Terms and Conditions

Who we are

International Living Publishing Limited, company number 285214, registered office: Elysium House, Ballytruckle, Waterford, Ireland.

Our Agreement with You

Our Agreement with you sets out what you are legally entitled to expect from us when you buy a place on one of our conferences or tours (the “Events”).

1. Your Events Booking

Whether you book alone or as a group, we will only deal with the lead booking name in all subsequent correspondence, including changes, amendments and cancellations. You must be at least 18 years old to book as the lead name and attend an Event. If you are under 18 years old, an adult must accompany you. There may be other restrictions on some offers, but these are explained in the details of those offers.

When you ask for your booking to be confirmed, we will confirm the booking there and then, and set aside a place for you. Next, we will send you a Confirmation Letter by email within 14 days. If there is any change to any of the details discussed at the time of booking, before the confirmation email is issued, we will notify you promptly of any new or changed details, including a change to the total price (if any). If any detail on the confirmation email is not correct tell us immediately. If there is an obvious error on the confirmation email we reserve the right to correct it as soon as we become aware of it, but we will do this within 7 days of issuing the confirmation email or, if your Event is within 7 days, no later than 24 hours before the Event.

2. The Price You Pay

All prices we advertise are accurate at the date published, and once you have booked and paid in full we will not increase the price unless absolutely necessary. An increase in price will only occur if there has been an increase in transportation charges, (fuel, airport charges, scheduled air fares and other transport charges which form part of our contract with the transport provider), currency fluctuations or government action.

3. If we cancel your booking

We aim to provide the Event as booked. But if, for example, there are not enough people booked on the Event, we may cancel it. We reserve the right to cancel the Event in any circumstances but if we cancel the Event you can either have a refund or accept a replacement booking on another Event from us of equivalent or closely similar standard and price (if one is available). We will always refund the difference in price if the replacement Event is of a lower price.

4. If we change your booking details

We hope that we will not have to make any change to the Event but, because our Events are planned a number of months in advance, we sometimes do need to make changes. We reserve the right to do this at any time. If your booking includes accommodation, a change may include moving you to another hotel. If we do, we will attempt to secure accommodation of equivalent or closely similar standard and price.

We will let you know about any important changes when you book. If you have already booked, we will let you know as soon as we can if there is time before the Event. Flight timings shown by us are for guidance only and may change. If your booking includes a flight, your actual flight timings will be shown on your ticket (including any e ticket itinerary), which you should check carefully as soon as you receive it.

We will send an email with final details of the Event schedule approximately 7 days before the start of the Event. This will show the latest planned timings. It is your responsibility to check the details on this email prior to the start of the Event.

Important note - events beyond our control

Although we will do our best to assist you should they occur, we are not responsible, and cannot be held liable, if events beyond our control occur. Events beyond our control include: war, threat of war, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist activity, industrial disputes, natural and nuclear disasters, fire, epidemics, health risks, technical problems with transport, including changes due to rescheduling or cancellation of flights by an airline or alteration of the airline or aircraft type for reasons beyond our control or that of our suppliers; closed or congested airports or ports, hurricanes and other actual or potential severe weather conditions, and any other similar events and any act which leads the State Department to advise against non-essential travel to the destination area.

5. Our responsibility for the Event

We will arrange for you to receive the services that make up the Event. These services will be provided either directly by us or through independent suppliers contracted by us. Unless we are only acting as a booking agent (we will tell you if we are), we are responsible for making sure that each part of the Event you book with us is provided to a reasonable standard and as was advertised by us (or as reasonably changed by us).

We are only responsible for the services that make up the Event. If, for example, your booking does not include accommodation or transport, we are not responsible for any loss or inconvenience caused by your accommodation or transport. For example, if your booking is for an International Living conference and you book the flights yourself, we will not be responsible for refunding you the cost of the conference if your flight is cancelled or you miss your connections.

