Guidelines & Policies

Guest Participation Guidelines

At Fencox, we’re all about making sure you have a fun, safe, and unforgettable adventure with us. To keep everything running smoothly, we’ve put together some guidelines for all our guests. These help us decide when we might need to refuse or cancel a booking, action our Trip Help Process, or possibly even ask someone to leave a trip.

It’s important to know that any guest asked to leave a trip, or who has their booking terminated at any point by Fencox in alignment with these guidelines, will not be subject to any refunds as per our Terms & Conditions.

Here’s what you need to know…

1. Respectful Behaviour:

We’re big on kindness and respect here. If anyone is rude, aggressive, or abusive towards our team, other guests, guides, or the public, we might have to cancel or refuse a booking, or ask them to leave a tour. This includes:

• Bullying, offensive language, threats, or any kind of discriminatory or inappropriate behaviour.
• Constantly making unreasonable demands or complaints.
• Disruptive behaviour or causing communication problems.

If someone’s behaviour makes it hard for us to provide great service or creates a hostile environment, we may have to step in. We’re always here to listen to your concerns and expect everyone to treat each other with respect.

2. Safety First:

Your safety and enjoyment are our top priorities. If a guest’s behaviour puts anyone at risk, we may need to take action, or even ask someone to leave a tour.

This includes:

• Ignoring safety instructions from our team.
• Having a history of reckless or rude behaviour.
• Unmanaged mental health issues that could pose risks.
• Not following local laws or regulations (illegal activities)
• Not following transportation and accommodation rules.

Any dangerous or illegal activities will result in immediate removal from the trip and possibly being reported to authorities.

3. Following Our Terms:

To join our adventures, guests must agree to our Terms and Conditions. If someone refuses to follow these terms or has a history of not complying, we might need to refuse or cancel a booking. During a tour, they may be asked to leave.

This includes:

• Not signing required liability waivers.
• Providing false information during the booking process.
• Using suspicious or fraudulent payment methods
• Not meeting payment deadlines or providing necessary documents.
• Failing to have a valid passport, visas, or necessary permits.
• Not sharing essential safety and trip coordination information with us (eg. passport copy, flight itinerary, emergency contact details, and certificate of travel insurance).

4. Health and Fitness:

Some of our adventures require certain physical capabilities. If a guest doesn’t meet these requirements, we will unfortunately need to refuse or cancel their booking. During a tour, they may be asked to leave.

This includes:

• Not meeting minimum fitness or mobility standards for a trip.
• Lacking experience needed in the chosen activity (e.g., hiking, rock climbing, horse-riding).
• Not having the right gear or equipment.
• Not disclosing health, mobility, or fitness issues that affect participation or the pace of the group.
• Not having necessary vaccinations for entry into a country.

5. Matching Expectations:

We want to make sure our Fencox values, and trips, match your expectations. If a guest’s expectations don’t align with what we offer, we might have to refuse or cancel their booking.

This includes:

• Unrealistic demands that can’t be met (for our service, or the scope of an adventure).
• Expecting luxury experiences where it’s not feasible or advertised.
• Having a solo traveller mindset or attitude for a group travel tour
• Not being willing to share a room or a tour with people of varying personalities and demographics
• Not accepting the inherent risks of adventure travel tours or any activities.
• Wanting to customise the itinerary in ways that are not possible.
• Not accepting the flexibility of an itinerary, that comes with the nature of adventure travel.
• Not attending pre-trip calls or responding to our communications.
• Making demands that are outside our team’s roles or capacities.

6. Aligning with Our Values:

We aim to create a positive and inclusive environment. If a guest’s behaviour goes against our values, we may sadly need to refuse a booking or take action during a tour.

This includes:

• Disrespecting the environment, local cultures, guides, or other guests.
• Not dressing or behaving appropriately according to local customs.
• Harassing, discriminating, or being aggressive towards others.
• Engaging in illegal or unethical activities.
• Not embracing our group travel values during previous or current trips; Being supportive of others, kind and respectful communication, open-minded and up for experiencing the new or different, flexible, embracing the differences of fellow travellers, being positive and letting things slide.
• Severe or continued behaviour/incidents during a trip.

Our How To Be A Great Fencoxer(opens in a new tab) doc is really close to our hearts and sums up our group travel values. We send this to all our guests before booking… If you read it and go “That’s me in a nutshell!” then you are already a Fencoxer at heart!

7. Respecting Our Guides:

Our guides are here to make sure everyone has a great time while staying safe. If a guest refuses to respect a guide’s decisions or authority, it could result in us refusing future bookings, or asking them to leave a tour.

This includes:

• Not being flexible with itinerary changes.
• Not following our Communicable Disease Policy(opens in a new tab).
• Refusing to communicate respectfully with a guide.
• Not informing a guide if you decide to wander from the group or skip an activity/meal.
• Using rude or disrespectful language towards a guide.
• Refusing to participate in our Guest Resolution Process.

