructed by the coach marshal to pick up the group.

NOTE: Some airports have designated parking areas for tour coaches, and all buses need to wait in the area.

Please double check the coach parking policy and parking point of arrival airport before departure. If unsure, please check with KT to make sure smooth pick up.
If an airport assistant is required for airport pick up service, please contact KT as early as possible to ensure it is promptly arranged.

AIRPORTS WITH DIFFERENT PICK UP PROCESS

LHR (London Heathrow Airport) –
- All coaches stand by at the official coach park outside of terminals.
- It will take about 15-20min from coach parking to actual terminal.
- Tour Leader needs to approach Coach Marshall to release coach by providing Name of coach company, Flight number.
- Coach Marshall is located at bus stop for group travel. Coach Marshall can be identified with reflex yellow jacket.
- Coach Marshal operate during 06:00-22:00 Mon-Sun. After 22:00 all coach will be automatically released for group of late arrivals.
- If the Coach Marshall is not on site at coach parking, tour leader can call +44 7814246995 during their working hours, or alternatively, contact the WEST RAMP COACH PARKING team on +44 2087455833

OSL (Oslo Gardermoen Airport) –
- Tourist coach is registered ahead with flight number and wait at coach depot.
- At pickup time, the coach driver receives a designated platform for guest pickup, and strict timing must be adhered to.
- Tour leader obtains platform information from the bus information point, located on a screen labelled "charter buses" on the lower right-hand side inside the terminal. Another screen is also available outside.
- Arrival screen for coaches at the airport as below:

AMENDMENTS/ NEW REQUESTS/ CANCELLATION OF SERVICES

If you want to request any amendments to your itinerary including new service or cancel booking request, please ensure to notify KT local office on weekday during business hour (normally 0900-1800 local time), and at least 48hours in advance of the service, to allow sufficient time for us to assist your group. Any request made less than 48hours in advance or during the weekend may not be accommodated.

NOTE: Changes or cancellations within 48hours will incur a 100% cancellation fee.

NOTE: Any amendment after tour departure will be subject to handling fees by KT. (from AUGUST 2023) Amendment is not possible during weekends and local public holidays.

Meal preference amendment may not be possible after tour departure. (e.g., changing from non-beef to vegetarian options, etc.) If needed, tour leader may negotiate with the restaurant on-site. The restaurant will accommodate based on availability and circumstances on the day.
Any changes, additions, or cancellations of service items are subject to the supplier's availability and conditions. Therefore, additional charges may apply (e.g., cancellation fees or fees associated with changes), or it may not be possible to meet your specific requests.
Please ensure to adhere to the scheduled times on the itinerary to avoid unnecessary issues for your group.
In case of delay due to traffic conditions or unforeseen circumstances, please contact KT local customer service team or relevant suppliers as soon as possible so that we have sufficient time to assist the team in arranging adjustments to the itinerary.
Please note that any changes are subject to the current situation of the supplier and may result in additional charges.

Hotel CITY TAX - Some cities in Europe have started collecting local accommodation taxes (CITY TAX). The amount charged depends on the city, time, and season, and should be paid on-site by the tour leader.
Some hotels only accept contactless payment method for city tax, so tour leader please make sure to have credit card ready for payment.
All city entry tax (or congestion charges), parking fees, tolls, except for those that must be paid by the driver, will be covered by the tour leader during the trip.
TIPS - All tips during the journey are not included in KT's service offerings (unless they are included in the original quote, or if the travel agency has agreed to pay them along with the group’s fee before departure). The tour leader is required to discuss and pay appropriate tips with relevant personnel. KT will not intervene in any disputes related to tipping amounts.
If you have any questions about the payment details for the services and cannot find the information in your English itinerary, please contact KT to ensure smooth progression of your journey.
KT assumes no responsibility for any travel services not listed in the official English itinerary (FINAL ITINERARY). If you wish to book additional travel services or optional activities not listed in the English itinerary through KT, please contact the nearest KT branch in advance to make the booking and pay for these additional or optional services beforehand.

Hotels may require the tour leader to provide a credit card at check-in as security for any additional charges for the group’s rooms. (e.g., minibar use by customer)
Standard policy by hotel or local government to ask to scan a copy of all customers’ passport.

The group does not need to show a confirmation letter upon check-in (including for pre-booked luggage handling services).

NOTE: If the luggage handling service is not used upon arrival or departure due to the absence of hotel staff, please ensure to get a written proof stamped by the hotel and send it to KT Sales office via email or fax within 5 days after returning for a refund.
NOTE: If the group decides not to use the luggage service on the spot, a refund cannot be issued.

