Refund & Cancellation Policy

At GoSafara Holidays, we understand that travel plans can change. This Refund & Cancellation Policy explains the process, timelines, and conditions for cancelling or amending a booking, and how refunds are calculated and processed. Please read this policy carefully before confirming your booking, as cancellation charges vary depending on the package type, supplier terms, and timing of cancellation.

1. Cancellation Process

To cancel a booking, you must notify GoSafara Holidays in writing via email to holidays@gosafara.com or WhatsApp to +971 4 300 1234. The cancellation will be effective from the date and time we receive your written notice, not the date you sent it. Please include your booking reference number and full name in all cancellation requests.

Telephone cancellations will not be accepted until confirmed in writing. We will acknowledge your cancellation request within 24 hours and provide a cancellation confirmation with details of any applicable charges.

2. Standard Cancellation Charges

For standard holiday packages (not fixed-departure, public holiday, or promotional packages), the following cancellation charges apply based on the number of days before departure. Fixed-departure packages for UAE National Day, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, and other public holidays are subject to cancellation terms as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy — detailed in Section 4.

Cancellation charges and refund entitlements for standard packages are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy issued at the time of booking. The deposit is non-refundable in all cancellation scenarios.

Where a supplier's cancellation policy is stricter than the standard terms mentioned in the quotation, the supplier's policy prevails. We will inform you of any supplier-specific cancellation conditions at the time of booking or in your confirmation documents.

3. Supplier-Specific Cancellation Rules

Cancellation charges are ultimately determined by the policies of the individual suppliers (airlines, hotels, ground operators) included in your package. Some suppliers impose stricter cancellation policies than those listed above, particularly during peak travel periods and holidays:

• Airlines: Cancellation charges and refund entitlements are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline's fare rules and cancellation policy at the time of booking. Many charter and promotional fares are non-refundable once ticketed.
• Hotels: Cancellation charges and refund entitlements are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the hotel's cancellation policy at the time of booking. Some promotional and non-refundable rates do not allow any cancellation.
• Ground operators & tours: Cancellation charges and refund entitlements are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the ground operator's cancellation policy at the time of booking.
• Fixed-departure & Group packages: UAE National Day, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, Islamic New Year, public holiday departures, and all pre-announced group departures are subject to cancellation charges and refund terms as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy — see Section 4 below.

4. Non-Refundable Bookings

The following bookings are entirely non-refundable once confirmed:

• Fixed-departure packages for UAE National Day, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, Islamic New Year, and other official UAE public holidays — cancellation charges and refund entitlements as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy.
• Promotional and flash-sale packages clearly marked as "non-refundable" at the time of booking.
• Bookings where the airline ticket has been issued on a non-refundable fare class.
• Bookings cancelled after travel has commenced.
• No-show bookings (see Section 6 below).

For non-refundable bookings, we may still attempt to recover partial costs from suppliers on a best-effort basis, but we cannot guarantee any refund.

Fixed & Group Departure Cancellation Schedule

The following holiday-specific packages are operated as fixed or group departures. Cancellation charges and refund entitlements for all packages in this section are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy issued at the time of booking. These terms apply regardless of the general cancellation table in Section 2.

UAE National Day (28 Nov – 2 Dec & annual equivalents)

• Cancellation charges and refund entitlements are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy issued at the time of booking.
• The deposit is non-refundable in all cancellation scenarios.

Eid Al Fitr Departures

• Cancellation charges and refund entitlements are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy issued at the time of booking.
• The deposit is non-refundable in all cancellation scenarios.
• Eid packages are high-demand and operate on confirmed-seat allocation from airlines and hotels. Cancellations cannot be re-sold during peak Eid windows.

Eid Al Adha Departures

• Cancellation charges and refund entitlements are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy issued at the time of booking.
• The deposit is non-refundable in all cancellation scenarios.
• Eid Al Adha packages involve pre-purchased airline seats and hotel blocks. Deposits are forfeited in all cancellation scenarios.

Islamic New Year & Other Public Holiday Departures

• Cancellation charges and refund entitlements are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy issued at the time of booking.
• The deposit is non-refundable in all cancellation scenarios.
• Includes Hijri New Year, Prophet's Birthday (Mawlid Al Nabi), and any long weekend departure windows announced by the UAE government.

Group Departures (9+ Passengers)

Group bookings of nine (9) or more passengers travelling together on a confirmed group itinerary are governed by group-specific contracts issued at the time of booking. The following standard terms apply unless a separate group contract has been signed.

