Frequently asked questions

How does Responsible Travel operate?

We work a bit differently to other travel companies in that we believe the best people for you to speak to are our partners who run the trips on our site so we connect you directly to them so that you can discuss the details of the holiday and get the answers to all your questions. To make it easier for you, when you are happy with the itinerary, the dates and the price you can book directly with our partner. You can read more about how we work here. We make sure that every trip on our site Every trip is screened to ensure that there is a positive impact to local communities and/or nature. More details on our values can be found here, if you’re interested.

Who are our holidays for?

Our holidays are for everyone! We have a superb selection of tours for families, solo travellers, and couples which receive fantastic reviews. For inspiration or to discuss your plans, please feel free to get in touch with the Travel Team. We have some great walking and wildlife trips, and we also specialise in small ship cruising.

How do i book in a callback with the Travel Team?

You can use this link to book a callback at a time that suits you. If you’d prefer to get in touch another way, including via WhatsApp (messages only), you can find those contact options here.

How are your holidays 'responsible'?

You can read about our holidays and values here.

How is my holiday protected?

Your money is completely secure when you book through Responsible Travel. In the highly unlikely event that your holiday does not operate because one of our partners goes out of business, then after all other avenues have been exhausted and subject to our terms and conditions, we will refund you thanks to our Responsible Travel Financial Guarantee.

For our partners based in the UK or the EU you are fully covered if you are booking a package. Outside these areas many of our partners have good financial protection in place to refund you if they go out of business and can't deliver your holiday or refund you. We strongly urge you to check what financial protection is in place with your holiday provider before you book, as well as take out your own good travel insurance which includes cover for supplier failure or cover for unrecoverable monies and pay by credit card or Paypal if possible as these can also provide additional protection for your money, depending on where you live. Read more.

Do you arrange flights?

Our UK based partners can usually organise flights for you from the UK. Where possible, we recommend booking your flights as part of a package to ensure they are covered by financial protection schemes such as ATOL in the UK. If this is not possible our partners are always happy to advise on options and you can use sites such as Skyscanner and Google to explore routes and prices and direct routes on newer aircraft which are lower in CO₂ emissions.

Do you offer a visa service?

We do not offer a visa service, and we recommend that you contact your own government for travel and visa advice, as well as the government of the country you are visiting, either directly or via their embassy/consulate in your country. We are sorry but we are also not able to issue invitation letters.

How can I sign up to your newsletter?

You can sign up here.

How do I use my loyalty discount voucher?

If you've booked a trip with us before, you're eligible for a loyalty discount. Once you've found your next holiday, please provide the relevant discount code at the time of booking to our partner. They will deduct the amount off the cost of your trip. If you are using a loyalty discount code that was shared with you by a friend or family member, please make sure you use the version of the code that ends with an 'F' (t&c's apply).

How can I use my gift voucher?

Find out how to use your gift voucher.

How long are gift vouchers valid for?

5 years (apart from charity vouchers that are valid 2 years).

How do I claim my booking gift?

Here are steps and the terms and conditions for claiming your free gift.

Do you have a shop front, or can I pop in and see you?

We would love to see you! You can call us to make an appointment to see us in our office in Brighton on the south coast of the UK during the week: 01273 823 700.

I need to cancel my holiday - can I get a refund?

The best option is hopefully for you to re-book your trip for a later date; we highly recommend this option, as it means that you still get to go on your holiday, and that our partners aren't negatively impacted by a cancellation. Most of our customers take this option.

If, however, you are unable to re-book, the company you have booked with will be able to discuss the option of a refund or a credit note with you. Contact our partner you have booked with to find out more (and do let us know if we can help at any stage). How much you are able to be refunded will depend on the cancellation terms in your contract with our partner running the trip, how close to your departure date you cancel and if our partner is able to recover any costs already incurred in securing your trip for you.

If they are unable to refund you, please consult with your travel insurers and/or your credit card company for any help they are able to offer.

Why doesn't Responsible Travel boycott?

At Responsible Travel we promote holidays rather than countries and don't generally boycott countries. The reason for this is that we screen holidays very carefully for responsible travel, and it’s possible for a holiday to deliver real benefits to communities, conservation and social projects in places with poor human rights records (conversely, it's also possible for holidays in countries with the best human rights records to be very damaging).

However, we have decided to stand with the people of Ukraine and have suspended Russia and Belarus from the site. The declaration of war by one country on another without any grounds or justification is something that we believe the world must come together to oppose.

Our position on and history with boycotts.