Please confirm the location and times for breakfast with the hotel reception at check-in.
Europe has strict regulations and penalties for smoking. If you violate rules in non-smoking rooms (e.g., smoking indoors), you will be charged a substantial fine and additional costs (e.g., extra room cleaning fees).
The hotel’s heating and air conditioning are adjusted according to the season. Air conditioning is only available during high temperatures in summer, and heating is only available during low temperatures in winter.
In case there is any damage in the room when check in, please report to hotel immediately to clarify the responsibility.
We suggested customers carry valuable items with you or keep them in the hotel/room safe. KT and the hotel do not hold responsibility for customers’ belongings safekeeping, finding lost items, or compensation in case any items are missing.
KT only provides room and breakfast booking services. Any extra charges incurred (e.g., room damage, misuse of chargeable mini-bars, room service, meals, or any other costs not included in the room rate) must be settled with the hotel before departure to avoid disputes later.
Hotel buffet breakfast is for dine-in only and cannot be taken away from the restaurant without notifying the staff. Please remind customers of the dining etiquette and rules to avoid disputes at the venue or afterwards.

Group train tickets included: Group Ticket / Control Coupon / Reservation Card.
To avoid unnecessary extra payments, the tour leader should check the total number of passengers listed in the top right corner of the ticket, and ensure it matches the actual number of passengers.
- In cases where part or all group train ticket is not used due to any reason (e.g., last minute changes by suppliers, strikes, natural disasters etc), tour leader should obtain an authorized stamp or signature from the station staff or inspectors before the train departs for the ticket refund to be valid.
- Ticket refunds depend on the type of ticket, ticketing rules, and the railway company's regulations. To apply for a refund, KT office must be provided with the original, unused, and unmarked train ticket. Copies are considered invalid.
If porterage service is booked at the station, group must arrive at least 1 hour in advance, otherwise, service is unlikely to be able to be provided.

IMPORTANT: Majority of the train tickets could not be refunded once issued. Only a few specific types of round- trip tickets, such as Regional and Interval Train tickets – ICE, IC, RE, EC, can be refunded if applied for before the group's departure. The possibility of a refund is subject to the ticketing rules.

At majority of the European cities, group must be accompanied by a licensed local guide for sightseeing. Tour leaders are not permitted to conduct the tours themselves; failure to comply can result in a minimum fine of 2,000 Euros.
If there is a need to arrange a local guide in any specific language, please contact KT sales office as early as possible.

SAFETY NOTE AND WARNING

Please remind customers to take care of their own valuables at all times.
KT and its partner suppliers are not responsible for safekeeping, nor for locating lost items.
KT and its partner suppliers are not liable for any compensation related to losses that cannot be attributed to them.
Please make sure to count all pieces of luggage when loading / unloading to and from coach, train, cruise, and when using hotel storage and porter services.
Tour leaders and customers should not leave valuables in the coach or hotels unattended at any time.

LOST ITEM

ITEM LEFT ON COACH / HOTEL
- Any personal items left on the coach or hotels are under customer’s own responsibility.
- Please try to contact the suppliers or driver directly if you notice any item has been left over.
- Please note that handling fee may apply if you request the search for the lost item by Kuoni Tumlare (condition may apply)

THEFT CASE
- Please check with customers or travel agency whether personal or group travel insurance has been purchased.

If personal insurance is in place, advise customers to contact their insurance provider immediately to report the situation so they can follow up related coverage or compensation matters.

It is essential to report the incident to the nearest police station immediately and obtain a police report or relevant documents.

Please also inform KT promptly to provide any necessary support.

REPORTING TO THE POLICE
- In case of robbery, stealing, or theft, please immediately report to the nearest police station and obtain a police report or related documents.
- Police reports are essential for processing reissue of passports and insurance claims.

TEMPORARY PASSPORT
- If a passport is lost or stolen, after filing a report at the police station, promptly contact the nearest consulate or embassy of the customers’ country of origin. They will explain how passports are re-issued and assist with the procedures. Cost and duration are vary depends on the consulate / embassy.

LOST CREDIT CARD
- Please immediately contact the credit card customer service team to cancel all usage permissions of the credit card.

ILLNESS/INJURY

A & E (Accident and Emergency) – Generally, there can be a considering a long waiting time at the hospital's A & E (or emergency room) after customers arrive.

Ambulance Service - If an ambulance service is needed, please ask assistance to hotel staffs, guides, or assistant if available. Customer will then be sent to the nearest A&E. While requesting ambulance services, confirm the charges and clearly inform the customer about the payment details to avoid disputes later.

