Terms and Conditions

These terms and conditions (“Terms and Conditions”) along with the privacy policy available on this website (“Privacy Policy”) set out the legally binding agreement (“Agreement”) between VIAJES FOTOGRÁFICOS PHOTOWORLDTOURS SLU, a company incorporated under the laws of Spain, with Tax Identification Number (NIF) B10657419, holding Travel Agency License Number C.A.A.405 (“PhotoWorldTours”, “we”, “us”, or “our”), and its users and clients (“Users”, “Travelers”, or “you”).

By accessing this website, booking a tour, or using our services in any manner, you agree to be bound by this Agreement. Please read it carefully. In the event of a conflict between these Terms and Conditions and any FAQ or marketing content, the provisions of these Terms and Conditions shall supersede.

1. Scope of Services and Agency Status

1.1 Registered Agency: VIAJES FOTOGRÁFICOS PHOTOWORLDTOURS SLU is a fully licensed travel agency registered in Spain. We organize, market, and sell specialized photography tours, expeditions, and workshops around the world.

1.2 Independent Local Services: While PhotoWorldTours acts as the principal organizer of the travel packages, certain local services (such as local transport, accommodation, or specific local guides) are provisioned by third-party suppliers. These suppliers operate under their own terms and conditions, which form part of your contract with us.

2. Use of the Website and Account Registration

2.1 Acceptance: Use of this website constitutes automatic acceptance of this Agreement. If you do not accept these terms, you must discontinue using the website immediately.

2.2 Amendments: We reserve the right to amend these Terms and Conditions at any time to comply with legal updates or operational changes. Continued use of the website following any modifications constitutes explicit acceptance of the updated terms.

2.3 Account Security: If you create an account on our website, you are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials. You must provide true, accurate, and complete registration details. PhotoWorldTours reserves the right to terminate accounts with false information immediately and without liability.

3. Intellectual Property and Usage Restrictions

3.1 Copyright Protection: All materials, software (including HTML, XML, JavaScript), photographs, text, logos, branding, layout, and content on PhotoWorldTours.com are the exclusive intellectual property of VIAJES FOTOGRÁFICOS PHOTOWORLDTOURS SLU or its content creators and are protected by international copyright laws.

3.2 Prohibited Actions: Users shall not scrape, frame, mirror, copy, distribute, modify, or simulate the appearance or function of the website or its content without express prior written consent from PhotoWorldTours.

4. Tour Booking and Payment Process

4.1 Booking Confirmation: To confirm a reservation for a photo tour, the Traveler must pay a mandatory initial deposit of 25% of the total tour cost via the designated payment methods provided on the platform (e.g., credit card, PayPal, or bank transfer). A booking is only legally confirmed once this payment is cleared and a confirmation invoice is issued by us.

4.2 Balance Payment: The remaining balance (75% of the total tour cost) must be paid to PhotoWorldTours prior to the tour’s commencement date, strictly in accordance with the specific deadlines detailed in the tour’s itinerary or booking invoice. Failure to pay the balance on time may result in the automatic cancellation of the booking, subject to the forfeiture of the deposit as outlined in Section 5.

4.3 Taxes: All prices listed on the website are compliant with applicable Spanish and European Union tax regulations (including the Special Scheme for Travel Agencies where applicable).

5. Cancellation and Refund Policies

5.1 Cancellation by the Traveler: If a Traveler cancels a confirmed booking, the cancellation must be submitted in writing to [email protected] and will be subject to the following strict schedule:

The initial booking deposit (25% of the total tour cost) is strictly non-refundable and will be retained by the agency to cover administrative costs and non-refundable supplier bookings.
Cancellation made more than 45 days before the tour start date: Any payments made exceeding the initial 25% deposit will be refunded at 50%.
Cancellation made 45 days or less before the tour start date: No refunds will be issued. The Traveler remains liable for 100% of the total tour cost.

5.2 No-Shows and Delays: No refunds, partial refunds, or rescheduling will be granted if a Traveler fails to show up for a tour, arrives late, or leaves a tour prematurely for any reason whatsoever, including but not limited to medical emergencies, personal reasons, flight delays, missed connections, or lost baggage.

