Tour Services Agreement / Terms of Business

Please read these Terms of Business carefully before you pay. These Terms are presented on your tour invoice and must be signed by you prior to submitting payment. By signing your invoice, and/or by submitting payment, you enter into a legally binding agreement to all of the terms set out below.

If you do not agree to any term, or if you have any questions, please contact us in writing for clarification before paying: shalomisraeltours.com/contact-us-new.

1.Booking Your Tour

Group tours require a $500 per person deposit at the time of registration.

Private tour deposit amounts are presented in your tour package quotation.

Final payment for all tours is due 30 days in advance of touring.

2.Cancellation by the Client

All tour booking deposits are 100% non-refundable.

Tour deposits are not forfeited: they may be applied at any future time toward rebooking or postponement, in full and without limit.

“No-shows” are charged the full tour cost, and no refund is given.

“No-shows” include clients not present in their hotel lobby at the appointed time, and clients not present at the airport for the designated flight arrival.

3.Cancellation by Shalom Israel Tours

If Shalom Israel Tours cancels a tour, in whole or in part, for any reason — including war, hostilities, terrorism, security directives, government travel advisories, border closures, acts of God, natural disaster, epidemic, strikes, or any other event beyond our reasonable control — we will refund all monies you have paid, less the booking deposit.

The booking deposit is not forfeited. It may be applied in full toward any future travel, without limit and without expiration.

This Section sets out your sole and exclusive remedy in the event we cancel, and Shalom Israel Tours shall have no further liability for any resulting loss, cost, or expense.

4.Travel Insurance

Comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended for every participant.

At a minimum, we recommend coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, and for medical care and emergency medical evacuation.

Because all booking deposits are non-refundable and tours may be affected by events outside our control, travel insurance is your protection against financial loss arising from cancellation, illness, injury, or other unforeseen events.

Shalom Israel Tours is not responsible for any loss, expense, or medical cost that would have been covered by adequate travel insurance, and we make no representation that any particular policy is suitable for your needs.

5.Limitation of Liability

Shalom Israel Tours acts as an agent for independent suppliers that provide hotel accommodations, transportation, food, and other tour services in Israel and Jordan. As an agent, Shalom Israel Tours is not responsible for the acts or omissions of these third-party suppliers that result in any loss, damage, or delay to you or your party.

Shalom Israel Tours assumes no liability or responsibility for injury, loss, or damage to persons or property, or for inconvenience, delay, or expense, arising from or caused by weather conditions, acts of God, war, terrorism, accident, government restrictions or regulations, the act or omission of any individual, traffic or road conditions, or any vehicle mechanical problem.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the total liability of Shalom Israel Tours to you for any and all claims arising out of or relating to your tour or this Agreement shall not exceed the total amount you paid to Shalom Israel Tours for the tour.

Shalom Israel Tours shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, including loss of enjoyment, loss of time, or loss of profit.

Nothing in this Agreement limits any liability that cannot lawfully be limited, including liability arising from gross negligence or willful misconduct.

6.Tour Operations Disclaimers

Private custom Israel tours are operated directly by Shalom Israel Tours.

Group tours may be comprised of individuals booked through various agents.

Tours to Jordan are guided by Jordanian guides.

7.Group Tour Size

Jewish and Classic group tours are capped at 46 participants.

“Deluxe” Israel tours are limited to a maximum of 12 persons.

8.Hotel Pickup and Drop-Off

Each morning and evening, your guide will make several stops to collect and drop off clients.

The order of hotel pickup and drop-off is at the guide’s discretion in order to best utilize time, and is not arranged according to hotel ranking (5-star, 4-star, 3-star, etc.).

9.Airport Transfers

Tour packages include one arrival transfer and one departure transfer per booking. A “booking” is defined as one room per hotel, not per person.

Flight details must be received and acknowledged by us at least five business days before arrival in Israel in order for airport transfers to be provided.

If your flight number changes within two business days of arrival, your transfers cannot be guaranteed to be rescheduled. We will do our best to make the change; any confirmation will be provided in writing only.

If you choose not to use the airport transfers included in your tour package, there is no reimbursement for the unused services.