Our goal is to make sure everyone has an amazing adventure while keeping things safe and fun. Thanks for taking the time to read these guidelines!

💡If you have any concerns or see any issues while on a trip, please refer to our Trip Help Process.

Trip Help Process

What to Do If You Have an Issue on a Trip…

Travelling can come with unexpected challenges. Maybe your room has no hot water, you’re frustrated that other guests keep arriving late, you’re feeling unwell, or your luggage didn’t arrive.

Whatever the issue, please let us know so we can help make it right!

💡GENERAL TOUR MATTERS

This includes issues with hotel rooms, amenities, transport, activities, safety concerns, and compliance with Terms and Conditions.

Step 1 – Talk to your Guide

Whenever you get a moment, have a private chat with your Guide. Being the only person/people physically present to assist, they are your first and best port of call! They’ll do whatever they can to help resolve any issue. Sometimes things may be out of their control or a fix might take a little while, but please give them time to work out the issue. If you feel more comfortable messaging your Guide, you can do so privately via WhatsApp and they will respond during work hours.

Step 2 – Guide will Action & Update

Your Guide will consider/take any actions and report key updates to Fencox Trip Operations, detailing the issue, time, location, and steps taken.

A member of our Leadership team may get in touch for more information.

Step 3 – Outcome

Your Guide will update you with the outcome. They will also stay in touch with the Fencox Trip Operations team through private channels.

What if after this, your matter still isn’t resolved?

• Reach out to us by email at triphelp@leatherbacktravel.com – this is our only dedicated inbox for guest assistance during a trip; monitored across time zones.
• Our team will address and respond to your email within 12 hours.
• Depending on the nature of your issue, it may be escalated (see ‘Escalation’ below).
• Please don’t message your Booking Manager directly via WhatsApp or email address as their phone/email won’t be monitored outside working hours and your message may not be seen for some time.

🙍🏼INTERPERSONAL

This covers bullying, offensive language, verbal abuse, disrespectful tone, threats, continued rudeness, or any form of discriminatory or inappropriate behaviour towards fellow Fencoxers, Guides, staff, or locals.

Check out our Guest Participation Guidelines for more details.

Step 1 – Talk to Your Guide

For any interpersonal or behavioural issues within the group, please speak with your Guide first.

It’s so important to us, and for you, that this is addressed right away to ensure everyone has a great time!

Step 2 – Information Gathering

Your Guide will gather information about the situation, listening to all perspectives privately and open-mindedly.

They will explain how the incident relates to our guidelines and discuss possible resolutions with those involved.

Step 3 – Documentation & Reporting

Your Guide will record all details of the issue or incident, including details of time, location, conversations had, resolution agreed upon, and any actions taken.

This will be communicated directly to Fencox Trip Operations on the same day.

Step 4 – Ongoing Monitoring

Fencox Trip Operations will monitor the situation by staying in contact with your Guide for the rest of the trip.

One of our team may reach out to you directly as well, to check in and see how you’re going.

🤚🏼ESCALATION

In extremely rare cases where a guest’s behaviour continues to be inappropriate or is severe in nature (for example, illegal activities, life-threatening behaviour, physical threats or abuse), the matter will be escalated. This guest will receive a formal verbal warning and may be removed from the trip.

Illegal activities or life-threatening behaviour may also be reported to local authorities.

See our Guest Participation Guidelines for more details.

Step 1 – Delivery of Warning

The Guide or designated authority will discuss a warning with the guest, answer any questions, and seek a commitment to follow the policies or agreed behaviour moving forward.

Step 2 – Action Plan Development

For ongoing behaviour issues, an action plan will be developed in collaboration with the guest, with scheduled check-ins to evaluate the actions taken and the outcome.

Step 3 – Continued Documentation

Your Guide will continue to document ongoing issues; logging times, locations, and actions taken. This information will be communicated to Fencox Trip Operations and escalated to the Leadership Team.

Any ongoing or severe behaviour details will be recorded on a guest’s profile.

Step 4 – Escalation

When a matter is escalated to the Fencox Leadership Team, they may reach out directly to the guest and will decide on appropriate actions. This may include removing the guest from the trip.

The decision will be communicated clearly to the guest and the group by their Guide.

What if things continue after escalation? Or if it’s something severe?

If a guest’s misconduct continues after escalation or is severe (illegal, poses a significant risk) Fencox Leadership may immediately remove the guest from the trip. This will be clearly communicated to the guest and the group by their guide.

In these instances, no refunds will be given in alignment with Fencox Terms & Conditions.

🚨SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS OR EMERGENCIES

Large-scale incidents or emergencies are escalated immediately to our Fencox Leadership Team. They will work together with the local team on a response, and contact authorities if needed. Your Guide will keep you and the group informed with any updates.

We’re here to do everything we can to make sure you have an incredible time! If you see or experience any issues during your trip, please refer to our Guest Participation Guidelines.