5.3 Cancellation or Modifications by the Agency: PhotoWorldTours reserves the right to alter itineraries or cancel a scheduled tour due to insufficient participant numbers, Force Majeure, or safety concerns. In the event of a full cancellation by the agency due to operational reasons, the Traveler will be entitled to a full refund of all monies paid to PhotoWorldTours. The agency is not liable for any external expenses incurred by the traveler, such as independent airline tickets, visa fees, or equipment purchases.

5.4 Force Majeure: PhotoWorldTours shall not be held liable or responsible for delays, cancellations, or failures in performance caused by a “Force Majeure Event”. This includes, but is not limited to, acts of God, natural disasters (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods), wars, civil unrest, terrorism, strikes, government restrictions, epidemics, pandemics, or international travel bans.

6. Travel Insurance and Assumption of Risk

6.1 Mandatory Travel Insurance: Due to the specialized and remote nature of international photography expeditions, all Travelers are strictly required to procure comprehensive travel insurance at the time of booking. This insurance must cover trip cancellation, medical expenses, emergency repatriation, and loss or damage to photography equipment. PhotoWorldTours accepts zero liability for medical costs or financial losses arising from a lack of adequate insurance coverage.

6.2 Assumption of Risk: Participation in photography tours involves inherent risks, including traveling in rugged terrain, remote areas, variable weather conditions, and transport in non-standard vehicles. By booking a tour, the Traveler explicitly acknowledges and assumes all risks associated with physical injury, illness, psychological trauma, or property damage during the trip.

6.3 Equipment Liability: Travelers are solely responsible for the safety, transit, and operation of their personal photography equipment. PhotoWorldTours, its guides, and local suppliers accept no liability for any loss, theft, water damage, or mechanical failure of cameras, lenses, drones, or accessories during a tour.

7. Travel Documentation and Health Requirements

7.1 Visas and Passports: It is the exclusive responsibility of the Traveler to ensure they hold a valid passport (with at least 6 months validity beyond the tour completion date) and obtain all necessary entry visas, transit visas, or travel authorizations required by the destination countries.

7.2 Health and Vaccinations: Travelers must verify and comply with all health requirements, mandatory vaccinations, and medical entry protocols of the destination. PhotoWorldTours is not liable if a Traveler is denied entry into a country or boarding onto a vehicle due to incomplete documentation or health non-compliance.

8. Limitation of Liability

8.1 Maximum Liability: To the maximum extent permitted under Spanish Law (Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2007), the aggregate liability of VIAJES FOTOGRÁFICOS PHOTOWORLDTOURS SLU for any direct damages, contractual breaches, or financial losses arising from a tour booking shall be strictly limited to a maximum cap of USD 500 (or its equivalent in EUR) per passenger, except in cases involving personal injury or gross negligence proven directly attributable to the agency.

8.2 Third-Party Acts: PhotoWorldTours is not liable for any wrongful, negligent, or unauthorized acts or omissions committed by independent third-party vendors, hotels, airlines, local transport authorities, or shop vendors recommended during a trip.

9. Indemnification

9.1 You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless VIAJES FOTOGRÁFICOS PHOTOWORLDTOURS SLU, its directors, employees, and authorized guides against any third-party claims, liabilities, losses, damages, fines, or legal expenses arising directly out of your breach of this Agreement, violation of local laws during a tour, or negligent behavior that causes harm to other tour participants or property.

10. Miscellaneous

10.1 Severability: If any provision of this Agreement is declared void, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be severed, and the remaining terms of this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.

10.2 No Waiver: Failure by PhotoWorldTours to enforce any right or provision outlined in these Terms and Conditions at any given time shall not be interpreted as a waiver of our right to enforce it in the future.

10.3 Entire Agreement: This text, along with the specific tour itinerary invoice and the Privacy Policy, constitutes the entire legal agreement between the client and VIAJES FOTOGRÁFICOS PHOTOWORLDTOURS SLU.

11. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

11.1 This Agreement, the website operations, and all contractual relations between the parties shall be governed exclusively by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of Spain.

11.2 Any dispute, legal action, or litigation arising out of or in connection with the services provided by the agency shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts of Spain.