Deposit, balance, changes, cancellation and refund terms

These terms apply to the travel services sold by BelDiscovery LLC, unless different conditions are set by the travel services contract, the tour programme, the booking request, the invoice or the booking confirmation.

For any individual order, the legally binding conditions are those of the signed contract and its annexes. These terms do not limit the rights granted to the customer and the travellers by the legislation of the Republic of Belarus.

1. Tour price and booking confirmation

Prices published on the BelDiscovery website are quoted per person unless expressly stated otherwise.

A tour price on the website may be:

• fixed for particular dates, group composition and accommodation category;
• indicative — “from” the stated amount;
• calculated for an individual traveller;
• calculated for a group of a particular size;
• calculated with or without an interpreter;
• calculated for accommodation in a hotel of a particular category.

The final price depends on the travel dates, the number of participants, the room category and type, the excursion programme, the language of the escort, transport, availability, hotel and supplier rates, public holidays and event dates, and any additional services.

Unless the programme expressly states otherwise, the tour price does not include:

• international flights;
• consular and visa fees;
• medical insurance;
• personal expenses;
• extra nights;
• early check-in and late check-out;
• services not listed under “Included in the price”.

BelDiscovery confirms the price after receiving the booking request and checking the availability of all core services. Until such confirmation, the website price is not a guarantee of availability or of the final cost of the trip.

A booking is considered confirmed once all of the following have been met:

• the programme, dates, group composition and price have been agreed;
• a contract has been signed or the request confirmed in the prescribed form;
• an invoice has been issued to the customer or payment details provided;
• the deposit has actually reached the account of BelDiscovery LLC;
• BelDiscovery has sent the customer a written booking confirmation.

A notice from a bank that a payment order has been accepted, that a card amount has been blocked or that an international transfer has been sent does not mean the money has reached the BelDiscovery account.

2. Deposit amount and payment deadline

Unless the contract, invoice or programme states otherwise, the standard deposit is 50% of the total tour price.

The deposit is payable within three banking days of the invoice being issued, and in any case before the offer expires.

BelDiscovery may set a different deposit, including up to 100%, where the conditions of a particular order require it:

• booking a tour less than 30 calendar days before departure;
• purchase of tickets;
• booking a hotel on a non-refundable rate;
• a tour on public holidays, festival dates or other high-demand dates;
• ordering private transport;
• engaging a rare language specialist;
• booking a sanatorium, farmstead or another property requiring full prepayment;
• special conditions of a foreign or Belarusian supplier;
• an individual programme created specifically for the customer;
• servicing a large group.

Before payment, BelDiscovery informs the customer about services requiring full or non-refundable payment, where the supplier has already provided that information.

The deposit is not an unconditionally non-refundable amount or a penalty. It is used to pay for hotels, transport, tickets, excursion sites and other services. If the tour is cancelled, the refund is calculated taking into account the costs actually incurred and documented.

BelDiscovery is not obliged to pay for bookings out of its own funds before the agreed deposit has been received.

3. Final balance

Unless the contract or invoice sets a different deadline, the remaining part of the tour price must be paid no later than 30 calendar days before the start of the trip.

For bookings made less than 30 calendar days before the tour, payment is normally made in full.

Some services may be payable in full earlier than the general balance deadline. These include air and rail tickets, visa and consular services, non-refundable hotel rates, event tickets and other services purchased on special conditions.

If the balance is not received by the deadline, BelDiscovery notifies the customer and allows a reasonable additional period, where retaining the booking is still possible. If payment is not made, the company may stop further performance of the order and cancel the unpaid services.

In that case, only the costs actually incurred and documented are withheld from the funds already paid. The remaining amount is returned to the customer in the established manner.

4. Currency and payment methods

Residents and non-residents settle payments in the currency and by the method permitted by the legislation of the Republic of Belarus and specified in the contract or invoice.

Prices published on the website in foreign currency may serve as a calculation or reference equivalent. The currency of the actual payment, the exchange rate applied and the date on which it is set are stated in the contract, invoice or booking confirmation.

Available payment methods are communicated to the customer when the invoice is issued. Depending on the payer’s country and the banking restrictions in force, this may be a bank transfer, a card payment through an available payment service, or another lawful method.