Group Deposit & Payment Terms

• Deposit: A non-refundable group deposit is required to block airline seats and hotel rooms. The deposit amount and percentage are as per the airline and hotel group policy and confirmed in the group contract at the time of booking.
• Deposit timing: The group deposit must be paid within the timeframe specified in the group quotation, or the held inventory may be released back to suppliers without notice, as per the airline and hotel group booking policy.
• Balance: The remaining balance payment deadline is as per the timeframe specified in the group quotation. Failure to pay the balance by the due date results in automatic cancellation of the group booking and forfeiture of the deposit, as per the suppliers' group booking terms.
• Final passenger list: A final passenger list with full names (as per passport), dates of birth, and passport copies must be submitted by the deadline specified in the group contract, as required by the airline and hotel. Name changes after this deadline are subject to airline and hotel re-booking fees as per their respective policies.

Group Cancellation Charges

Cancellation charges for group bookings are determined by the cancellation policies of the airline, hotel, and ground operators included in the group package. The applicable charges depend on the suppliers involved, the fare class booked, the hotel's group cancellation policy, and the timing of cancellation relative to departure.

• Airline component: Cancellation charges for group airline seats are as per the airline's group fare rules and cancellation policy at the time of booking. Group fares typically carry stricter cancellation terms than individual fares.
• Hotel component: Cancellation charges for group hotel room blocks are as per the hotel's group cancellation policy. Hotels may apply partial or full retention of the group deposit depending on the cancellation timing and the hotel's group release policy.
• Ground operator component: Cancellation charges for pre-booked transport, tours, and transfers are as per the ground operator's group contract terms.
• Group deposit: The group deposit is non-refundable in all cancellation scenarios, as per standard airline and hotel group booking policy.
• Refund processing: Any refundable portion (if applicable per supplier policy) will be processed in accordance with the timelines stated in Section 10 of this policy.

Partial Cancellation & Repricing

• Reduction below 9 passengers: If partial cancellations reduce the group to fewer than 9 passengers, the group rate is no longer applicable. The surviving passengers will be re-priced at individual published rates as per the airline and hotel's applicable fare and rate policies at the time of repricing, and any fare difference must be settled before departure.
• Reduction below minimum contract threshold: If the group contract specifies a minimum passenger count and cancellations bring the group below that threshold, the entire group may be re-priced or the booking may be cancelled at our discretion, in accordance with the applicable airline and hotel group policies.
• Supplier-specific repricing: Airlines will re-price cancelled seats as per the airline's group fare rules. Hotels will apply their group cancellation and room-release policy, which may include partial refund, credit, or no refund as per the hotel's terms. Ground operators will charge for pre-booked transport as per the operator's group contract terms.
• Repricing notification: We will notify the group leader of any repricing as soon as practicable after receiving the partial cancellation notice. The group leader must confirm acceptance of the revised pricing within the timeframe specified in the group contract, failing which the booking may be cancelled.

Group Amendments

• Date changes: Subject to supplier availability and a group amendment fee as per the group contract, plus any fare differences charged by airlines and hotels as per their applicable group fare rules.
• Passenger substitution: Name changes are subject to airline re-ticketing fees and hotel name-change policies as per the respective supplier's terms. The number of free name changes and applicable deadlines are as per the airline and hotel group policy specified in the group contract.
• Adding passengers: Additional passengers may be added to the group subject to availability and at the prevailing group rate as per the airline and hotel's group booking policy. Deadlines and applicable rates for late additions are as per the suppliers' group terms.
• Rooming changes: Rooming list changes (single/double/triple occupancy) are subject to the hotel's group rooming policy. Deadlines and applicable fees for rooming changes are as per the hotel's group contract terms.

Group Leader Responsibilities

• The group leader acts as the single point of contact between GoSafara Holidays and the group. All communications, payments, and decisions must be channelled through the group leader.
• The group leader is responsible for collecting payments from individual group members and remitting them to GoSafara Holidays. We do not collect payments from individual group members directly.
• The group leader must ensure all passengers have valid travel documents and insurance, and that the final passenger list is submitted by the deadline.
• Cancellation requests must be submitted by the group leader in writing. Individual passenger cancellations must also be processed through the group leader.

Group-specific contracts issued at the time of booking prevail over the general terms listed here. If any provision in the group contract conflicts with this policy, the group contract takes precedence.

For all fixed and group departure packages, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance with a cancellation waiver that covers public holiday travel disruptions and force majeure events.

5. Amendment Fees

If you wish to amend your booking (change dates, hotel, room type, number of passengers, or add extras), amendment fees and applicable charges are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy at the time of booking.

• Date changes: Subject to supplier availability and amendment fees as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy. Fare differences charged by suppliers will apply.
• Hotel/room changes: Subject to the hotel's amendment policy and any applicable fare differences as per the policy mentioned in the quotation.
• Passenger changes: Name changes are subject to airline re-ticketing fees and hotel name-change policies as per the respective supplier's terms. Not permitted on airline tickets after issuance in most cases.
• Late amendments: Amendments requested close to the departure date may be treated as cancellations and re-bookings, subject to the cancellation charges as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy.

