Page 74 - 2025 Brochure

QUALITY CHARTER

The Association of Independent Tour Operators

AITO Quality Charter
AITO is the Association for independent and specialist holiday companies. Our member companies, usually
owner-managed, strive to create overseas holidays with high levels of professionalism and a shared concern
for quality and personal service. The Association encourages the highest standards in all aspects of tour
operating.

Exclusive Membership
AITO sets criteria regarding ownership, finance and quality which must be satisfied before new companies
are admitted to membership. All members are required to adhere to a Code of Business Practice which
encourages high operational standards and conduct.
Financial Security
An AITO member is required to arrange financial protection for all package holidays and tours booked
by customers with the member under the AITO logo. This financial protection applies to customers who
are resident in the UK at the time of booking and to most overseas customers who have booked directly
with the member. In doing so, the member must comply with UK Government regulations. Members are
required to submit details of their financial protection arrangements to AITO on a regular basis.
Accurate holiday descriptions
All members do their utmost to ensure that all their brochures and other publications, print or electronic,
clearly and accurately describe the holidays and services offered.
Professional service and continual improvements
All members are committed to high standards of service and believe in regular and thorough training of
employees. Members continually seek to review and improve their holidays. They listen to their customers
and always welcome suggestions for improving standards.
Monitoring standards
AITO endeavours to monitor quality standards regularly. All customers should receive a post-holiday
questionnaire from their tour operator.
In addition, customers can leave detailed feedback, accessible from the homepage of AITO’s website, or via a
direct link supplied by their AITO tour operator, about their holiday.
Sustainable tourism
Our members acknowledge the importance of AITOs Sustainable Tourism ethos, which recognises the
social, economic and environmental responsibilities of tour operating.
Customer relations
All members endeavour to deal swiftly and fairly with any issues their customers may raise. In the
unlikely event that a dispute between an AITO member and a customer cannot be settled amicably,
either party can call on an arbitration service to bring the matter to a speedy and acceptable
conclusion.
Porto

Ffestiniog Travel is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. To contact the Association,
visit www.aito.com or call 020 8744 9280.

SPECIAL BOOKING CONDITIONS
Steam Trains and Tourist Railways

The tours in this brochure that feature steam haulage are almost exclusively based on either visits to preserved
railways or the operation of steam locomotives on national or private railways purely for tourist purposes. If,
despite our best efforts, a steam locomotive is unavailable on the tour day due to non-completion of repairs/
overhauls, breakdown or other factors such as fire bans, a train may be cancelled or diesel hauled.
Our limit of liability to you will be to refund any costs we can recoup from operators resulting from such
cancellation/non provision. We may not receive refunds from some operators in such circumstances. You
agree that the non provision of a steam locomotive or cancellation of any sort of special train, or scheduled
train on private or preserved railways will not be considered grounds for cancellation by you and normal Harz Railway in winter
cancellation charges will apply.

69 Over 50 Years of Unforgettable Rail Journeys