CONTACT INSURANCE COMPANY
- If the customer has purchased personal travel insurance, it is essential to contact their insurance company first for incident management. For example, ask about arranging medical interpreters, various medical service options, claims processing, arrangements for family members’ accommodation, etc.
- In any situation, the tour leader must report the incident to KT as soon as possible. If the customer's insurance company does not provide companion or translation services, KT will strive to arrange the necessary services (e.g., accommodation, companion, or interpreter, etc.) as required. Charges depend on the situation at the time. In particular cases, if post-service payment is needed, the customer/tour leader or travel agency must sign a payment agreement.
- It is crucial to notify KT's insurance company to facilitate subsequent insurance claims.

In Europe, the common emergency contact phone number is 112
Global mobile phones can dial 112 in the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. Local emergency numbers in these countries are also applicable.

** In other regions/countries, please check with local hotel reception staff for more accurate information or prepare local emergency contact information and the contact details of diplomatic missions before departure.

A/C will only work when the engine is on. Drivers will swift off the engine whilst parked in accordance with relevant driving law and regulations when travel in Europe.
It takes approximately 20-30 minutes to reach the setting temperature after the engine is on.
Most of the coaches with temperature limit setting that the air conditioning systems cool the coach down generally 10-12 degrees Celsius lower than outside temperature.

Please remind customers not to leave their valuable items unattended on the coach even if they are getting off only for short time such as toilet stop or photo spot.

Please check and make sure all the customers take all their luggage and belongings with them at the end of the coach service. KT, coach supplier and driver are not responsible for safekeeping, locating lost items, or any compensation related to the missing items.

Should the driver have any question regarding dining and staying, they shall contact their company or KT for further information.

Long Distance coach driver’s information will be updated in Partner app prior to the service.
Local coach driver detail is not guaranteed as some coach company refused to provide it to ensure driver has proper resting hour or due to privacy reason. If there is any issue to find driver at service time, please call coach company or KT customer service for support.
Please refrain from contacting the driver before departure or the journey begins. If you would like to communicate or get in touch with the driver, please contact them one hour prior to the service starts.

NOTE: DVD players are not standard equipment on coaches, thus some coaches are not equipped with DVD players. Coaches equipped with DVD player will be allocated randomly unless for those group has reserved DVD player in advance.

A sentence of 3 years and Penalty of 300,000 Euro or more severe criminal consequences penalties may be imposed in accordance with the law of the country if playing unauthorized legal video when traveling in counties. Tour Leader are urged to cooperate to avoid penalties.

Current laws in European countries stipulate that passengers must fasten their seatbelts throughout the entire journey while the vehicle is in motion. Passengers are not allowed to stand in the aisle while the vehicle is moving, to avoid potential dangers that may arise from emergency braking, bumpy roads, or other driving/road conditions. Tour leaders should remind customers to always wear their seat belts for safety reasons.
European countries have implemented rigorous regulation and penalty for passengers’ safety, in the event customer violate the law and be issued a ticket, they must settle the fine on the spot, KT and the coach supplier (driver) cannot pay on behalf of the customers.

EU regulations clearly state the following, allowing police to randomly check tour buses to inspect driver working hours for road safety:
- Drivers must have a minimum of 24hours rest after 6 consecutive working days, or a minimum of 48 hours rest after 12 consecutive working days, therefore drivers might change during the tour.
- From the engine is started, the coach could only be used for maximum 12hours.

Exemption: Overtime can be requested in advance of departure for maximum 14hours up to once a week, excluding France.

🗶 NOTE: No exemption is allowed in France. All coaches must comply with the 12-hour limit.

The driver’s driving time must within 9hours per day.
Before departure, KT and coach suppliers will check the itinerary carefully to ensure compliance with EU driving regulations. In the event the Tour Leader changes the itinerary and violates the relevant regulations resulting in a fine, the Tour Leader and their agency will be responsible for the penalties.

NOTE: Toilets are not standard facilities on coaches. Coaches equipped with toilets will be allocated randomly unless those groups have pre-booked toilets in advance.

Customers may use the toilet with permission from the driver in an emergency situation, and only when the coach has stopped. Customers are not allowed to use the toilet while coach on moving due to safety reasons.

NOTE: WiFi is not a standard facility on coaches. This service is only available for groups that have pre- booked coaches equipped with WIFI.

