Voucher for cancellations due to the coronavirus

20-04-2020 - VZR Garant has extended its cover for travellers who have booked with a tour operator participating in VZR Garant’s guarantee scheme. From 16 March 2020, vouchers issued by such tour operators for travel cancelled due to the coronavirus will also be covered by the VZR Garant guarantee scheme. The vouchers can be used to rebook cancelled trips at a later date. This means that travellers can be confident that the booking amount already paid will continue to be covered by VZR Garant.

Due to the restrictions imposed by both the Dutch and foreign governments, tour operators are currently unable to carry out many of the trips booked. The tour operators participating in VZR Garant’s guarantee scheme are no exception. The crisis situation is leading to cancellations and a solution to this problem needs to be found. Immediately reimbursing the traveller is generally not an option due to a lack of liquid funds. In many cases, the monies will have already been paid to service providers in the destination country.

The corona voucher and VZR Garant’s cover

One possible solution for tour operators is to issue ‘corona vouchers’, which travellers can use at a later date when rebooking with the tour operator. Vouchers such as coupons and traveller's cheques are not normally covered by VZR Garant, but the current crisis situation means that additional measures are required. This is why VZR Garant’s Board has decided to temporarily provide cover for vouchers under the guarantee scheme. This cover will apply to all vouchers issued between 16 March 2020 and 1 June 2020 (this period has been extended and the cover for vouchers has been extended) and which meet the conditions. As a result, the traveller is assured that the monies they have paid are covered in the unlikely event of the organiser becoming financially insolvent in the intervening period.

Travellers receive a voucher from the tour operator with which the original booking was made. Vouchers will be covered by the VZR Garant guarantee scheme only if the original (and now cancelled) booking was already covered by the VZR Garant guarantee scheme.

Cancellation by the traveller

If a traveller decides to cancel a booking, the participant’s cancellation conditions shall apply. If the participant decides to issue a voucher in such a case, the guarantee shall apply to an amount not exceeding the booking amount or deposit paid, minus the cancellation fee.

If a voucher is refused

If a traveller decides to refuse a voucher offered by a participant, VZR Garant’s cover under the guarantee scheme shall not apply to any repayment obligation the participant has.