All amendments are subject to availability and supplier approval. Fare differences (whether higher or lower) will be applied to your amended booking.

6. No-Show Policy

A "no-show" occurs when a customer fails to arrive for a flight, hotel check-in, tour, or transfer without prior notice. No-show bookings are 100% non-refundable and non-amendable. No refund or credit will be issued for any unused portions of a no-show booking. Suppliers retain the full amount paid, and GoSafara Holidays cannot recover these funds.

If you anticipate arriving late for any component of your trip, contact us immediately so we can attempt to arrange alternatives. However, we cannot guarantee that suppliers will accommodate late arrivals without additional charges.

7. Flight Schedule Changes

Airlines may change flight schedules, including departure times, aircraft, or routing, at any time. GoSafara Holidays will notify you of significant schedule changes as soon as we become aware of them. Minor schedule changes (typically under 2 hours) do not constitute a material change and do not entitle you to cancel without standard cancellation charges.

If the airline cancels a flight or makes a schedule change exceeding 4 hours, you may be entitled to:

• An alternative flight offered by the airline at no extra cost.
• A full or partial refund from the airline, which we will pass through to you once received. Refund entitlements are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy.
• Re-booking of the entire package on alternative dates, subject to availability and fare differences.

GoSafara Holidays is not liable for airline schedule changes but will assist in liaising with the airline on your behalf.

8. Force Majeure

If a cancellation is caused by a force majeure event (natural disaster, pandemic, war, government travel ban, or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of either party), the following applies:

• GoSafara Holidays will attempt to obtain refunds from all suppliers and pass them through to the customer.
• Where suppliers offer travel credit or vouchers instead of cash refunds, we will pass through the credit/voucher to the customer.
• Any non-recoverable costs already paid to suppliers (e.g., non-refundable airline tickets, hotel deposits) cannot be refunded by GoSafara Holidays. Recovery of supplier costs is as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy.
• GoSafara Holidays will not charge its own cancellation fee in force majeure cases but reserves the right to charge a reasonable administrative fee for processing supplier refunds and re-bookings.

We strongly recommend travel insurance that includes force majeure and epidemic coverage.

9. Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Refund Handling

If you paid for your booking using Tabby, Tamara, or another Buy Now, Pay Later provider, refunds are processed as follows:

• The refund is returned to the original BNPL provider, not directly to your bank account.
• Tabby and Tamara will adjust your outstanding instalment plan accordingly. If you have already paid some instalments, the BNPL provider will refund those payments to your original payment method.
• If the refund amount is less than the outstanding BNPL balance, you remain liable for the remaining instalments to the BNPL provider.
• Refund processing times through BNPL providers are as per the provider's own processing timelines after we initiate the refund. Refund entitlements are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy.
• GoSafara Holidays is not responsible for the BNPL provider's refund policies or timelines. Disputes regarding instalment adjustments must be resolved directly with Tabby or Tamara.

10. Refund Processing Timelines

Once your cancellation is confirmed and any applicable charges are deducted, the refund will be processed as follows:

Refund processing timelines are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy at the time of booking. The following general guidelines apply:

• Credit / Debit Card: Refunds are processed to the original card used for payment. Processing time depends on the card issuer and bank.
• Bank Transfer: Refunds are processed to the original bank account used for payment. Processing time depends on the receiving bank.
• Tabby / Tamara (BNPL): Refunds are returned to the original BNPL provider, who will adjust the instalment plan accordingly. Processing time depends on the BNPL provider.
• Supplier-issued refunds (airline/hotel): Refunds from airlines and hotels are passed through to the customer once received from the supplier. Processing time depends on the supplier's own refund policy.

Refund processing times are indicative and may vary depending on your bank, card issuer, or BNPL provider. GoSafara Holidays initiates the refund within 3 business days of cancellation confirmation but cannot control the receiving institution's processing time.

11. Website Use & User Eligibility

By accessing and using the gosafara.com website, you confirm that:

• You are at least 18 years of age and possess the legal authority to create a binding legal obligation.
• All information supplied by you on this website is true, accurate, current, and complete.
• You are a resident of the United Arab Emirates or booking from within the UAE.
• You will use this website only to make legitimate purchases for yourself or for another person for whom you are legally authorised to act.

We retain the right at our sole discretion to deny access to anyone to this website and the services we offer, at any time and for any reason, including but not limited to violation of these terms.