Data

Data Usage

(Per Day, Per Coach)

Number of users allowed at the same time

Average Speed

1GB = 1000MB

10 people

(Up to 15 people - Lower speed)

4MB

Internet Speed and Connectivity
- The service speed of onboard Wi-Fi can be affected by factors such as the hardware and software of the accessing device, environmental conditions at the location, distance, number of simultaneous

users, and the external link speed of the visited websites. Consequently, a decrease in internet speed may occur.

Crossing national borders	Upload or Download Documents, Photos or Video with large sizes
Remote Areas, Cities, Rurals, Suburbs etc.	Online Streaming services such as Internet TV, YouTube etc.
Weather Condition	Automatic Update of Applications, Dropbox or iCloud etc.
In the tunnel	Please wait patiently if the WIFI search for signal due to the signal is weak

Factor for speed decrease or disconnection

Report WIFI Issues
- Tour leaders should immediately inform the driver about Wi-Fi malfunctions and report to KT’s customer service center to enable effective resolution.

WIFI Coach Breakdown
- In the event replacement of the coach is necessary during the journey due to breakdown or accident, a suitable alternative coach will be dispatched depending on the availability of coach type of the day. The replacement coach cannot be guaranteed to be equipped with WiFi. Apologize for any inconvenience which may cause.

Our company provides 24-hour customer service for all groups participating in tours organized by KUONI TUMLARE (hereinafter referred to as KT). Should you need any assistance during your travels, you can contact our customer service staff at any time to receive the necessary support and services.

3RD PARTY WHERE KT DO NOT HAVE A LOCAL OFFICE

Please refer to the phone number list on your FINAL ITINEARARY or our sales.

LOCAL OFFICE

Please refer to the Customer Service phone number of correspondence country in your Partners App or FINAL ITINERARY to gain necessary support. To save your valuable time, please kindly follow the instructions as below:

Office Hour (9:00AM to 6:00PM local time): For general enquiries and itineraries modifications.
- Modification of Itinerary, Departure Time, Reservation of Tickets and Restaurants are only available during office hours from Monday to Friday. Regrettably, Modification cannot be accommodated during the weekend and local public holidays.

Out of Office Hour (6:00PM to 9:00AM) & National Holidays: Please dial the local phone number, and the call will be redirected to Emergency Call Center (24/7)
- Limited to Natural Disaster, Injuries or Illness of Guest or Other Emergencies during weekends and European public holidays
- Request of modification of Itinerary shall be made during office hours from Monday to Friday

** All the above are English-speaking Line, Japanese/Chinese service may be available depends on the duty roster. **

PLEASE NOTE: If traveller has own insurance coverage, please contact the correspondence insurance company to receive necessary support. If not, please continue to refer below instructions.

In case if traveller has no insurance covered, our company provides all participants of KT-organized group tours with free 24-hour emergency medical rescue consultation and assistance. The service coverage begins from the moment the traveller reaches the immigration desk at the first destination country and continues until the end of the journey when leaving the immigration desk at the destination country.

In the event of any emergency/accident, the tour leader “must” call Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. Hong Kong Branch before transporting the injured traveller to the hospital.

The caller should mention it is a 'paying call' on behalf of the other party, provide KT’s insurance reference, and inform the insurance company about the location of the accident and the condition of the traveller.

If the traveller is seriously injured and needs immediate medical attention, the tour leader must notify the insurance emergency centre immediately upon arrival at the hospital. If the emergency centre does not receive a timely phone notification, the insurance company reserves the right to reject any subsequent claims.

KGTS GROUP INSURANCE PROGRAM
KT insurance reference: 10-23-GT002347 (0002)
24 hours contact number: +852-31876888

PLEASE NOTE:

All approvals and decisions regarding medical services and claims are entirely based on the judgment and criteria of Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. Hong Kong Branch. Our company bears no responsibility in these matters.

When contacting the insurance emergency centre, tour leaders should provide the following detailed information: 1: KT tour number

2: Name and contact number of the tour leader. 3: Name of the injured traveller.

4: Hospitalization details of the injured traveller, including the name of the attending physician and contact phone number.

Your English Name, mobile and Email are requested for registration. There are 3 ways to download the application.

Scan QR code,
Browse the Play Store App (or App Store for Iphone),
Download from the registration email sent by KT.

1) Scan QR CODE

2) Play Store (or App Store)

Scan the QR code.

Ready to install.

Open Play Store B) Search “KT partners”

C) Ready to Install

3) Download from the registration email sent by KT

You will receive a registration email after KT register you in the system. (Please also check the Spam Box.)
Open the email and scroll down to find the URL.