We have taken all reasonable care to make sure that all the services which make up the Events advertised by us are provided by efficient and reputable businesses. These businesses should follow the local and national laws and regulations of the country where they are provided. However, overseas safety standards are generally lower than in the US, Ireland and the UK, for example few hotels yet meet EC fire safety recommendations even in Europe.

6. Personal Injury 1

Except where we are acting as a booking agent, this section covers damages, injury, illness or death while you are attending the Event. We have no direct control over the way our suppliers provide their services but everyone employed or contracted by us or by our suppliers is expected to carry out their duties properly. If they do not carry out their duties properly (or at all) and that fault results in your injury, illness or death, we may make a payment to you. We will not make any payment if your injury, illness or death was caused by an event or circumstances which the person who caused it could not have predicted or avoided even if they had taken all necessary and due care. We will not make any payment if your illness, injury or death was your own fault. If we do make a payment, it will be similar to one you would receive under Irish law in an Irish court.

Note: We will make such payments for injury, illness or death on the basis that you are expected to accept that:

1. You must tell us and the supplier involved about your injury or illness while you are at the Event. You should also write to us at the address given above about your claim within three months of coming home from the Event to allow us to investigate it properly. Please include a letter about your injury or illness from your doctor.

2. You should transfer to us any rights you have against the supplier or any other person.

3. You should co-operate fully with us if we or our insurers want to enforce those rights.

4. Any payments we make may be limited in accordance with international conventions.

We ask you to transfer your rights to us so that we can claim back from suppliers any payments we make to you, plus any legal or other costs. We will not make a profit from this. If we get back from the supplier more than we have paid you plus these costs, we will give the extra money to you.

7. Personal Injury 2

Except where we are acting as a booking agent, this section covers damages, injury, illness or death which is not connected with the arrangements made by us. If you or someone on your booking is injured, falls ill or dies while taking part in an activity which is not part of the Event, or you need to incur unpredictable extra expenses for which we are not liable (see ‘Important note – events beyond our control’) we will try to help if we can. For example, we can help by:

-providing translation services
-communicating with authorities and others in foreign resorts
-recommending foreign lawyers (if necessary)

Your Agreement with Us

8. Your contract

By asking us to confirm your booking, you are accepting that the terms of this Agreement (and the conditions of any contract made with your suppliers) applies to your booking and, if included in the cost of the Event, your travel arrangements. You also consent to our processing personal information about you and other members of your party. Your contract with us is subject to the laws and jurisdiction of the Republic of Ireland.

9. Paying for your travel arrangements

You will be required to pay in full for each person when you book.

10. If you change your booking

1. Name change, and or departure details such as date and time changes are not always allowed by airlines and other transport providers whenever they are made. Whilst we will do our best to change the details of the booking, please bear in mind that most airlines and other transport providers treat name and departure detail changes as a cancellation and charge accordingly. These charges will be passed on to you. Once tickets have been issued, and sometimes even before they have been issued, any changes made to the ticket, including names or initials, will result in you having to pay for the cancelled ticket and buy a new ticket at full cost.

2. Some types of accommodation are priced according to the number of people staying there. If your booking changes because someone in your party cancels, we will recalculate your booking cost based on the new number of people going. If fewer people share the accommodation, then the cost for them may go up. This extra cost is not a cancellation charge.

3. In relation to International Living conferences, you may transfer your booking to another person provided:
- you email us authorising us to make the transfer; and
- the person to whom you transfer your booking emails us to confirm they accept the transfer, will comply with all the terms of the existing booking and the terms of our Agreement.

4. In relation to other Events, and subject to sub-clause 10.1 above, you may transfer your booking to another person provided you meet the following conditions:
- you email us authorising us to make the transfer;
- the person to whom you transfer your booking emails us to confirm they accept the transfer, will comply with all the terms of the existing booking and the terms of our Agreement;
- we will also charge amendment fees in accordance with section 10.1 above. This will be added to the new email issued to that person; and
- you cannot transfer a tour booking within 14days of departure.

