Frequently Asked Questions Relating to Programs Offered by Tour Design
What are the exact dates for World Youth Day 2011? From past experience, we assume that dates will be August 15 – 21, 2011 however we have not seen any confirmation yet of these dates from the National Office. This is only an educated guess on our part.
What experience does Tour Design have for World Youth Day Pilgrimages? First of all, Tour Design is owned and operated by Fran Bulley along with her staff. Fran took 450 people to Paris in 1997, 800 Rome in 2000, 1350 people to Toronto in 2002, 2700 to Cologne in 2005 and 900 to Sydney in 2008. We are prepared for arrangements for a maximum of 3000 to Madrid for 2011. With this much experience preparing itineraries and working directly with groups from across Canada and the UK, we have learned a lot and know now how best to meet the needs of pilgrims attending this event. We work directly with you and your group while in Spain to ensure a seamless operation of your itinerary. Check out the photos on the net and see all the happy pilgrims and that let you know that you are our prime concern. We take care of you both before you travel, while you are on site in Spain and for any pre or post touring options.
How do I decide on a specific itinerary? We have some suggestions on the website under Packages and these have been carefully designed to accommodate airline flight patterns and to keep costs to a minimum. We are certainly able to package other itineraries if you wish to do something different from what we have listed but be aware that while we can basically do anything you wish, it all costs more money.
How do I reach Tour Design and how do I know who to talk to about my specific group? There are two offices for Tour Design, one in Mount Forest and one in Markham. At the Markham location, there is 22 staff to help support your travel needs. You will have one specific designated staff member to assist with your group. Note that we are working with groups only and minimum size for each group is 20 pilgrims. We have a toll free number in Canada – 1-888-923-9183 however it is always best to email as then we have a paper trail giving us the necessary contact information.
How do I start to organize my pilgrimage group? First step is to go to the Tour Design website at www.tourdesign.ca and fill in the Expression of Interest Form. We will then get back to you by email and work towards establishing a fixed itinerary for your group. At this point you will have a special Operational Manager from the Tour Design Staff assigned to your group.
Does the cost of our tour include the registration for World Youth Day? No, it does not. Your group coordinator must register you with the National Office in Madrid, once that process is in place. Check out the status of the registration on the web at www.wyd2011.org. I would not expect this site to open for registration until probably 16 months prior to World Youth Day. World Youth Day activities themselves are under the responsibility of the National Office. Tour Design assists you with the other related travel components of your package.
Can I use my credit card to pay Tour Design deposits and final payments for WYD 2011? The pricing given does not include credit card charges which are approximately 3% of the value of the transaction. The price quoted is based on payment by cheque. If you wish to use your credit card, a 3% fee will be automatically added to the transaction amount.
How do I pay for my deposits for WYD? You will pay your local group coordinator. Keep in mind please that the payment schedule is detailed to match the demands of the airlines and hotels. These dates are when the payment must reach Tour Design; therefore, your coordinator will probably ask you to adhere to schedules at least two weeks in advance of the dates printed.
World Youth Day is not until August 2011. Why should we book now? Fran Bulley, Maggie Boyd and Patrick Tsung traveled to Madrid in February 2008 in order to secure accommodation for World Youth Day. We spent 12 days looking at dozens and dozens of hotels and various levels of accommodation. We choose carefully considering location, standard of accommodation, access to public transit, amenities in the hotel to meet the needs of our pilgrims and of course, always cost! We managed to secure a wide variety of accommodation. Once these are sold, we are unable to secure any additional space at reasonable price. Also we have specific bed allotments in each property and will not be able to increase this allotment within our budget. To hold confirmed space at any specific property, you must place at $100 deposit per bed. Your initial $100 deposit per person is always totally refundable.
Will Tour Design come and do a presentation to my group? Yes, we are very keen and like to meet with your youth and parents. As we move forward we will give you an idea when we will be in your area to do a presentation to your group and ask that you try and accommodate your schedule to match our travel plans. We will offer this service across Canada and also in the UK if requested.
Do I have to fly with my group? Yes, there are no deviations allowed on the group airline reservation. All members of the group must travel together.
What are the advantages of remaining as part of the group airfare? Group airfare has the advantage that we can place a deposit on each seat and change names up to ticketing date which is approximately 90 days prior to departure. We also negotiate airfare and hold seats with the airlines based on wholesale travel arrangements and you are unable to access these seats and fares yourself outside of 340 days prior to departure. We will be holding blocks of seats 2 1/2 years out.
What do I do if I want to alter my dates of travel? You must first advise your group coordinator for his or her permission as some groups prefer to have a pilgrimage travel as one unit. If your coordinator allows you to deviate from the main group, then you would your operational manager at Tour Design and she will make all the necessary arrangements. You will then not be part of the group booking and your airline ticket will be booked in the computer system and you will be given the best fare available at that time. You will then have to provide a credit card for full payment of the air portion of your travel. These individual ticket arrangements are subject to cancellation penalties as detailed by the airline. The computer systems have availability loaded for each airline at approximately 340 days prior to departure so we are unable to book any firm ticket before this date for those wishing to do deviations. No deviations will be accepted within 90 days of travel or once the airline tickets are issued.
What will the weather be like in Spain? HOT.
Once our group arrives in Spain, will Tour Design be on site to help us? Yes, as in the past, Tour Design will have staff (12 – 16 tour directors) to make sure that all the needs of your pilgrims are met. Tour Design will have staff on site in each accommodation site. Coordinators and pilgrims will have 24-hour phone contact with Tour Design staff so you never need to worry. We are there to ensure that all of your needs are handled efficiently and with a smile! Check out the website for comments from past coordinators and pilgrims on our level of service.
What are the meals like that are included? Some locations offer cold breakfast daily and some offer full hot buffet breakfast. Dinners are pre-arranged at several locations or within your accommodation site. Be aware that the Spanish eating schedule, lunch from 1 – 4 pm and dinner after 9 pm frustrates many visitors. Most Spaniards eat one major meal a day, lunch at 2:00 pm when stores close, schools let out, and people gather with their friends and family for the siesta. Because most Spaniards work until 7:30 pm, supper is usually served at about 9:00 pm. So do not struggle against the system.
Do I need any other travel insurance? No, once you depart, you have unlimited coverage to return home in the event of any medical related emergency for yourself or your immediate family. You have unlimited hospital/medical coverage, air flight accident and baggage insurance. The insurance premium is based on age and duration of the trip. If you are over 59 years, there will be a supplement for your insurance. For participants over 74 years, you must complete a questionnaire on your medical background to obtain insurance. In order to keep the premium as reasonable as possible, the maximum you will get back prior to departure is $1500. If you have specific concerns about insurance, please direct them to fran@tourdesign.ca , as your group coordinator is unable to answer in depth questions on insurance. If a claim on cancellation insurance is made and it is for a medical reason, it must be supported by a doctor’s certificate. You must provide your coordinator with your date of birth or we are unable to issue your insurance. If you are extending your stay, it is your own responsibility to ask for an extension of insurance.
Do I need a passport? Yes, you must have a passport that is valid for at least six months after your departure from your last gateway city. With your registration, we ask that you let us know if you are not a Canadian citizen.