A cash payment to a representative, guide, driver, interpreter or any other person does not count as payment to BelDiscovery unless that person has been issued a document expressly confirming authority to accept money on the company’s behalf.

5. International payments and sanctions restrictions

International restrictive measures apply to the Republic of Belarus and to certain Belarusian banks and financial institutions. Because of this, a foreign bank, a correspondent bank or a payment system may:

• reject the payment;
• delay the transfer;
• request additional documents;
• block or return the funds;
• restrict the use of the card;
• withhold intermediary bank fees;
• refuse to process a refund along the original payment route.

BelDiscovery cannot guarantee that a payment will be processed by any particular foreign bank or payment system.

Before sending money, the customer must check with their own bank:

• whether funds may be transferred to Belarus;
• whether a payment to the named Belarusian bank is possible;
• the requirements for the payment reference;
• the fees charged by the sending and correspondent banks;
• the list of documents required;
• the approximate crediting time.

The customer must state the payment reference exactly as shown on the invoice. Payment by a third party is allowed only after prior written agreement with BelDiscovery and provision of the data needed to identify the payer and the legal basis of the payment.

BelDiscovery takes no part in sanctions-circumvention schemes and does not propose:

• stating a false payment reference;
• concealing the actual payer or recipient;
• splitting a payment to evade banking controls;
• using accounts of persons unconnected to the order without documentary grounds;
• applying prohibited or non-transparent settlement methods.

If a payment is delayed, blocked or returned, the booking is not considered paid until the funds actually reach the BelDiscovery account.

The company may hold the offer and the places temporarily only where this is technically possible and the suppliers agree. BelDiscovery is not obliged to fund hotels, transport, tickets and other services at its own expense while an international payment is in transit.

If the amount received is short because banks have withheld fees, the customer pays the difference before the services begin.

If a payment restriction arises, the parties agree another lawful settlement method. Using an alternative method must not breach the legislation of the Republic of Belarus, the legislation of the payer’s country, sanctions regimes or banking control rules.

6. Changes to the programme or to the group

The customer may request changes to:

• the tour dates;
• the duration;
• the route;
• the hotel category;
• the room type;
• the number of participants;
• a traveller’s surname or personal data;
• the language of the escort;
• the set of excursions;
• transport and additional services.

A change is considered agreed only after written confirmation by BelDiscovery.

If a change increases the price or causes actual costs, the customer pays:

• the difference in the cost of services;
• supplier amendment fees;
• the cost of reissuing tickets and documents;
• the cost of cancelled services that suppliers do not refund;
• other directly related and documented costs.

If reducing the number of participants increases the per-person price, BelDiscovery recalculates the tour. The customer may accept the new price or cancel the tour on the conditions set out in these terms and by law.

A participant may be replaced if the hotel, the carrier, visa requirements and other suppliers permit it. The cost of the replacement is borne by the customer.

7. How to cancel a tour

The customer may withdraw from the travel services contract at any time, provided that BelDiscovery is paid the costs actually incurred.

To cancel, a written statement must be sent:

• to the official BelDiscovery e-mail address;
• through an agreed electronic channel that allows the sender and the content of the message to be confirmed;
• on paper to the company’s registered address.

The statement should give:

• the customer’s surname and first name;
• the contract, request or booking number;
• the name and dates of the tour;
• the travellers’ surnames;
• the reason for cancellation;
• bank details, if needed for the refund.

Do not send passport data or passport copies through the open website form.

The date of cancellation is the date BelDiscovery receives the written statement. A telephone call alone is not proper notice of cancellation, but after a call the company will help to put the statement in writing.

For a group booking, the statement is submitted by the customer or an authorised representative of the group. One participant cancelling may lead to a recalculation for the remaining participants.

8. Costs actually incurred

Only costs directly related to the specific order may be taken into account when calculating a refund, in particular:

• amounts paid to and not returned by a hotel;
• hotel penalties for cancellation or amendment of a booking;
• tickets paid for and the fees charged to return them;
• private or group transport paid for;
• the cost of guide, interpreter and escort services;
• entrance tickets and excursion sites paid for;
• the cost of visa support and preparation of the required documents;
• services of sanatoriums, farmsteads, catering venues and other suppliers paid for;
• banking and payment costs directly related to the specific payment or refund;
• other costs actually incurred to perform the order and not returned by suppliers.