10.Touring Omissions

Pricing is based on a pre-agreed tour itinerary, which corresponds to configured travel mileage, hours, fixed hotel accommodations, and other touring and logistical variables.

If you are unable to reach any tour site or activity destination because of time restrictions, weather, flooding, traffic, illness, security requirements, acts of terrorism, force majeure, or any other logistical or practical reason, you forfeit any right to a refund for sites not seen.

If you choose to skip any tour day, tour site, or tour activity, you forfeit any right to a refund for sites not seen.

11.Hotel Amenities and Rooming

Tour packages include “standard” / entry-level rooms at each hotel unless otherwise specified in writing and itemized in your invoice contract.

Specific rooms are allocated by hotel management. Shalom Israel Tours has no responsibility for room amenities, view, or bedding.

If you add hotel rooms, change the number of people sleeping per room, or extend your stay at any hotel, you will be charged accordingly.

If you depart a hotel early without a prior agreement for cancellation, credit, or refund, you forfeit any right to a refund for unused nights or amenities.

Hotel amenities and facility hours of operation, hotel check-in (typically after 2:00 PM), and hotel check-out (typically until 11:00 AM) are set by the hotel. Early check-in or late check-out, with or without payment, is at the sole discretion of hotel management.

All services rendered by hotels are at the sole discretion of the hotels. Shalom Israel Tours has no responsibility or liability for available hotel services or hotel policies.

Hotels reserve the right to move clients to a similar, comparable hotel if they become overbooked, if the hotel commences renovation work or such work extends beyond its originally scheduled completion date, or if security requirements necessitate moving guests out of their hotel. For example, if politicians, government officials, delegations, and their security teams take over a hotel at short notice, the hotel may be required by government security protocols to clear its facilities of most guests and provide alternative accommodations.

12.Israel Entry Visa

Beginning in 2025, all travelers to Israel must have a valid entry authorization to enter Israel.

The fee is 25 shekels (roughly USD $6.50) and the authorization is issued online: israel-entry.piba.gov.il. Requirements and fees are set by the government and are subject to change.

If you do not obtain the required entry authorization and are denied boarding or entry to Israel, you forfeit all rights to a refund.

13.Petra (Jordan) Entry Fees

The fee is a USD $65 border fee plus a USD $60 visa, for a total of USD $125 per person.

This is not a tour charge; it is paid on-site directly to the Jordanian border authorities, who accept cash or credit cards (with a small credit-card percentage fee).

Shalom Israel Tours is not responsible for the policies, fees, taxes, security checks, or other protocols of the Israeli or Jordanian governments.

14.Mobility and Physical Requirements

Group tours involve a significant amount of walking, standing, and climbing stairs, often over uneven, steep, ancient, cobblestone, gravel, and unpaved surfaces, for extended periods and frequently in hot weather.

Tours move at a brisk pace, follow a full daily schedule, and are not suitable for individuals with any mobility limitation or any condition that prevents sustained physical activity.

Many archaeological, historical, and religious sites are not wheelchair accessible and cannot be modified. Shalom Israel Tours cannot guarantee accessible routes, elevators, ramps, or assistance at any site.

It is your responsibility to honestly assess your own physical fitness and your ability to keep pace with the group before booking. By booking, you confirm that you are physically able to participate.

Guides cannot provide individual physical assistance and cannot delay the group to accommodate an individual’s pace. If you are unable to keep pace or reach a site, you forfeit any right to a refund for sites not seen.

If you have any mobility limitation, medical condition, or accessibility need, please contact us in writing before booking so that we can discuss whether a private, customized tour may be more suitable for you.

15.Food Allergies and Health

You hold full responsibility for any and all food or drink you consume and for maintaining your own health at all times.

Shalom Israel Tours has no responsibility and makes no guarantee that any food or drink provided by hotels, restaurants, or any third party will meet any allergy or dietary requirement.

If your allergies or medical conditions are life-threatening, you hold full responsibility to speak directly with kitchen staff to ensure your own safety before consuming any food or drink.

16.Itinerary and Tour Sites

Shalom Israel Tours reserves the right to make alterations to tour itineraries or tour routes as may be found appropriate or required to carry out the tours. Such alterations may be made without penalty.