11. If you cancel your booking

If you want to cancel your booking, you must advise us in writing by email. The email must be sent by the lead name on the booking and once we receive it you should expect to receive a Cancellation email within 14 days. If you do not then please contact us to ensure your email has been received. To cover the cost of processing your cancellation and to compensate us for the risk that we may not be able to resell your travel arrangements, we make a cancellation charge. The person who made the booking is responsible for paying this charge. The size of the charge will be set out in the details of the marketing for the Event.

If a flight is included in your booking, we cannot give you any refund until we have received your old travel documents, including tickets. Please return them to us immediately.

Please note that for certain travel arrangements e.g. coach tours and many scheduled transport providers the cancellation charge may be higher than those shown. In certain cases a 100% cancellation fee applies as soon as the booking is made and the ticket is issued. Please ask for full details of cancellation charges at time of booking.

12. If you have a complaint

If you have a complaint about your arrangements whilst away, you must immediately notify us or the supplier of the service in question locally. If we or they are unable to resolve the problem immediately, and a member of our staff is not available, you should contact us straight away by telephone/fax/email and we will endeavour to assist.

If you are still not satisfied on your return home, you must email us or write to us to the address above, within 28 days of returning from the Event. Please write your Event name on your correspondence, and include your daytime and evening telephone numbers. If you do not give us the opportunity to resolve any problem locally by reporting it at the time, then we may not be able to deal positively with any complaint on your return.

13. Conduct while at Events

We reserve the right to refuse to accept you as a customer or continue dealing with you if your behaviour is disruptive or affects other attendees or is threatening or abusive towards our staff or agents, on the telephone, in writing or in person. If the captain of your flight or cruise ship or any of our local staff believes that you could be disruptive, they can also refuse to let you proceed with your travel arrangements. If this means you are not allowed to board the outbound flight, we will treat your booking as cancelled by you from that moment, and you will have to pay full cancellation charges. If this occurs overseas then you will become responsible for your own return home and any other members of your group who cannot or will not travel without you. In any of these circumstances no refunds or compensation will be paid to you and we may make a claim against you for any costs and expenses incurred as a result of your behaviour e.g. the cost of diverting an aircraft or ship to remove you. Criminal proceedings may also be instigated.

We encourage attendees to network and enjoy the Events in a relaxed atmosphere. Customers should not hold themselves out as connected with the Event, International Living, any of its speakers or service providers. Customers should not solicit business from other attendees in a manner which might affect other attendee’s enjoyment of the Event. If we believe that you are holding yourself out as connected with us, or are affecting the enjoyment of others, we will ask you to stop holding yourself out or soliciting for business. If you do not, we reserve the right to remove you from the Event.

14. Your accommodation

The accommodation we arrange for you must only be used by those people named on your Confirmation Letter (or on any Amendment email issued). You are not allowed to share the accommodation or let anyone else stay there. You are responsible for the cost of any damage caused to your accommodation or its contents during your stay, except damage caused by persons not known to you. These charges must be met by you and may have to be paid locally.

15. The conditions of your ticket

When you travel by air or by sea, your journey may be subject to certain international conventions such as the Warsaw Convention, Montreal Convention or Athens Convention. If your booking includes transportation, you agree that the transport company’s own ‘Conditions of Carriage’ will apply to you on that journey. If we have arranged this transportation for you, we rely on the terms and conditions contained within these international conventions and those ‘Conditions of Carriage'. You acknowledge that all of these terms and conditions form part of your contract with us as well as with the transport company. You can ask us to provide you with a copy of any of the conditions applicable to your journey. We will tell you the identity of your air carrier when you book with us and if it is not known at that time or subsequently changes we will inform you as soon as possible and no later than at check-in for your flight (or boarding if it is a connecting flight without check-in).

16. Travel Insurance

We strongly recommend that you obtain adequate travel insurance from a reputable provider prior to your departure. Travel insurance may assist you if you are sick or injured whilst abroad and may also cover costs incurred because of cancellations or delays. You should remember however that your insurance may not be valid if you are travelling to a country where the State Department has advised against travel.