At the customer’s request, BelDiscovery provides documents or a calculation confirming the actual costs and their link to the specific booking.

If actual costs are not documented, BelDiscovery does not withhold the corresponding amount.

9. How the cancellation date affects the refund

The closer the start of the tour, the more services may already have been paid to suppliers and the more likely non-refundable rates are to apply.

As a guide:

• cancelling more than 30 days ahead, actual costs are usually limited to bank fees, tickets already purchased and certain supplier deposits;
• cancelling 15–30 days ahead, some hotels, carriers and excursion sites may already charge a cancellation fee;
• cancelling 7–14 days ahead, a significant part of the services may already be paid for or non-refundable;
• cancelling less than 7 days ahead, or failing to arrive, actual costs may amount to a significant part of the tour price and in some cases to the whole amount paid.

These periods are not a penalty scale and do not mean that a fixed percentage is automatically withheld. In each case the refund is determined by the actual, documented costs.

10. Refund deadline and method

After receiving the statement, BelDiscovery:

• registers the request;
• stops any further bookings, where possible;
• sends cancellation requests to suppliers;
• determines the costs actually incurred;
• informs the customer of the refund calculation;
• makes the refund within the period prescribed by law.

Where a consumer unilaterally withdraws from the contract, the refund claim is met within seven days of it being made, or within fourteen days where an expert examination is required.

Where the contract is terminated because of a material change of circumstances, the refund is made within fourteen calendar days of the corresponding claim being made.

For legal entities, sole traders, travel agencies and other professional customers, refund periods are set by contract. Such conditions do not apply so as to limit the mandatory rights of a consumer traveller.

The refund is made by the same method as the payment, unless the law or a written agreement between the parties provides otherwise.

As a rule, money is returned to the original payer. A refund to another person is allowed only where there is a lawful basis, a written statement and the documents required for banking and financial control.

BelDiscovery does not charge its own fee for processing a refund. Bank costs may be taken into account only where they have actually arisen, relate directly to the specific transaction, are documented and may lawfully be accounted for.

11. Refunds under sanctions and banking restrictions

If the original refund method has become unavailable because of sanctions, the ending of correspondent relations, a bank being blocked or payment system restrictions, BelDiscovery notifies the customer in writing and proposes agreeing another lawful method.

The customer must provide correct bank details in good time, along with any documents the bank has reasonably requested.

BelDiscovery keeps confirmation that the payment order was sent, correspondence with the bank and other documents evidencing the steps taken.

A banking delay does not by itself extinguish the customer’s right to a refund. The company and the customer must cooperate in good faith to make the payment by lawful means.

A change in the exchange rate neither increases nor reduces an obligation expressed in the currency of payment. If a refund in the original currency is objectively impossible, the currency, rate and conversion date are agreed between the parties in writing, in compliance with the law.

12. Visa refusal or inability to enter

Issuing a visa and permitting entry across the state border are matters for the state authorities. BelDiscovery does not guarantee that a visa will be issued or that a traveller will be admitted to the country.

A visa refusal, a delay in issuing it, missing documents, false information supplied, or a refusal of entry do not mean an automatic full refund of the tour price.

The refund is made less the costs actually incurred and documented.

If the customer reported the visa refusal in good time, BelDiscovery takes reasonable steps to reduce costs: it cancels services not yet provided, requests refunds from suppliers and, where possible, offers to move the dates.

Consular fees and other mandatory payments are refunded only in the cases provided for by the rules of the relevant authority.

13. Air tickets and other transport

If an international flight is not listed under “Included in the price”, it is not part of the tour price.

Where BelDiscovery assists in purchasing a separate air ticket, the airline’s fare and rules apply. Refundability, date changes, passenger changes and the amounts withheld are determined by the carrier.

A flight cancellation, a schedule change, the closure of airspace or the suspension of transport links do not automatically cancel the ground part of the programme.

At the customer’s request, BelDiscovery checks whether it is possible to:

• move the tour;
• change the transfer time;
• change the arrival route;
• shorten or extend the programme;
• cancel ground services.

All changes are agreed in writing. Additional costs and refunds are calculated according to the conditions of the carriers and other suppliers.

14. Illness, late arrival and no-show

A traveller’s illness, or that of a close relative, is considered in the light of the contract, the law, the insurance policy and supplier rules.