12. Prohibited Activities

You agree not to:

• Use this website or its contents for any commercial purpose.
• Make any speculative, false, or fraudulent reservation or any reservation in anticipation of demand.
• Access, monitor, or copy any content of this website using any robot, spider, scraper, or other automated means without our express written permission.
• Take any action that imposes an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure.
• Re-sell any information, products, or services obtained through this website.

Any violation of this clause may result in the cancellation of your reservation(s), denial of access to travel products or services, forfeiture of any monies paid, and/or debiting of your account for any costs we incur as a result.

13. Payment Policy

We accept payments online using Visa and MasterCard credit/debit cards in AED, bank transfer, and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) providers including Tabby and Tamara.

• You warrant that you are the cardholder for all online payments made using credit/debit cards and that your identification matches that of the card used.
• You agree to promptly provide proof of cardholder identification upon request at any time within six months of your purchase.
• Payment terms, deposit amounts, and balance due dates are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy at the time of booking.

Any violation of this policy may result in cancellation of your reservation(s), denial of access to travel products or services, forfeiture of any monies paid, and/or debiting of your account for costs incurred.

14. Supplier Rates & Service Fees

The rates displayed on this website are a combination of pre-negotiated rates with suppliers (airlines, hotels, ground operators) and a service fee retained by GoSafara Holidays to compensate for our services. Separate terms and conditions apply to your reservation and purchase of travel-related goods and services, as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy at the time of booking.

You agree to abide by the terms and conditions of purchase imposed by any supplier with whom you elect to deal, including but not limited to payment of all amounts when due and compliance with the supplier's rules and restrictions regarding availability and use of fares, products, or services.

15. Complaints

Any complaints regarding a supplier should be brought to the attention of the supplier immediately during the time of the service and communicated to us in writing within 30 days thereafter. Failing which, GoSafara Holidays will not entertain any such complaints.

Complaints should be sent to holidays@gosafara.com with your booking reference number and full details.

16. Working Days & Office Hours

Our offices are open ("working days") from 09:00 to 18:00 United Arab Emirates local time, Sunday through Thursday, except on public holidays and holidays declared for the private sector in the United Arab Emirates.

All requests for changes or cancellations must be received on our working days at least 24 hours before the goods and services are scheduled to be provided. Requests received outside working hours will be processed on the next working day.

17. Cancellation Request Processing

Requests for permitted changes and cancellations will be processed within 2 working days after all payments required to process the request are settled. Processing timelines for cancellations and refunds are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy at the time of booking.

18. Partly Utilised Services

If the change or cancellation policies relevant to your request in the terms and conditions imposed at the time of your purchase do not specify the price of partly utilised services, they will be calculated based on the price of the utilised services alone at the time of your request and not on a pro-rata basis. Partly utilised service charges are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy.

19. Default Cancellation Rule

If a change or cancellation policy relevant to your request is not provided in the terms and conditions imposed at the time of your purchase, your purchase cannot be changed and is non-refundable in the event of a cancellation.

If a cancellation policy relevant to your request in the terms and conditions imposed at the time of your purchase does not explicitly state a refundable amount or how it may be calculated, your purchase is non-refundable in the event of a cancellation.

20. Refund to Original Payment Method

In the event of a cancellation, any payments to be refunded after the deduction of applicable charges will be credited to the same payment card or account which was used to make the original purchase. Some payment cards and accounts may take additional time to display the credited amount, depending on the card issuer or bank's processing timelines.

Refund amounts and processing timelines are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy at the time of booking.

21. E-Ticket & Delivery

All goods and services purchased on this website and their transaction receipts will be delivered in the form of a printable electronic ticket ("e-ticket") after the successful completion of your purchase. Your e-ticket will be made available for download and delivered as a permanent record via email to the address you provide at the time of purchase.

You must check that you have received your e-ticket by email and notify us without delay if you have not received it within one hour after the successful completion of your purchase. We shall not be liable if you do not receive your ticket because the email address you provided is incorrect or not accessible.

22. Liability Limitation

GoSafara Holidays acts as an intermediary between you and travel suppliers (airlines, hotels, ground operators, and other service providers). We are not the provider of the travel services themselves and are not liable for the acts, omissions, or performance of any supplier.

Our liability is limited to the service fees retained by GoSafara Holidays for the booking in question. We are not liable for any supplier actions including but not limited to flight cancellations, hotel overbooking, tour modifications, or any other service disruptions. All supplier-related claims are subject to the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy.

GoSafara Holidays will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your booking or use of travel services.

23. Special Requirements & Accessibility

You agree to inform GoSafara Holidays of any circumstance or condition as a result of which you or any person on whose behalf you are making a reservation may require special facilities prior to your purchase. We will communicate such requirements to the relevant suppliers, subject to their policies and availability.

Special facility arrangements and associated charges are as per the policy mentioned in the quotation and as per the airline and hotel policy at the time of booking.

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