17.Tour Vehicles

Tour vehicles do not have assigned or reserved seating.

Tour guides will not become involved in facilitating seating arrangements.

Shalom Israel Tours does not guarantee specific heating or cooling levels, seat size or location, window view, or other vehicle comfort variables, which are subjective to each individual.

The vehicle size and model are based on group size. Groups may travel by van, minibus, or full-size coach. The specific vehicle model, year, color, and amenities are not guaranteed.

If you are unsatisfied with the condition of your vehicle, contact Shalom Israel Tours with your specific concern immediately, and we will work to correct the issue.

18.Water, Drinks, and Food on Tour

Complimentary water, drinks, and snacks are not included in your tour. Water, drinks, and snacks are sold at every stop, tour site, museum, and national park.

Meals included in your tour are itemized on your invoice. Any meal not itemized on your invoice is not included.

19.Tour Participant Conduct

Shalom Israel Tours reserves the right, without refund of any portion of the tour price, to refuse admission to or remove any person whose conduct is disorderly or hostile, who uses vulgar or abusive language, who fails to comply with their guide’s instructions, or who fails to abide by these Terms of Business.

If you witness disorderly conduct or suspect a problem with a fellow passenger, please notify your tour guide or Shalom Israel Tours immediately.

20.Luggage and Handling

At no time, without exception, should personal items be left on vehicles.

Shalom Israel Tours takes no responsibility for items lost, stolen, damaged, or left on vehicles.

Group tour participants are allowed one piece of luggage plus one personal item.

Shalom Israel Tours does not take responsibility for international or domestic airline weight limits, as these are subject to change by the airlines at any time.

Shalom Israel Tours does not take responsibility for luggage handled or damaged by hotel porters, guides, drivers, or airport staff.

21.Passport Validity and VAT Exemption

Airlines require that your passport have at least six months’ validity before expiration in order for you to be ticketed for your flight to Israel.

No refunds will be given to clients unable to travel due to passport expiration or related airline issues.

All tourists entering Israel are given a small blue ticket/slip at passport control. When checking into your hotels, you must produce this ticket/slip to remain exempt from the 18% VAT.

22.Shopping Disclaimer

Shalom Israel Tours’ formal recommendation is to not purchase diamonds, jewelry, art, or any other large-ticket items in Israel.

Please do not involve your tour guide in personal shopping recommendations, price negotiations, or requests relating to your personal shopping decisions.

Shalom Israel Tours has no connection to any store and does not collect commissions on client purchases.

Shalom Israel Tours has no responsibility for the authenticity, appraisal, or quality of purchases made in Israel.

Shalom Israel Tours has no responsibility to ensure that tourists receive any tax refund from government authorities for items purchased in Israel.

23.VAT Refunds for Tourists

Under government export policy, items purchased in Israel may be eligible for a refund of the 18% VAT built into the price.

Before ticketing and baggage check-in, you must present the formal documents and the purchased goods (in hand) at the VAT Refund counter located in the Departure Hall at Terminal 3.

Simply having a receipt does not guarantee a refund. When you make a purchase, ask the store clerk for a special tax-refund invoice.

You must have the purchased item in hand when applying for the refund. The item must be shown to the VAT refund authorities in person to claim the refund.

Shalom Israel Tours recommends not purchasing large-ticket items in Israel and has no responsibility for the decisions and policies of the tax-refund authorities.

24.Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Agreement is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida, USA, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles.

You agree that any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement or your tour shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Florida, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.

25.General Provisions

Entire Agreement. These Terms, together with your tour invoice, constitute the entire agreement between you and Shalom Israel Tours and supersede all prior discussions, representations, or agreements.

Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, that provision shall be applied to the maximum extent permitted by law, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

No Waiver. Our failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of our right to enforce it later.

Amendments. These Terms may be amended only in writing.

Headings. Section headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

26.Agreement to Terms

These Terms are presented on your tour invoice. By signing your invoice prior to payment, and/or by submitting payment, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to all of the Terms set out above.

If you do not agree to any term, or if you have any questions, please contact us in writing before paying: shalomisraeltours.com/contact-us-new.

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