BelDiscovery recommends taking out insurance covering trip cancellation, illness, accident, flight delay and other risks.

If a traveller arrives late for the start of the programme, BelDiscovery helps where possible to arrange joining the group. Any additional transfer, new hotel, tickets and other related costs are paid by the traveller, unless the delay was caused by BelDiscovery.

Services not used at the traveller’s own initiative after the trip has begun are not automatically compensated. A refund is possible to the extent that the relevant suppliers agree to refund, unless the law provides otherwise.

Failing to arrive without notice is treated as cancelling the services on the day the tour begins. The refund is determined on the basis of the costs actually incurred.

15. Cancellation or change of a tour by BelDiscovery

If BelDiscovery cannot perform a confirmed tour on the agreed conditions, the company notifies the customer and offers, at the customer’s choice:

• an equivalent replacement of services;
• a change of dates;
• a new programme;
• crediting the funds against another tour;
• termination of the contract and a refund.

Replacing a hotel, transport, an excursion site or any other element of the programme is allowed only with an equivalent or higher standard and without worsening material conditions, unless otherwise agreed with the customer.

BelDiscovery may withdraw from its obligations in the manner established by law. If the withdrawal is not caused by force majeure or other lawful grounds, the company compensates the customer for the losses caused to the extent provided by law.

16. New sanctions, border closures and force majeure

The mere existence of sanctions at the time the contract is concluded does not automatically release the parties from their obligations.

A circumstance affecting performance may be a new restriction, or a material change to an existing regime, that arose after the contract was concluded and directly caused objective impossibility to:

• accept or return a payment;
• obtain a mandatory service;
• carry out transport;
• cross the border;
• use a confirmed accommodation property;
• perform a material part of the programme.

Such circumstances may also include border closures, the suspension of transport links, hostilities, emergencies, natural disasters, epidemiological restrictions, binding decisions of state authorities and other events meeting the criteria established by law.

The following are not in themselves recognised as force majeure:

• the customer having no money;
• a change in the exchange rate;
• a bank’s unwillingness to process a transaction without the documents it has requested;
• late submission of documents;
• a breach of visa or migration requirements by the traveller;
• a sanction or banking restriction that existed and was known when the contract was concluded, where the parties provided for a workable method of performance.

If such circumstances arise, the parties first consider moving the dates, changing the route, replacing services or another lawful method of performance.

If performance is objectively impossible, the contract is amended or terminated in the manner established by law. The refund is calculated individually, taking into account the nature of the circumstances, the services already provided, the costs actually incurred, the refunds obtained from suppliers and the mandatory provisions of the law.

Sanctions or border closures are not grounds for BelDiscovery to withhold the whole tour price automatically.

17. Bookings through a travel agency or a corporate customer

Where a booking is made through a foreign or Belarusian travel agency, the payment procedure, the provision of traveller lists, programme changes and mutual settlements are governed by the B2B contract and the confirmed request.

A travel agency or corporate customer must:

• pass on accurate traveller data in good time;
• observe the deposit and final payment deadlines;
• explain the confirmed tour conditions to the travellers;
• not promise refunds or benefits that have not been agreed with BelDiscovery;
• report a cancellation without undue delay;
• assist with lawful banking and sanctions compliance.

If the travel agency made the payment, the refund is normally made to that travel agency. The agency then settles with the traveller in accordance with its own contract and the applicable law.

A B2B contract must not be used to reduce the mandatory rights of a traveller as a consumer.

18. How to reduce the risk of losing money

Before paying, we recommend that you:

• read the programme and the list of included services carefully;
• check whether an international flight is included;
• check your passport validity and visa requirements;
• agree the spelling of surnames and first names;
• find out the conditions of the hotel and transport rates;
• check that an international payment is possible;
• take out medical insurance and trip cancellation insurance;
• tell BelDiscovery about anything that may affect the trip.

BelDiscovery states openly which elements of a booking require full or non-refundable payment, where those conditions are known to the company at the time the order is confirmed.

19. Contacts for changing or cancelling a booking

BelDiscovery LLC — phone numbers, messengers and address are on the Contacts page.

Please quote your contract or booking number. Do not send passport copies or other sensitive documents through the open website form.